For the fifth consecutive year, Special Olympics PEI has received the Highest Distinction as a Healthy Community through Special Olympics International. As one of the few programs worldwide that have attained the approved status of a Healthy Community, Special Olympics PEI takes pride in working hard to sustain this status each year. The Healthy Community distinction recognizes Special Olympics programs for a holistic approach to health for those with intellectual disabilities. As the largest sporting organization in the world for people with an intellectual disability, Special Olympics, with the support from the Golisano Foundation, is creating a world where people with an intellectual disability have greater access to resources and care from trained professionals.  

Focusing on the Health Impact Grant’s reporting period of January 1 – December 31, 2022, Special Olympics PEI saw a very successful year, one that incorporated many best practices for virtual meetings, accessible screenings, and timely follow-up care. Special Olympics PEI hosted 194 Healthy Athletes Screening across 5 disciplines; the most local annual screenings we have seen in PEI!  

In reaction to the news, Special Olympics PEI’s Program Director, Matthew McNally, commented, “The team at Special Olympics PEI are thrilled that such a high percentage of the membership can benefit from greater access to health services and enhance their life on and off the field of play. This work would not be possible without the incredible professional network that has been built locally to identify the health needs of athletes.” Through the ongoing Healthy Communities work, PEI now has trained clinical directors in six of the eight core health disciplines, along with connections to numerous post-secondary departments, who are essential to the success and delivery of the program.  

Special Olympics’ vision of its health program, made possible by the Golisano Foundation, is to create a world where people with intellectual disabilities have the same opportunities and access to quality health care as people without intellectual disabilities. For the past 20 years, Special Olympics has been working to identify and address the unmet health needs of people with intellectual disabilities and has revealed a myriad of complex barriers to health faced by this population. Barriers to this vision include lack of access to quality health care, education, and resources. The Healthy Communities program addresses the severe health disparities faced by people with intellectual disabilities through immediate and long-term solutions.