The Inclusive Fitness Coalition is an expanded group of organizations and individuals representing a cross-section of the disability rights, sports, health/fitness and civil rights communities. The IFC policy workgroup will focus on a comprehensive initiative to advance systemic change for individuals with disabilities through a coordination of policy, advocacy and education efforts. Learn more and get involved at incfit.org.

1. Policy Workgroup Meeting
5/21/2014
Welcome!

2. WHAT IS THE INCLUSIVE FITNESS COALITION?
The Inclusive Fitness Coalition is an expanded group of organizations and individuals
representing a cross-section of the disability rights, sports, health/fitness and civil
rights communities.
STATEMENT OF NEED
It is estimated that 56 million people report some type of disability. This significant
portion of the population faces some of the greatest health risks associated with
sedentary lifestyles. The Inclusive Fitness Coalition developed out of the need to
address these health issues and create a unified effort to increase access to and
participation in all areas of physical activity and sport for youth, adults and seniors
with physical, cognitive and sensory disabilities.

3. Bringing the Call to Action
to ACTION!

4. About the Workgroup
The IFC policy workgroup is focused on a comprehensive initiative to
advance systemic change for individuals with disabilities through a
coordination of policy, advocacy and education efforts.
The overall strategy for this group is built upon two main tactics to create a
national advocacy movement for the inclusion of people with disabilities in all
areas of physical activity and sport:
1. To encourage relevant advocacy organizations to build an IFC agenda into
their efforts.
2. To target key areas that can be influenced by persuading professional and
trade associations to encourage their individual members to take action.

5. Long-Term Policy Goals
• To advance federal and state policy to expand physical
activity and athletic opportunities for individuals with
disabilities.
• To educate policymakers about the importance of healthy
lifestyles for individuals with disabilities and the need to
adopt an inclusive approach to policy reform.
• To increase Coalition membership to include more national,
state and local organizations, experts and advocates that
can serve as referral systems and networks to connect
people with disabilities to physical activity opportunities in
their local community.
• To advance the policy initiatives of the other IFC
workgroups.

6. Workgroup Ask
ASK: No child, youth or young adult with a disability
left on the sidelines.
• NEED: The benefits of providing all children an opportunity
for exercise and sports participation goes beyond social justice
and individual opportunity. There is a major epidemic of
obesity among our youth and even more so among our youth
with disabilities. By providing equal access to physical activity
and sport for all individuals with disabilities, we can begin to
break down the barriers these individuals often face and
create a new culture of inclusion in our schools and
communities.

7. CDC VitalSigns™
May 2014
Resource and Information Links
CDC Report & Materials:
http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/di
sabilities/index.html
New website for health
professionals:
www.cdc.gov/disabilities/PA
NCHPAD Physician’s Toolkit &
Pledge:
http://www.nchpad.org/pledge/
doctalk

8. • Inclusive communication campaign to support U.S.
Surgeon General’s Call to Action on Walking &
Walkability
• How I Walk is a campaign to rebrand the word walking
by changing individual and societal attitudes.
• The campaign aims to promote walking as an inclusive
physical activity term that is individualized regardless of
mobility limitation.

9. I Can Do It, You Can Do It!
• ICDI facilitates and encourages opportunities for all
Americans, regardless of ability, to lead a healthy lifestyle that
includes regular physical activity and good nutrition.
• ICDI previously focused on youth participation and was
implemented nine sites across the U.S. Today, the program
includes children AND adults with disabilities.
• The Council’s goal is to expand and implement the program in
at least 100 sites nationwide over the next five years.
• James H. Rimmer, Ph.D. named to President’s
Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition Science Board

10. OCR Further Guidance on 504
Initiatives
• Athletics for All High School Group
• NCAA Disability Inclusion
• Other initiatives

11. Open Discussion
• Roll call/ 1 minute updates
• Questions/Comments

12. Next Steps….
• If you are not a member, please join at
incfit.org!
• To post a message to all workgroup members,
send email to policy@incfit.org.
• Official IFC communication will come via
Constant Contact from incfit@lakeshore.org.
• Quarterly meetings, next meeting September 2014
– Present final workgroup vision, goals, tasks along
with strategic plan/ action items

13. Thank you!
Eli Wolff, Workgroup Chair
eliwolff@ihcdesign.org
Allison Hoit, Coalition Coordinator
incfit@lakeshore.org
205.313.7447
www.incfit.org
Stay connected on Twitter! Follow @IncFitCoalition