NIH is committed to improving the health and well-being of people with disabilities. Through investments in research, training, and career development, NIH seeks to promote health equity for people with disabilities and advance disability inclusion in the biomedical and behavioral research ecosystem. Examples of recent NIH commitments include:

  • In December 2022, the Advisory Committee to the Director Working Group on Diversity, Subgroup on Individuals with Disabilities, provided suggestions to the NIH Director regarding how NIH can support the inclusion of people with disabilities in the scientific workforce and in the research enterprise. As a result, from August to November 2023, NIH sought external and internal input on the language of “reducing disability” in the NIH mission statement through a Request for Information (RFI): Inviting Comments and Suggestions on Updating the NIH Mission Statement (NOT-OD-23-163).
  • In March 2023, NIH released the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) to articulate NIH’s commitment to embracing, strengthening, and integrating DEIA across all NIH activities to achieve the agency’s mission. 
  • In September 2023, the Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) designated people with disabilities as a population with health disparities for research supported by NIH.

The Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) within the NIH Office of the Director is currently leading the development of an NIH-wide Disability Research Strategic Plan. This plan will identify scientific themes and develop goals and objectives to advance research activities that promote the health and well-being of people with disabilities.

To develop this plan, DPCPSI is seeking input from all NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices via the newly formed NIH Disability Research Coordinating Committee. DPCPSI will also be inviting the broad NIH community and external interested parties to engage throughout the strategic planning process. To begin, DPCPSI will hold Community Roundtables and a Town Hall in fall 2024. Additional community engagement activities will be held in the future and listed on the Events tab of this webpage.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

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