Webinar: From Access to Impact: Strategies to Grow Inclusive Fitness in Your Medical Fitness Facility
Approximately 200 million people globally have an intellectual disability (ID). People with ID face many health disparities, including a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and lower physical activity levels compared to people without ID. However, with the right supports, people with ID can be physically active and improve their health outcomes. Medical fitness facilities are uniquely poised to support the health and fitness of people with ID.
Through data, storytelling, and lived experience, Special Olympics International Fitness staff and Special Olympics New Mexico Athlete Abe Assaad will provide an overview of common barriers experienced by people with ID in accessing and navigating fitness facilities. Audience members will then learn about no-cost and low-cost strategies that can address these barriers to support access, membership, and retention of individuals with ID.
Lastly, audience members will understand how to assess the impact of their inclusive fitness strategy implementation. These access and retention strategies will allow medical fitness facilities to create lasting impact for people with ID.
Learning Objectives
1. Through storytelling and data, attendees will uncover key barriers experienced by people with intellectual disabilities in accessing and navigating facilities.
2. Attendees will be able to identify no-cost and low-cost strategies that can attract people with intellectual disabilities to a medical fitness facility, support their membership, and increase their retention.
3. Attendees will be able to identify ways to assess the impact and success of your inclusive fitness strategy implementation.
Speakers: Melissa Otterbein, Director of Fitness & Health Lifestyles, and Leigha Cummings, Fitness Specialist, at Special Olympics International and Special Olympics New Mexico Athlete Abe Assaad
Melissa Otterbein is a Certified Health Education Specialist and the Director, Fitness and Healthy Lifestyles at Special Olympics International, where she leads global health programming focused on inclusive, lifelong physical activity and health education. She has over 18 years of public health experience across HIV/AIDS, sport-based youth development, coaching education, and physical activity. She is an ACSM Physical Activity in Public Health Specialist and serves as the Co-Managing Editor for the Journal of Emerging Sport Studies. She is also an Inclusion Consultant for ACSM's Exercise, Sport and Movement journal. A lifelong athlete, she is a Certified USA Triathlon Level II Coach and a U.S. Masters Swimming Coach, as well as an ACSM Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer.
Leigha Cummings is an ACE-certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, and Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach. She serves as the Fitness Specialist at Special Olympics International and runs her own online fitness and nutrition coaching business. With a degree in Health and Human Performance and certifications in Inclusive Fitness, AI Training for Health and Fitness Coaches, and Coaching and Training Women, Leigha is dedicated to expanding inclusive fitness opportunities across the industry. She develops education and leads initiatives that equip fitness professionals to confidently support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including the Special Olympics Foundations of Inclusive Fitness course. Her mission is to empower clients and fitness professionals through evidence-based education, practical coaching, and inclusive strategies that help more people live healthier lives.