Closing the Gap: A National Blueprint to Improve the Health of Persons with Mental Retardation. Report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Health Disparities and Mental Retardation.

摘要

There is a segment of our population that too often is left behind as we work to achieve better health for our citizens. Americans with mental retardation, and their families, face enormous obstacles in seeking the kind of basic health care that many of us take for granted. Individuals with mental retardation are more likely to receive inappropriate and inadequate treatment, or be denied health care altogether. In issuing this Blueprint for improving the health of those with mental retardation, the Surgeon General has drawn the attention of the Nation to the longstanding health disparities experienced by a group of Americans who deserve our full attention and support in their efforts to get the health care they need. By identifying these needs and outlining concrete action steps for addressing them, this community has created an unprecedented opportunity to narrow the gap between the health needs and health services for this special group. The Surgeon General's national Blueprint, which complements the suggestions contained in the President's 'New Freedom Initiative', takes the essential first steps needed to bring together self-advocates with mental retardation and their families with the scientists, health care providers, professional training institutions, advocacy organizations, and policymakers who can make a difference in the lives of individuals with mental retardation.