Closing the Gap

Report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Health Disparities and Mental Retardation

Table of Contents

• Message from Secretary Tommy G. Thompson
• Foreword from the Surgeon General
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
  • Disparities and Diversity
  • Identifying the Problems
  • Setting the Agenda and Realizing the Goals
  • Dual Diagnosis Research Agenda
  • Federal Initiatives on Disabilities
• A National Blueprint to Improve the Health of Persons with Mental Retardation
  • The National Conference
  • Drafting the Blueprint
  • Core Values in the Blueprint
  • Goals and Action Steps:
    • Goal 1: Integrate Health Promotion into Community Environments
    • Goal 2: Increase Knowledge and Understanding
    • Goal 3. Improve Quality of Health Care
    • Goal 4. Train Health Care Providers
    • Goal 5. Ensure Effective Health Care Financing
    • Goal 6. Increase Sources of Health Care
• Appendices
  1. Summary of the Plenary Session of December 5, 2001: Background Presentations
  2. Participants in the Conference
  3. Potential Partners in Realizing the Blueprint
  4. Health Disparities and Mental Retardation: Programs and Creative Strategies to Close the Gap
  5. Summary of the Surgeon General’s Listening Session on Health Disparities and Mental Retardation
  6. Surgeon General’s Listening Session on Health Disparities and Mental Retardation: Speakers