Dimitri Christakis
A Milestone for Inclusive Health: Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® Kicks off at the 2026 USA Games
Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® Ribbon Cutting Ceremony marks the opening of Healthy Athletes screenings at the 2026 USA Games in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Special Olympics Launches Initiative Connecting Athletes to Research and Evaluation Opportunities
[Minneapolis, Minnesota, 20 June 2026] Today, Special Olympics announced the launch of SO-Link—an initiative that connects Special Olympics athletes with opportunities to participate in Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved research and evaluation projects relevant to their health.
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AJPH Supplement Spotlighting Special Olympics Health Programming Demonstrates How Inclusive Public Health Spaces Improve the Health of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Implementing strategies to improve health outcomes in all communities requires public health spaces to include people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) at the table when it comes to policy, funding and research decisions.
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A Week of Impact: Showcasing Inclusive Health at Special Olympics Ireland Site Visits
A weeklong series of site visits across Ireland highlighted innovative partnerships, athlete led initiatives, and institutional leadership advancing inclusive health for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
5 Min Read
The High Rates of Mental Health Struggles
New research from Special Olympics Health, authored by SOI Chief Health Officer, Dr. Dimitri Christakis was published in JAMA Network Open titled: Anxiety, Depression, and Care Barriers in Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
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Special Olympics Advocates: Don’t Leave This Community Out of Mental Health Discussions
The following is an excerpt from The Healthy by Reader’s Digest article, “Special Olympics Advocates: Don’t Leave This Community Out of Mental Health Discussions” on what effective mental health care looks like for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and why inclusion needs to be part of the solution.
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