Read Special Olympics new health report, Focusing on the Invisible: The Overlooked Needs of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Actions to Strengthen Health Systems in the United States for Inclusion.
Building on a global health report launched in 2025, this report examines the factors driving health inequities and identifies opportunities to create health systems that are more inclusive and accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the United States.
What is Rosemary Collaboratory?
Rosemary Collaboratory builds upon lessons learned and relationships forged by Special Olympics through nearly 30 years of community-level health programming. This report provides recommendations for policy change and urges governments to take urgent action to make health for all a reality.
The needs of people with IDD are too often overlooked in mainstream U.S. health systems, contributing to preventable health inequities
Existing support systems don’t reach everyone with IDD, leading to significant gaps in accessible and affordable care
Gaps in clinical research and provider training leave the health system ill-equipped to meet the needs of people with IDD
Health equity is not an abstract concept. It is personal. It is about whether people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are listened to, understood, respected, and included in decisions about our own health and well-being.
In September 2025, Special Olympics released a global version of Focusing on the Invisible. During the first half of 2024, Rosemary Collaboratory engaged teams at 11 sites around the world to assess the state of inclusion of people with IDD in their health system. Based on those findings and other data sources, Special Olympics has generated four key recommendations centered around: Governance, Leadership, and Engagement; Person-Centered Care; Health and Care Workforce; and Data for Monitoring and Research.