Become a HealthMatters™ Program Organization

Join for FREE - Fall 2026 Application is Open!

Application Instructions

Bring an evidence-based health promotion program to your organization and improve the health of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

IMPORTANT Dates

CONTACT: Jasmina Sisirak

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST:

Sign Up to Join HealthMatters Alerts. (Li: currently in Machform, should we use a different collection tool?)

FAQs


  • July 14th, 2026 (1pm-1:45pm CDT) - Information Session

  • August 7th, 2026, 5pm CDT - Deadline to Apply

  • August 14th, 2026 - Application Decision

  • August 21st, 2026 - Deadline to Register for Training (hard deadline, accepted Organizations only)

  • September 2nd, 2026 (1pm-1:45pm CDT) - Optional Welcome Webinar (accepted Organizations only)

  • Training dates of the HealthMattersTM Program Virtual Instructor Certification Webinar

    • Option 1 Training Webinar | Tuesday, September 15th, 2026 (1pm-4pm CDT)

    • Option 2 Training Webinar| Thursday, September 17th, 2026 (10am-1pm CDT)

What You’ll Receive

  • Staff Training

  • Curriculum

  • Virtual Classroom

  • Ongoing Support

AT GLANCE - HealthMatters™ Program

  • Cost - FREE for 12 months

  • Program Length - 12 weeks

  • Delivery - In-person, Hybrid, or Virtual

  • Staff Training - 6 hour instructor certification (3-hour live webinar, 3 hours of asynchronous activities including teaching Lesson 1)

  • Participants - people with IDD

  • Evidence-based

  • CEUs - Certification will be received upon completion 3-hour webinar and Program Plan activities and Lesson 1 in Virtual Coach Google Classroom (3 additional hours). Six (6) CEUs/CPEUs provided for Advance Practice Nurses, Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LSW, LPC, LCPC), Licensed Dietitian Nutritionists (RD), Nursing Home Administrators, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professionals (QIDP), Speech Language Pathologists, and Illinois Teachers (CPDUs). $15 per person for CEUs.

Is Your Organization a Good Fit?

Up to 15 organizations may participate. These include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Community based organizations (day and residential programs, schools, and recreational centers) who provide services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

  • Project SEARCH and other school to work transition sites

  • Managed Care Organizations, AAA, SNAP-Ed, UCEDD, etc 

Are You Ready? Take the Quiz

 FAQs

  • The Program is open to all states in the USA. International applicants, please contact us directly.

  • The program is free for at least 12 months.

  • We require at least 2-3 staff leads to create HealthMatters Program Team in your organization.

  • Yes! The 12-week HealthMatters Program was tested with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Even though it was not formally tested with school-aged children, it has been used in schools. We recommend that the program can be taught from Middle School and up.

  • Yes, the Program utilizes Google Classroom for virtual delivery.

  • Basic technology is all you need—a reliable internet connection, computer or tablet, and access to Google Classroom to use the HealthMatters™ Virtual Coach.

  • This will depend on the need of participants with IDD. We recommend small groups of 4–10 participants with IDD to allow instructors to provide individualized support and encourage active participation. Organizations serving more participants can run multiple groups based on their staffing capacity.

  • HealthMatters™ doesn’t end after 12 weeks! Organizations can continue with Lifelong Learning Lessons, ongoing physical activity, and repeated, more in depth health promotion activities that help participants maintain healthy habits for life.

What will you get with the HealthMatters™ Program?

HealthMatters Program Instructor Certification**– a 3-hour webinar training for support staff to learn how to do the following:

  1. Access online HealthMatters Program Virtual Coach Google Classroom

  2. Use the paper Health Matters Curriculum

  3. Develop a Program Plan for your HealthMatters Program (in-person, hybrid, or virtual options) 

  4. Obtain strategies and resources to improve health behaviors and health status of people with IDD

Online Classroom Materials in the 12-Week HealthMatters Program Virtual Coach Google Classroom – an online single access point to 36 lessons, resources, and support which allows for an interactive communication, feedback, and collaborative learning. Participating organizations will receive technical assistance by the national HealthMattersTM Program Team members.

Health Matters: The Exercise and Nutrition Health Education Curriculum for People with Developmental Disabilities – A free paper curriculum, which mirrors Virtual Coach Google Classroom for all participating organizations to teach people with IDD to understand, consider, and communicate health options and choices (www.amazon.com/Health-Matters-Curriculum-Developmental-Disabilities/dp/1557669996).

FUNDING

Continued funding for 12-months through a grant awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, The Healthy Brain Initiative Award #1 NU58DP006782-01-00 to the HealthMattersTM Program in the Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois Chicago (2020-2026).

UIC IRB Protocol #2020-0754
Development Funding provided by CCTS Pilot Translational and Clinical Studies Program2020 (2020COVID-01)