Health Equity Grants

Health Equity Grants is sponsored by FISA Foundation. Provides grants to nonprofit organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania addressing health equity issues.

Access to Healthcare Initiative – Fisa Foundation Access to Healthcare Initiative Access to Healthcare for People with Disabilities Decades after federal law required healthcare to be accessible, people with disabilities continue to report widespread barriers and pervasive discrimination.

In 2024, FISA Foundation launched an initiative to shed light on the barriers and issues that people with disabilities encounter in healthcare settings. As part of this initiative, FISA Foundation has commissioned a report and video series centering the voices and experiences of people with disabilities in receiving quality, patient-centered care.

View the navigation menu below to click on links to different materials and events from this initiative.

Report Download A Far Cry From Fair: Health-care Access for People with Disabilities Report Key Findings and Summary Fact Sheets Webinar Recording – A Far Cry From Fair: Findings from a new report on barriers to healthcare Centering the Voices of People with Disabilities: Video Interviews with People with Disabilities on Healthcare Access Spring 2025 Webinar Series – Breaking Barriers: Dialogues on Healthcare Access for People with Disabilities CLOSED – Request for Proposals: Improving Healthcare Access for People with Disabilities in Southwestern PA A Far Cry From Fair: Health-care Access for People with Disabilities FISA Foundation commissioned researchers from the University of Pittsburgh to write a report on barriers to healthcare that people with disabilities encounter.

After conducting interviews with patients with disabilities and pulling form scholarly literature, the authors present the multitude of barriers to quality healthcare that people with disabilities say they face.

Download the Report Here: A Far Cry from Fair: Health-care access for people with disabilities A Far Cry From Fair: Health-care Access for People with Disabilities, Large Print FISA Foundation’s “A Fair Cry From Fair: Health-care Access for People with Disabilities” report is also available in braille. To request this, call 412-456-5550 or email us, info@fisafoundation. org.

Executive Summary and Fact Sheets Fact Sheet: Access Barriers to Healthcare for People with Disabilities Fact Sheet: Discrimination and Bias in Healthcare and Its Impact on People with Disabilities Fact Sheet: Financial Barriers for People with Disabilities in Healthcare BEST PRACTICES to make healthcare accessible to people with disabilities WEBINAR RECORDING – A Far Cry From Fair: Health-care Access for People with Disabilities Date: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 This webinar presented A Far Cry from Fair: Health-care Access for People with Disabilities , which highlights the persistent barriers that people with disabilities experience in navigating the healthcare system, combining published research with local voices to call for systemic reforms that ensure equitable care for all.

Participants heard personal stories of people with disabilities discussing barriers they have encountered in the healthcare system, as well as their vision for what accessible care could look like.

Presenter: Dr. Josie Badger DHCE, CRC Centering the Voices of People with Disabilities “I want them [healthcare providers] to see me and not be overshadowed by my disability” FISA Foundation commissioned a series of video interviews to center the experiences of people with disabilities in accessing healthcare.

The videos illustrate the barriers they have encountered in receiving health care and their desire for more equitable, patient-centered care. Watch the short clips below. 2025 Breaking Barriers Webinar Series As part of the larger Access to Healthcare for People with Disabilities Initiative, FISA is producing a webinar series called “Breaking Barriers: Dialogues on Healthcare Access for People with Disabilities.

” This series takes a “lunch and learn” approach and will be hosted by Dr. Josie Badger. These webinars will feature conversations with disability experts sharing strategies and practices implemented to improve healthcare access and quality of care for people with disabilities. View recordings of past webinars and register for the upcoming webinars below!

WEBINAR RECORDING – Advancing Disability Equity in Healthcare: A Dialogue with Dr. Megan Morris Presented: March 12, 2025 This webinar featured Dr. Megan Morris, founder and director of Disability Equity Collaborative (DEC) sharing her personal journey, the impactful work of DEC, and practical insights for healthcare providers and systems aiming to address disparities in care for patients with disabilities.

WEBINAR RECORDING – Improving Health Outcomes for People with Disabilities: A Dialogue with Sarah Triano from Center for Health Care Strategies Presented: April 30, 2025 Hear insights on Center for Health Care Strategies’ projects to improve health care justice and equity for people with disabilities who use long term services and supports and/or Medicaid.

WEBINAR RECORDING – Ensuring Disability Rights in Healthcare: Patient Rights & Hospital Responsibilities with Jenee’ N. Oliver, Esq Jenee’ N. Oliver, Esq.

, Staff Attorney and Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) lead for Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP) explores the critical intersection of disability rights and healthcare access, empowering patients and providers with knowledge to create equitable healthcare experiences. WEBINAR RECORDING – Fostering Inclusive Healthcare Practices: A Dialogue with Dr. Phillip R.

Bryant Presented: October 23, 2025 Healthcare providers, students, and disability advocates play a critical role in shaping access and equity for people with disabilities. This webinar explores the essential knowledge, skills, and practices necessary to ensure that healthcare services are inclusive, respectful, and effective.

WEBINAR RECORDING – Furthering Disability Rights and Patient Advocacy: The Role of the ADA in Healthcare with Dr. Ann Deschamps Presented: November 13, 2025 This webinar explores how healthcare systems, providers, and advocates can improve accessibility, uphold patient rights, and navigate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Learn about common accessibility requirements, practical steps for advocating when rights aren’t met, and key ADA Center resources to support patients, providers, and advocates in creating more inclusive, equitable healthcare. WEBINAR RECORDING – Beyond the Exam Room: A Dialogue with Dr. Amy Houtrow Presented: March 31, 2026 Healthcare outcomes are shaped by far more than what happens during a medical visit.

For many patients—particularly people with disabilities—housing instability, food insecurity, transportation barriers, and unmet social needs directly impact health, safety, and quality of life.

In this Breaking Barriers webinar, Dr. Amy Houtrow explores how physicians, advocates, and community-based organizations can work beyond traditional clinical care to support the health and wellness of people with disabilities and other marginalized populations.

Access at Risk: Navigating Care After Medicaid Cuts, a Discussion with Pennsylvania Health Law Project Medicaid changes are creating uncertainty for patients, families, and providers across Pennsylvania. As policies shift and funding pressures grow, many people are asking: What does this mean for my care?

Join Breaking Barriers for an important conversation with the Pennsylvania Health Law Project (PHLP), a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting and advancing access to healthcare for low-income and underserved Pennsylvanians.

In this session, PHLP experts will explain: What Medicaid changes are happening now — and what may be coming What patients should realistically expect in coverage, services, and access Your legal rights if services are reduced, denied, or terminated This discussion is designed for patients, caregivers, disability advocates, service providers, and community leaders who want clear information and practical tools to respond effectively.

FISA Announces Grants to Improve Accessible Healthcare As part of the Access to Healthcare Initiative, FISA announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for grants up to $20,000 to improve access to healthcare for people with disabilities.

From this competitive RFP process, FISA Foundation is excited to announce that nearly $175,000 in grants have been awarded to organizations working to improve accessible healthcare for people with disabilities in southwestern Pennsylvania. Check out the full list of grants at this link .