Transition to adulthood is a challenging process for all young people, but it can be particularly challenging for youth with disabilities and special health care needs. This film aims to raise awareness of some of these issues and offer suggestions as to what policy makers and health care professionals can do to help.

In their own words… The messages in the film come directly from young people with disabilities and/or special health care needs who wrote the script, took the photographs, created the art work, and directed the scenes in the film.

While the primary target audience for the film is health care providers and policy makers, it is also intended for a broader audience. The emphasis is on health care, but the messages extend to all aspects of life. This film may be used for a variety of audiences, including: health care providers, policy makers, school personnel, students, employers, parents, consumer groups, and advocacy groups.

We Are Able was created by the Massachusetts Young Adult Advisory Council at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Support for the film was provided through a grant from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, US Department of Health and Human Resources.
Film Facilitator/Producer/Editor: Julie Polvinen
Running Time: 15 minutes (approximately)

Watch the "We Are Able" video (WMV format) (Broadband 26MB) wmv format of yaac-we-are-able-hi.wmv file size 25MB   (Dialup 13MB) wmv format of yaac-we-are-able-low.wmv file size 12MB

Order the DVD

Nicole Roos
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program
250 Washington Street, 5th floor
Boston, MA 02108
Email: YAAC@state.ma.us
Phone: 800-882-1435 (in Mass. only) or 617-624-5478

This information is provided by the Division for Perinatal, Early Childhood, and Special Health Needs within the Department of Public Health.