Improving Health in Intellectual Disability Through Activity

Nicholas Lennox served as Director of the Queensland Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disability from 1997 to 2018, establishing himself as Australia's first Professor of adult developmental disability medicine. His most significant contribution is the development of the Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP), a groundbreaking tool that has substantially improved healthcare delivery for people with intellectual disabilities. Throughout his career, Lennox has created numerous innovative interventions including the Ask Health Diary, the first "whole of life" handbook on intellectual disability health, dual diagnosis educational kits, and online training programs for both general practitioners and support workers. He led the development of the Able X series of Massive Open Online Courses through Edx, making intellectual disability healthcare education accessible globally. His research has directly influenced policy changes, including the establishment of a Medicare payment system supporting GPs to perform health assessments for people with intellectual disabilities. As foundation Vice-president and Past President of the Australian Association of Developmental Disability Medicine, Lennox has advocated successfully for systemic changes at local, state, national, and international levels. His contributions were recognized with the Bob Davis Award in 2015 for his outstanding work in preventing and treating health problems in people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Beyond his academic work, he maintains an active role in clinical practice and continues to influence healthcare policy and education as an Honorary Professor at The University of Queensland.

Miriam Taylor Gomez has established herself as a leading expert in disability education and advocacy through her work as Education Coordinator at the Queensland Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disability (QCIDD) at The University of Queensland. Her significant contributions include developing the groundbreaking ABLE XSeries, the first Massive Open Online Course focusing on the physical health of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, for which she won the UQ Award for Excellence in Equity and Diversity in 2016. Her expertise spans educational design for diverse audiences, including people with intellectual disabilities, their families, disability organizations, and health practitioners. Taylor has conducted innovative research including a sensory mapping pilot project in Logan that explored urban experiences of neurodiverse and neurotypical participants. As an international authority in disability education, she contributed to the World Health Organization's first World Disability Report and has authored numerous publications in disability education and development. Her work has been particularly influential in developing educational and training materials for diverse populations, including pioneering work on LGBT awareness in intellectual disability communities. Beyond her academic contributions, she has established significant international collaborations and continues to influence disability education and policy globally.