Ketcheson appointed Special Olympics clinical director for health promotion for Michigan
Leah Ketcheson, Ph.D., assistant professor and program coordinator of health and physical education teaching in the Wayne State University College of Education, was recently appointed Special Olympics clinical director for health promotion for the State of Michigan.
This past weekend, Ketcheson, recent graduate Chandler Wentz, Ph.D. and incoming doctoral student Samantha Miller offered “Healthy Athletes” screenings to more than 300 athletes at the Special Olympics State Summer Games held in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The screenings provided competing athletes with an opportunity to learn critical information about their current health status, including blood pressure, body mass index, bone density, balance, and muscular strength and endurance. Wayne State students in the exercise and sport science and health and physical education teaching programs will be trained to participate in future screenings.
The competition was one of Ketcheson’s first official duties as clinical director for health promotion. In this role, she will administer health screenings at all major Michigan Special Olympics events and consult about health promotion programming across the state.
Special Olympics clinical directors are volunteer professionals who work with their local Special Olympics Program and other volunteer health professionals to coordinate the local Healthy Athletes Program. This initiative provides health services and education to Special Olympics athletes and changes the way health systems interact with people with intellectual disabilities through free health screenings, training for healthcare professionals, and evaluation of the health status of people with intellectual disabilities.