Healthy Athletes is a Special Olympics program that provides free health screenings and health education in a fun, welcoming environment with a focus on removing the anxiety people with intellectual disabilities often experience when faced with a visit to a medical professional. The impact of Healthy Athletes on the health and wellness of Special Olympics athletes around the world is significant! Since 1997, Healthy Athletes has discovered undetected health problems, alleviated pain and provided health services that otherwise would not be available.

Healthy Athletes is not only a program for athletes but, through training and hands-on experience at screenings, it is a program for health care students and professionals to increase knowledge of best practices in caring for people with intellectual disabilities.

Special Olympics Oklahoma is proud of the many professional volunteers from the health care industry who volunteer their time at events such as Summer Games.

The Healthy Athletes Software (HAS) System is the largest database on the health of people with intellectual disabilities. In the United States, Special Olympics athletes are:

• Provided more than 1million screenings to Special Olympics athletes in the United States.

• Trained more than 130,000 health care professionals in the specific care concerns of people with intellectual disabilities.

• Healthy Athlete Software (HAS) is the largest database for people with intellectual disabilities in existence.

• Contributed to establishment of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry and the signing of the Special Olympics Sports and Empowerment Act of 2004.