Talk About Sexual Violence Focus Group Report: People With Disabilities

/in , , , , , /by Pam Katz

People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) are sexually assaulted seven times more often than people without disabilities. Because of this, medical providers must talk about sexual abuse with their patients and offer support. Unfortunately, many medical providers do not have the tools or training to help them have these important conversations.

Talk About Sexual Violence centers on conversation groups of medical providers and people with disabilities, including survivors of sexual assault. It was important to hear from them about how medical appointments can be more supportive.

Conversation groups were held as live, online video sessions to hear from people with IDD about their appointments with medical providers.

This report contains the result of those focus groups.

Talk About Sexual Violence Focus Group Report: Medical Providers

/in , , , , /by Pam Katz

Talk About Sexual Violence centers on conversation groups of medical providers and people with disabilities, including survivors of sexual assault. It is important to learn how medical appointments can be more supportive and patient-centered, especially if someone has experienced sexual assault.

Conversation groups were designed as a live, online video session with medical professionals who answered questions about their practices with patients who had been sexually assaulted, including those with disabilities.

This focus group details the findings from those conversation groups.

Talk About Sexual Violence: A Conversation Guide for Health Care Providers

/in /by Pam Katz

The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that people with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) are sexually assaulted seven times more than those without disabilities. Transgender and gender non-conforming individuals also face high rates of sexual violence.

It is critical that healthcare professionals and their patients talk openly about sexual violence and abuse prevention.

Suggestions offered here are designed to facilitate conversations about sexual violence and provide patients with a safe environment in which to share their experiences and get the support they need.

#FreeBritney: Lessons for People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Their Families

/in , , , , , , , /by Pam Katz

Britney Spears’ public battle over her conservatorship is shining a light on some of the broader challenges that people with disabilities face under guardianship, which is a term some states use for that kind of court involvement. This webinar describes some of the issues being highlighted in the media from Ms. Spears’ case, how they might apply to people with IDD, and alternative approaches that individuals with IDD and their families might consider.

Webinar slides

Webinar transcript

Prepared4ALL: Whole Community Inclusive Emergency Planning

/in , , , /by Pam Katz

This free course, created by AUCD, is designed to increase your knowledge about whole community emergency planning, including COVID-19 planning, as well as provide you the basic information needed to connect with your own local emergency planners, public health professionals, and community.

How Marginalized Families Are Left Behind in Disability Education Services and How to Address It

/in , , , , /by Pam Katz

Historically marginalized families face many barriers in regards to education service access and supports. These disparities have significant implications on both children and their families long past graduation. In this webinar, learn about the barriers faced, the historical and systemic factors that contribute to them, and the long-term implications. Attendees will also engage in an exercise to develop advocacy plans in their communities to address these issues and create meaningful change.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Jamie Pearson, a former behavioral interventionist and autism program consultant, is an Assistant Professor of Special Education in the Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences at North Carolina State University. Dr. Pearson earned her PhD in Special Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she developed FACES, a parent advocacy program designed to support African American families of children with autism.

Download the presentation here.

For further questions, please email school@thearc.org.

Examining How Crisis Standards of Care May Lead to Intersectional Medical Discrimination Against COVID-19 Patients

/in , , , , , /by Pam Katz

Black, Indigenous and People of Color, disabled people, higher weight people and older adults have historically experienced and continue to experience discrimination by medical professionals. In health care settings, members of these communities face pervasive negative biases and inaccurate assumptions about their value, quality of life, capacity to communicate and make decisions, and likelihood of survival.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, these biases can have serious and even deadly consequences. Such biases may be exacerbated when hospitals are faced with scarce resources and must make decisions about which critically ill patients should receive treatment. The “crisis standards of care” which are used by many states and hospitals to make these decisions, have too often reflected these biases. It is crucial that these standards be tailored to avoid unlawful discrimination.

This guide provides: (1) an explanation of what crisis standards of care are and how they may perpetuate discrimination; (2) the principles that should apply to crisis standards of care to prevent discrimination; (3) the civil rights laws that apply to the use of crisis standards of care; and (4) recommended strategies to ensure the non-discriminatory application of crisis standard of care guidelines.

Planificación Futura: Es Posible y Necesaria

/in , , , , , /by The Arc

This webinar on future planning for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) was presented in Spanish.

Planning for the future is important for all families. Thinking about the future can be challenging and emotional. However, experience shows that people with disabilities make a better transition from the family home when a future plan is in place. A future plan can also provide peace of mind for caregivers of people with IDD. Learn from staff at The Arc of the United States on how to get these discussions started and the steps your family should take to create a future plan. This presentation also provides an overview of The Arc’s Center for Future Planning website and resources that can help facilitate discussions to create a future plan.

Hacer planes para el futuro es importante para todas las familias. Pensar en el futuro puede ser emotivo y desafiante. Sin embargo, la experiencia muestra que los adultos con discapacidades logran una mejor transición de la casa familiar cuando tienen un plan futuro. Tener un plan también le puede dar tranquilidad a los cuidadores de las personas con discapacidades intelectuales y de desarrollo. Aprenda de personal de The Arc cómo empezar estas discusiónes y los pasos que su familia debe seguir para crear un plan futuro. Esta presentación también proporciona una descripción general del sitio web del Centro de Planificación Futura de The Arc y de los recursos que pueden ayudar a facilitar las discusiones para crear un plan futuro.

Presentation Slides

Alexa Blueprints and Routines

/in , , , , , /by Pam Katz

Talking to technology is something that most of us do every day. It’s become commonplace to ask a device to set a timer or turn something on or off rather than touching a button or flicking a switch. Amazon Alexa offers two new ways for students, educators, and parents to use their voice to interact with technology that can save time, deepen learning, and provide access to critical information.

With Alexa Blueprints and Alexa Routines, students can now track upcoming events on their calendar, create study resources, or even make appointments – all without needing to open their computer. Teachers can use Alexa to prepare for upcoming lessons, create quizzes and offer Q&A resources to students. And administrators can quickly access information needed for planning and communicate with faculty about dates, timelines and meetings.

With feedback from parents and educators, Alexa Blueprints now offers a feature that focuses on helping students regulate their emotions. Parents, educators, support professionals, and students themselves can access breathing and meditation exercises, calming music and even a “glow” that changes in color and intensity, all ways to help with self-regulation. It also features the capacity to build “social stories” that model desired routines and good behaviors.

For more information, check out this overview and this user guide to get started.