Many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities rely on direct support professionals (DSPs) to lead full and independent lives in their communities. The work DSPs do is vital, but due to years of systemic-failures, they’re often underpaid leading to vacancies and high turnover. It’s a crisis that affects people with disabilities and their families every day. DSPs and people with disabilities deserve more.
Individuals with I/DD are dramatically over-represented in prisons and jails and face unique barriers. Powerful laws exist to protect them, but prisoners need accessible resources to assist them in advocating for their rights. This article explores recommendations to ensure equity for prisoners with I/DD.
This document explores how advocates have used, and are beginning to use in new ways, the “integration mandate” of the Americans with Disabilities Act to advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities to avoid unnecessary entanglement with the criminal justice system.
Why Partner with The Arc?
Partnering with The Arc to offer or expand inclusive volunteer opportunities in your community brings you and your organization several benefits.
Inclusive volunteering opportunities help you and your organization connect with people with disabilities, their families, and dedicated professionals. With more than 650 chapters across the country, The Arc and its chapter network support more than 1 million people with I/DD and their families each year. Our chapters offer services to people with I/DD and their families across the lifespan to help them live, work, go to school, and participate in all aspects of their community. When you partner with chapters of The Arc, you and your employees can better connect with people with I/DD and their families.
Offering inclusive volunteer opportunities helps you grow and further your brand. According to a 2013 Fleishman-Hillard Lepere Analytics study, consumers tend to view an organization as the sum total of everything the organization says and does—including giving back or supporting community projects. By developing and enhancing inclusive volunteer programs in your community, you and your organization will show your dedication not only to addressing local challenges but also to supporting social inclusion for people of all backgrounds and abilities. By partnering with The Arc to offer inclusive volunteer opportunities, you will gain a partner with over 60 years of experience supporting people with I/DD and their families to meaningfully share their skills, times, and gifts with their community.
How Can I Partner With The Arc?
There are many ways you and your organization can partner with The Arc. Examples of partner volunteer activities include:
For more questions on how you and your organization can partner with The Arc, contact The Arc at info@thearc.org.
Talk About Sexual Violence gives healthcare professionals the basic tools they need to have a simple, direct, and honest conversation about an all too common experience faced by women with I/DD – sexual violence.
This video can be used in tandem with our charts and other training tools to discuss sexual violence and support women who have experienced it.
English Transcript | Spanish Transcript
This video can be used in tandem with our charts and other training tools to discuss sexual violence and support women who have experienced it.
These tools can be used in tandem with our videos “Kecia Meets with Her Doctor” and “How to Have the Conversation” to discuss sexual violence and support women who have experienced it.
Guides
To prepare health care professionals and advocates for a conversation with women who have intellectual/developmental disabilities and have experienced sexual violence.
PowerPoint Slides
To be used in presentations.
Conversation Tips for Health Care Providers
Tips for advocacy groups and allies to facilitate conversations.
Referral Cards Template
These charts can be used in tandem with our training videos and training tools (for women and for men).
Body Parts Chart: Female
Body Parts Chart: Male
Word Chart: Female
Word Chart: Male
Expressions Chart
Crimes Against People with Disabilities Chart
Offender Relationship Chart
Families play an important role in providing care to their family members with I/DD. Supports provided vary widely and include interventions to support people in areas of behavior, health and medical supports (such as therapies), transportation, assistive technologies, and assistance with daily living activities such as preparing meals, personal care, shopping, etc. The Family and Individual Needs for Disability Supports (FINDS) survey was initially conducted by The Arc of the United States in 2010. It was updated in 2017 through a collaboration between the Research and Training Center on Community Living (RTC/CL) at the University of Minnesota and The Arc. The purpose of FINDS is to understand the experiences of families who provide supports to a family member with IDD. An estimated 43.5 million people provide support to a family member who is aging or who has a disability (National Alliance for Caregiving, 2015).
Important questions exist about families who provide such support: 1. What are the challenges families face meeting the support needs of their family member? 2. What are the economic implications of caregiving? 3. How does caregiving affect caregivers and what supports do they need? Better understanding the experiences and needs of caregivers can help policy makers and other support caregivers in this important role.
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