July is Disability Pride Month! Disability Pride Month began as a day of celebration in Boston in 1990 following the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law on July 26, 1990. In 2004, Chicago hosted the first Disability Pride Parade. Today, nationwide events take place during July and year-round, empowering people with disabilities to reject internalized ableism and publicly assert their inherent value.
In honor of this month and the 35th anniversary of the ADA, VALOR is uplifting work from C.A. LEADDS (California Advocates Leading in Engagement, Accessibility, and Developmental Disability Services), a VALOR and Arc of California Project! Our joint project works to increase support for sexual assault survivors with developmental disabilities, so that no matter where they are across California, they have access to services that are safe, barrier-free, and responsive to their needs.
Beginning in 2019, the C.A. LEADDS project has worked to address gaps between sexual assault survivor services and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Focus groups found that rape crisis centers (RCCs) were inexperienced and uncertain how to provide appropriate services to survivors with I/DD, while disability support organizations and family members did not know where to turn after sexual violence was disclosed. C.A. LEADDS has focused their work on bringing these communities together to educate each other and form networks of informed collaborative care.
The C.A. LEADDS team has released new resources for RCCs, community partners, and disability service providers, including updated web conferences in English with most having Spanish interpretation and American Sign Language.
If you are interested in increasing your organization’s capacity to support survivors of sexual assault with intellectual and developmental disabilities, check out the resources below!
New and updated webinars for RCCs:
Survivors with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities: Providing Appropriate Support and Advocacy – Part 1 / Part 2 (Sobrevivientes con Discapacidades Intelectuales y del Desarrollo: Brindar Apoyo Adecuado y Abogacía – Primera Parte / Segunda Parte)
This two-part web conference series provides sexual assault advocates with a foundation for being able to provide appropriate support and advocacy to sexual assault survivors with I/DD. The perfect way to supplement ongoing training for staff and volunteers.
This session is dedicated to enhancing accessibility at RCCs by exploring comprehensive approaches to accommodations, examining a variety of accommodations, why they may be useful, and how they can be effectively integrated into your center’s operations to ensure that all survivors receive the support and services they need.
New and updated webinars for disability service providers & community partners:
Responding to Sexual Assault Disclosures by People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Trauma-Informed Approach – Part 1 / Part 2 (Responder a las Revelaciones de Abuso Sexual por parte de personas con Discapacidades Intelectuales y del Desarrollo: Un Enfoque Informado por el Trauma – Primera Parte / Segunda Parte)
This two-part web conference series provides professionals supporting people with I/DD a foundation for responding to sexual assault disclosures in a trauma informed way. The series helps providers build knowledge around the prevalence of sexual assault and people with I/DD, services available to survivors of sexual assault in the community, the impacts of trauma, and more. This is a great introductory offering to share with your local regional center, day programs, and group homes.
Reporting and Supporting: Approaching Mandated Reporting with Care
While the intention of mandated reporting is to stop abuse, the process itself can cause unintended harm by taking choices away from survivors. Building upon the foundational two-part training, this session explores how mandated reporters can provide appropriate, survivor-focused support while fulfilling their legal responsibilities.
Printed Resources:
CA Resource Guide for Supporting Survivors with Developmental Disabilities
A compilation of trainings, policies, and toolkits relevant to disability service providers, sexual violence organizations, forensic examiners, and self-advocates in California. A good resource for “next steps.”
Outreach Brochure for Survivors with Developmental Disabilities
Once you have ensured that your organization is readyto provide the appropriate care, this resource is a great way to reach your audience directly.This customizable brochure is a tool to provide your information in an accessible way within your community.
Check out these resources so you and your organization can support survivors with I/DD all year long!
For more information about the C.A. LEADDS Project or additional resources, visit the C.A. LEADDS page or reach out to Priscilla Klassen, Project Coordinator, at pklassen@valor.us
