Disability Rights are Human Rights
The ADA in Practice
The Disability Resource Team welcomes helping professionals who are committed to increasing awareness, access and accommodations for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their service area.
Did you know that approximately 18% of the U.S. population experiences some form of developmental disability?
That makes those who live with disabilities the largest minority group in the nation. This group is granted protection against discrimination by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This law ensures people with disabilities receive the accommodations they need in employment, justice and healthcare systems, housing and other areas of community living .
Developmental disabilities are a part of the identity and human experience of many people, including Temple Grandin, Albert Einstein, and Ludwig van Beethoven. But, disabilities are often misunderstood, confused with mental illness and even criminalized.
The Arc Disability Resource Team (DRT) is a field-tested, local multi-disciplinary group of people who collaborate to remove barriers to access and accommodations for people with developmental disabilities. Together, we identify blind spots and strategize ways to bring about change.
JOIN OUR DISABILITY RESOURCE TEAM
We invite you to join the Disability Resource Team (DRT). To learn more about The Arc Disability Resource Team, email us at justice@arcbenton.org.
Stay Informed About Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disabilities. The Arc has created this simple checklist as a tool to ensure that people with developmental and other disabilities are considered at every planning and implementation stage.
When an impairment is not accommodated, it becomes a disability.
If you or someone you know with a developmental disability is facing entanglement in the Benton County criminal justice system, contact John Gotchall, The Arc’s Justice Advocate, at justice@arcbenton.org.
HIDDEN FIRST ACCORDIAN
Equitable Care in the Justice System
For some people, equitable care in the Justice System requires accommodations.
These may include:
- more time to answer a question or complete a task (which, interestingly, may become unnecessary once the pressure of a time constraint is removed)
- communication modifications, such as speaking more slowly or communicating through assistive technology
- autism-friendly construction
- the support of an advocate who is familiar with the person with IDD
- modifications to interviewing techniques
Families and Self-Advocates
The Arc DRT can lead families and self-advocates to professionals who understand developmental disabilities. Our list of qualified attorneys, teachers, counselors, and judges is growing. We may not have all the answers, but we hope to facilitate a conversation that can point you in the right direction.
Legislative Options to Reform Laws for People with IDD is a webinar about how to share your story in ways that will improve the laws protecting people with developmental disabilities.
Benton County Justice System Improvement Program (JSIP)
Benton County residents have expressed concern that our current justice system is insufficient in providing necessary accountability and rehabilitation services. The County Commissioners in response have embarked on a Justice System Improvement Plan, linked here.
The initial assessment has revealed that we have dated and compromised facilities, high failure to appear rates, insufficient intake assessment tools and data collection, outsourced services, limited rehabilitation, mental health treatment and substance abuse response, and limited post-release support. All of these factors combined place offenders at a higher risk to reoffend.
The Arc of Benton County is present at the Community Advisory Council meetings to ensure that people with IDD are considered in every project.
This is important because people with DD:
- are 4 to 10 times more likely to be victims of crime than those without a disability
- are twice as likely to be victims of violence
- represent 4-10% of the prison population
Read more about People with Intellectual Disabilities as Victims and Suspects here.