The Arc’s National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD) is honoring The Arc of Benton County with an award to recognize our commitment to justice, inclusion, and advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We were chosen to receive this award for our work with The CommCard Program™ and Justice Consult and Access Program (JCAP).
The CommCard Program™ includes a communication tool to facilitate positive interactions between people with IDD and helping professionals, such as law enforcement and healthcare providers. This program also provides training to law enforcement on how to make police encounters safer for people with disabilities. JCAP provides consultation and support for individuals with developmental disabilities who are involved in the justice system. These programs are led by Board President John Gotchall, M.D., Misha Marie, Director of Access and Empowerment, and CommCard co-developer and peer support, Cody Gotchall.
Two Access and Empowerment team members, Abby Guzman and Ash Ri’chard will accept this award at The Arc National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, on November 13-15, 2025. They will join the nation’s top disability advocates to learn from one another and celebrate our collective achievements.
We are grateful that The Arc of the United States supports our justice advocacy initiatives in Benton County. As we keep justice at the forefront of our mission, we look forward to the positive impact these programs will continue to have on people with IDD.