2015 TASH Conference

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are extraordinarily vulnerable to all forms of abuse and violence throughout their lifetimes. Past violence is often compounded by repeated retraumatization in new service delivery settings with behavioral difficulties and communication troubles simply labeled noncompliance. The neurodiversity paradigm of disability offers powerful possibilities for completely rethinking noncompliance in the context of trauma, which can provide numerous tools for building better relationships, providing more sensitive care, and paving the way toward more positive outcomes. Let us help you bring our years of advocacy into your practices! As a result of this session participants will be able to: 1.) Identify different types of abuse and violence that people with disabilities commonly experience and explain the basic legal and social systems that create the context for widespread abuse and violence against people with disabilities. 2.) Understand how the concept of compliance (especially in the behavioral context) enables abuse. 3.) Define the concepts of ableism and neurodiversity. 4.) Connect the concept of neurodiversity to services and supports for people with disabilities. 5.) Identify at least three ways to use neurodiversity principles to respond to trauma in service delivery settings.