In honor of Disability Pride Month, VALOR is spotlighting our C.A. LEADDS (California Advocates Leading in Engagement, Accessibility, and Developmental Disability Services) Project. The C.A. LEADDS project has created and curated a number of resources that will be featured in their upcoming guide: Supporting Sexual Assault Survivors with Developmental Disabilities in California. 

Four advocates stand to the right of their presentation titled, "C.A. LEADDS, Collaborating to Address Sexual Abuse Services in the Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Community."

If you are interested in collaborating with disability service organizations to improve services and outreach for survivors with developmental disabilities, the C.A. LEADDS team can help. Their series of trainings concentrate on bridging the gap between Rape Crisis Centers and Disability Service Organizations. 

  • Survivors with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities: Providing Appropriate Support and AdvocacyPriscilla Klassen presenting a session with people sitting in round tables at the bottom center and left of the photo.  
    • Part One and Part Two focus on informing survivor-centered organizations about developmental disabilities, services, and the network of supports that exist within California, as well as relevant legal considerations. The series also examines how ableism and sexual violence intersect, with an emphasis on prevalence and impact.
  • Responding to Sexual Assault Disclosures by People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Trauma-Informed Approach
    • Part One and Part Two center on helping disability service providers build knowledge around sexual assault, trauma, and the positive impact of self-advocacy and sexual health. 
    • The team has also written a number of guides for organizations as well as self-advocates. 

Indiana Disability Justice (IDJ), turned their website into a hub for information on Disability Justice (DJ) and violence prevention, including art, infographics, research, survivor stories, and webinars. In addition to their choose your own adventure website, they have collaborated with Respect Together to create a free, self-paced Disability Justice, Violence Prevention, and Abolitionism Curriculum.

Priscilla Klassen and Ashliegh Klein posing with accessibility advocates.There are also a number of plain language resources by and for self-advocates. Project Shine created the Your Sexual Health Toolkit to help give people with disabilities a fuller range of sexual and reproductive health information. Kansas Believe has a similar vision with their Healthy Relationships Guide. From LGBTQ+ self-advocates, The Rainbow Support Group Guidebook is a great tool for service providers and loved ones to “learn how we want to be treated and supported.”

For more information about the C.A. LEADDS Project or additional resources, reach out to Project Coordinator, Priscilla Klassen. PKlassen@Valor.US