Toolkit developed by autistic self-advocates
In 2015, WITH Foundation provided funding to the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) to support the health care initiatives of the ASAN Disability Policy Center, including the creation of four health policy tool kits focusing on different aspects of health care for persons with I/DD.
One of these toolkits, the Autism & Safety Toolkit, is now available. It is the first toolkit of its type that is developed by autistic self-advocates.
Too often, autistic voices have been erased from conversations about autism and safety. WITH is proud to support this toolkit, which focuses on safety issues that affect autistic people and on the tools to deal with them.
The toolkit provides information about:
- Abuse and neglect
- Bullying
- Interactions with police
- Mental health
- Safely navigating the community
“Many people think that people with developmental disabilities must give up our autonomy, or be separated from the broader community, in order to be safe, ” says Julia Bascom, Executive Director of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network. “But in reality, we are safest when we are included in our communities and empowered to take control of our own lives.”
The Autism and Safety toolkit describes safety risks autistics face, discusses different ways to address them, and debunks myths about safety that are sometimes used to curtail the independence and access to the community that autistic individuals deserve.
The Autism & Safety Toolkit comes in three sections. Click on the title of any section to download it as a screenreader-accessible PDF.
- Research Overview on Autism & Safety
- Safety Tips for Self-Advocates
- Ways for Family Members to Support the Safety of Autistic People
The mission of WITH Foundation is to promote the establishment of comprehensive health care for adults with developmental disabilities.