2017 TASH Conference

In the over 65 years that The Arc has been in existence, our success has continually been our ability to understand and meet the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. In that time, not only has The Arc grown into a network of over 650 chapters across the country, but has also grown in terms of how we react and remain flexible in the environment we live, work and advocate in. As the diversity of the population of the country shifts and changes, so to do the people who need our support. As the workforce we need to effectively meet the needs of people with I/DD and their families becomes increasingly diverse, so to must our chapters become more adept at recognizing that diversity is everywhere (in their clients, communities and chapters); it is inevitable and it is beneficial. This session will explore not only why chapters need to develop an effective community outreach strategy, but also present tools and resources for broadening outreach and achieving inclusion. We will explore the concept of intersectionality as it relates to our chapters and our staff recognizing everything a person is. Best practices from chapters and/or other organization will also be offered.