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What can communities do to lesson risks?
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Community agencies grappling with this issue believe the primary barriers include a lack of experts, lack of training about this topic, a lack of funding for services and poor collaboration between the systems involved (disability-related agencies, mental health system, police department, etc.). On a statewide level, a consortium can be developed to address each one of these issues.
In Ohio, the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council has funded a coalition of professionals from the criminal justice system and the developmental disabilities (DD) systems, as well as mental
health professionals and other advocates for persons with developmental
disabilities to expand and improve community resources for individuals with developmental disabilities when they become involved in the criminal justice system.
Society is uncomfortable recognizing that people with disabilities are sexual beings and have the same needs for affection, intimacy and sexual gratification as those without disabilities.
Providing good sex and relationship education and ample opportunities for sexual expression should be a high priority for parents, disability advocates, community agencies and all those who know or work with people with cognitive, intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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