Strategies for Successful Interactions with People with Disabilities: Bringing Visibility to Invisible Disabilities
Sometimes, what we do not see is more important than what we do see. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face high rates of victimization and criminalization because criminal justice systems are underequipped to effectively recognize, understand, support, and protect them. The session includes perspectives from disability experts and people with IDD to discuss strategies to effectively reduce bias and improve communication, de-escalation, and accommodation of legal obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Panelists will discuss ways to improve training, promote cultural competence, and strengthen partnerships between law enforcement and disability agencies to create more inclusive communities for all.
- Explain how having an IDD can significantly impact an interaction with police, especially when disability intersects with race, sexual identity or other marginalized identities.
- Understand how biases regarding people with disabilities, including those who experience other types of marginalization in society, affects an officer's ability to communicate, understand and effectively de-escalate potentially dangerous situations or respond to crime victims with disabilities.
- Learn practical strategies to partner more closely with local disability agencies and provide appropriate referrals during interactions with people with IDD specifically.
Leigh Anne McKingsley, MSSW, MPA
Senior Director of Disability and Justice Initiatives
The Arc's National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability
Leigh Anne McKingsley is Senior Director of Disability and Justice Initiatives at The Arc of the United States where she founded and directs The Arc's National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD), the first national center in the U.S. to address both victim and suspect/defendant issues concerning people with IDD. She has worked at the intersection of intellectual/developmental disability (IDD) and criminal justice for 28 years, authored numerous publications and presents nationally and internationally on a broad array of criminal justice and disability topics. She oversaw the development of NCCJD’s signature training: Pathways to Justice® and seeks to establish NCCJD and The Arc’s 550-chapter network as the go to place for information and training on disability and justice. Ms. McKingsley works from a home office in Arlington, Texas. She holds a B.S.W (Bachelor of Science in Social Work), M.S.S.W. (Master of Science in Social Work), and M.P.A. (Master of Public Administration) from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Russell Lehmann
Motivational Speaker with Lived Experience and Poet with Lived Experience
Russell Lehmann is an award-winning and internationally recognized motivational speaker and poet contextualizing autism, mental health, disabilities, and the overall human condition. A graduate of MIT’s “Leadership in the Digital Age” course, Russell sits on the national Board of Directors for The Arc and is a council member for the Autism Society of America.
Russell showed signs of autism as a newborn, however, he was not formally diagnosed until the age of 12 after suffering through 5 weeks in a lockdown psychiatric facility.
Russell recently returned from Helsinki after he was invited to the Finnish Parliament to discuss government supports that are needed in Finland for individuals on the spectrum.
Jessica Scullin
Supervisory Policy Analyst
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
Jessica is a Supervisory Policy Analyst at the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). Jessica leads the Training and Partner Engagement Division in its mission to advance public safety and the practice of community policing through training, technical assistance, resource development and subject matter expertise to the law enforcement community.
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Erica Harris
Disability Inclusion Training Specialist
University of Cincinnati University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Erica Harris has over 18 years working professionally with and on behalf of underserved and marginalized communities on public health subjects. Currently, she works with the University of Cincinnati University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCCEDD) to train and educate law enforcement professionals on topics related specifically to disability inclusion and interacting with individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Erica currently consults with The Arc’s National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD) and has extensive experience in developing training curricula, providing training to staff, professionals, self-advocates, and family members to assist them in identifying effective and safe for interactions involving law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Erica's regional and national efforts focus on training members of law enforcement on topics that include Accommodations, Communication, Behavior, Triggers, Crisis Prevention and De-escalation.
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