Project Description:
Relate to Me provides education, skills and tools for people with IDD to enhance their relational and sexual health. Despite the increasing prevalence of sexual content in social media, movies, and television in the United States, many parents/caregivers of individuals with IDD feel uncomfortable or ill-prepared to address the topic, while others assume that intimate relationships will not be part of the life of the person with IDD. Furthermore, individuals with IDD often are excluded from sex education in school settings.
Relate to Me is a ten-week, small group (N=4-6) curriculum that equips young adults with IDD to make safe and healthy choices about their relationships. This program offers young adults opportunities to learn and ask questions about relationships and sex in a supportive group of peers and trained facilitators. At each Relate to Me meeting, participants learn age-appropriate information about such topics as setting healthy boundaries, dating in-person and/or online, and gender identity and sexual orientation. Participants are also engaged in related activities designed to appeal to a variety of learning styles.
The ten-week curriculum culminates in a mock speed dating event with volunteer conversation partners. The mock dating event provides participants with the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge gained in the previous nine weeks.
The Ohio State University Nisonger Center and the Human Development Institute at University of Kentucky collaborated to incorporate best practices in universal design of the curriculum. The incorporation of universal design principles enables the program content to be more broadly accessible to individuals with IDD who may experience more barriers when navigating sexual health services.
Keyword(s):
sexual health, relationships, consent, boundaries, sexual decision-making
Core Function(s):
Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information, Other Direct/Model Services
Area of Emphasis
Health-Related Activities, Quality of Life
Target Audience:
Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
Mulit-County
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
