The Facts of Life.and More: Sexuality and Intimacy for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Making good decisions about sexuality is a critical part of adulthood, but sometimes people with intellectual disabilities don't get the support or education they need to navigate this complex aspect of life.

Professionals will change that with this urgently needed book, which gives social workers, teachers, and direct support professionals the comprehensive information they need to educate people with disabilities about sexuality and help them make the best possible choices across the lifespan.

Blending in-depth examination of legal and clinical issues with sensitive discussion of the emotional side of sexuality, expert contributors from diverse fields help readers

• deliver meaningful, individualized, and culturally sensitive sexuality education



• understand parents' perspectives—and help them provide appropriate information and support to their child throughout life



• assist people with disabilities in managing risks associated with sexual activity



• use behavior interventions to encourage appropriate sexual expression



• help people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender validate their feelings and counter negative messages



• address issues related to medical care and intervention for people with disabilities

Going beyond the facts of life, this book gives professionals candid interviews and personal anecdotes that show how real-life couples with disabilities handle the joys and challenges of their relationships—courtship, sex, parenthood, disagreements, finances, and more.

Readers will also get examples of effective sexuality education techniques and vivid case studies that illustrate key points. With this frank, thorough, and highly readable guide, professionals will better advocate for people with disabilities and help them reap the social and emotional benefits of healthy, responsible, age-appropriate sexuality.

John D. Allen is Program Director of Employment Services at Marrakech, Inc., a human services agency based in Woodbridge, Connecticut. Allen is currently a doctoral candidate at Southern Connecticut State University who has a master’s degree in urban studies and a bachelor of science in economics. He is the founder of the New Haven Gay & Lesbian Community Center and the Rainbow Support Group. John lives in Branford, Connecticut, with his partner, Keith Hyatte, the Charge Scenic Artist at Long Wharf Theatre.

John J. Barisa has dedicated his practice to the treatment and service of individuals with developmental disabilities and coexisting psychiatric conditions. He has developed his own unique methods in treatment, with emphasis on person-centered approaches in all areas, including sexuality. John J. Barisa has developed Psychological Perspectives, a clinic dedicated to service delivery and specific training for clinicians to work with developmental disabilities.

Marklyn P. Champagne, a registered nurse and licensed independent clinical social worker, has more than 30 years of expertise in the field of intellectual disabilities. She maintains a private practice in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, for consultation, individual therapy, group education, and creative solutions in issues of social and sexual development for individuals with intellectual disabilities. She is the co-creator of the CIRCLES® curriculum series.

Amy Gerowitz is President of OUTLOOKS, a consultation and training firm specializing in organization process improvement, board training, strategic planning and team building for public and private organizations. She was formerly President and Chief Executive Officer of Active Learning Systems, a company that provided central supports for public and private residential agencies. She is a former president of the American Association on Mental Retardation Community Living Division.

Melinda K. Hall is an artist living and working in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She graduated with a bachelor’s of business administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and continued her postgraduatestudies in fine arts at New Mexico State University. Her work has been seen in gallery and museum venues, as well as in public and private collections, both nationally and internationally since 1990.

Robert Joseph is a licensed New York State psychologist and sexuality consultant. He received his doctorate from the City University of New York. He has 26 years of experience with developmental disabilities, 19 specializing in sexuality and disability. He lives in New York City with his wife and his cat. Robert presents on the topic of disabilities throughout the Northeast.

Emily Perl Kingsley, winner of 16 Emmy Awards and a writer for SESAME STREET since 1970, is the mother of an adult with Down syndrome. She was instrumental in integrating children and adults with cognitive and physical disabilities into the format of SESAME STREET. She is the author of “Welcome to Holland,” an essay that has been reprinted around the world. She has served as a member of the National Media Council on Disability, a group working to improve the ways in which people with disabilities are portrayed in the media. Recently, Ms. Kingsley was appointed to serve on the advisory board for a new partnership formed between SESAME STREET and the Special Olympics. She has also been appointed to the advisory board of the Anti-Defamation League Miller Early Childhood Initiative to combat prejudice and hate.

Ruth Luckasson, J.D., is Regent's Professor and Professor of Special Education and Coordinator of Mental Retardation and Severe Disabilities in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Professor Luckasson is Vice President of the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR). She served on former President Clinton's C