Disability Rights and Justice Toolkit for the Disability Advocate

01-18-23

Key

• DMC = Disability Ministries Committee of the UMC (blue)

• GBCS = General Board on Church and Society (red)

• GCORR = General Commission on Religion and Race (green)

• DHM = Committee on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ministries

• DM = Discipleship Ministries (purple, as are all other sources)

Part A: Tools relating to breakout group topics

I. Attitudes

• Disability theology (DMC, also on GCORR site)

  • The Accessible God podcast

  • God Created All Things Good Litany (DMC)

• Ableism toolkit (DMC, also on GCORR site)

  • Do’s and Don’ts for the Disability Ally

  • What is Ableism? (GCORR)

• Disability Awareness Sunday FAQs (DMC)

• Etiquette and communication (DMC)

• Worship Matters: Ministry “with” vs. “for” Persons with Disabilities podcast (DM)

• Faith Talks: Including Persons with Disabilities podcast

• Including Children with Disabilities in the Life of the Church (DM)

• Welcoming Children with Disabilities Resource List (DM)

• Neurodiversity VOICE newsletter, May 2022

• Sacred Worth Books – Disability Representation (GBCS)

• Mental Health

  • Creating Caring Congregations (Mental Health Ministries)

  • Mental Health bulletin insert (GBCS)

II. Accessibility

• Accessibility audit and badge program (DMC)

  • Video training (Baltimore-Washington Conference)

  • Guidance for Completing the Annual Accessibility Audit (DMC)

• Worship and media accessibility

  • Events accessibility checklist

  • Accessibility in Hybrid Worship and Meetings

  • Technology resources

• Congregational accessibility committee

• DMC accessibility and disability ministry grants

• Committee on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ministry grants (DHM)

  • Congregational resources (DHM)

  • Assistive technology resources (DHM)

III. Denominational

• New standards for vulnerable adults and people with disabilities (DM)

• Equity vs. Equality (GCORR)

• Identity Politics and Social Location (GCORR)

• Faith and Fact Cards (GBCS)

• Safer Sanctuaries for People with Disabilities (DM) — chapter in new manual

• BOOM training: accommodations for ministry candidates (coming soon)

• Book of Discipline and Book of Resolutions 2016 (see Part B)

IV. Societal Attitudes

• Ableism toolkit (DMC)

• Disability culture (ILA)

• Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)

• Intersectionality of Disability and other Identities and Implicit Bias

V. Community Accessibility

• ADA laws, regulations, and standards

• Guide to ADA Standards (US Access Board)

• ADA Information (ADA National Network)

• Find your regional ADA center

• Support local/regional/national accessibility coalitions

VI. Community Engagement

• Creating Change Together Toolkit (GBCS)

• AAPD – American Association of People with Disabilities

• Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition (AAPD)

• Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network (WCC)

• NAMI Pledge to Be Stigma Free

• Disability Equality Index (Disability:IN)

VII. Public Policy

• Creating Change Together Toolkit (GBCS)

• Action Alerts:

  • The Arc – Policy & Advocacy

  • AAPD Advocacy

  • AAPD REV UP Campaign – Voter Resources

• Special Education Law and Advocacy: Wrightslaw

• Disability Employment Data – U.S. Dept. of Labor, ODEP

• Disability & Health Promotion Data – CDC

Part B: Tools from UMC Official Documents

• Book of Discipline 2016 (free version)

  • Section VI ¶140: Called to Inclusiveness

  • Social Principles ¶162.I: Rights of Persons with Disabilities

  • ¶162.X: Mental Health

  • ¶166.VII: Our Social Creed

  • ¶214: Church Membership

  • ¶265.4: Disability Awareness Sunday

  • ¶324: Qualifications for Provisional Membership

  • ¶425: Appointment-making (open itineracy)

  • ¶610.4-5: Meetings in accessible places

  • ¶630.1-d: Training about disability

  • ¶633.4.b: Funding programs for accessibility

  • ¶653: Committee on Disability Concerns

  • ¶716: Nondiscrimination policies

  • ¶1405: Seminary responsibilities re: disability

  • ¶2521.1: Accessibility in building proposals

  • ¶2533.6: Annual accessibility audits

  • ¶2544.4-5: Accessibility in planning/financing church buildings

• Book of Resolutions 2016 (free version)

  • 3001: Accessibility Grants for Churches

  • 3002: UM Implementation of UN Standard Rules / ADA

  • 3084: Reducing the Risk of Child Sexual Abuse

  • 3184: Repentance for Support of Eugenics

  • 3201: Health Care for All in the U.S.

  • 3302: The Church & People with Disabilities

  • 3303: Ministries in Mental Illness

  • 8031: By Water and the Spirit (Baptism)

  • 8032: This Holy Mystery (Holy Communion)