National Agenda Communities of Practice

The work of TASH is only possible with the help of the TASH membership and a network of volunteers. We rely on the contributions and insights of members serving on TASH Communities of Practice.  TASH’s diverse membership is one of our greatest strengths!  carrying out strategic portions of our mission. This diversity makes it possible for people who are self-advocates, family members, educators, researchers, community support providers, related service therapists to work together on all or our National Agenda priorities. If you are passionate about our mission, please consider joining one or more of our National Communities of Practice.   Please see the following descriptions of National Agenda Communities of Practice:

Communication Access: Promoting access to communication strategies as a human right for non-speaking individuals across the lifespan.

Community Living: Expanding the provision of person-centered, long term supports and individualized choice for community living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in every state.

Diversity and Cultural Competency: Expanding the participation rates of people of color who have disabilities in advocacy efforts and every aspect of life by making recommendations to increase the diversity of TASH members and Board members; evaluating TASH’s success at including different populations in TASH functions; and guiding TASH actions to promote diversity.

Employment: Increasing competitive integrated employment rate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and eliminate federally sanctioned sub-minimum wages.

Families and Siblings: Expanding the voices of families and siblings in all of TASH’s goals and activities and making recommendations to increase the membership of families and siblings.

Human Rights: Eliminating the use of aversive interventions as an acceptable strategy for behavior modification or control by promoting positive and proactive strategies to prevent dangerous situations; and, ending the “de facto” use of guardianship by promoting supported decision.

Inclusive Education: Increasing the placement of students with disabilities in inclusive education settings and use of high quality inclusive education practices as intended in IDEA and ESSA.

Self-Advocacy: Expanding the voices of individuals with disabilities in all of TASH’s goals and activities and making recommendations to increase the membership of individuals with disabilities.