Kintsugi Consulting, LLC is proud to partner with other State and National organizations to further education about inclusion, accessibility, and representation of members of the disability community:

Ashira Greenberg (she/her/hers) graduated with her Master of Public Health from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Following her graduation from Columbia University, Ashira also received CHES certification. Ashira is passionate about child, youth and family health with an interest in improving healthcare and educational experiences for all young people. Ashira is especially committed to advocacy and health promotion on behalf of youth with physical disabilities, chronic illness and complex health needs. Ashira has been involved in a variety of advocacy-related efforts as part of her local disability community for over 10 years.

Ashira and Rachel have partnered and collaborated on a variety of ideas and concepts, most recently an Accessible Sexuality Education Checklist and Resource Guide. Created by Ashira with input and support by Rachel, this is a great resource for sexual health educators, parents, community organizations, etc. who want to ensure that young adults in their lives and communities have access to accessible sexual health resources. This Checklist assists anyone, regardless with knowledge about disability accessibility with determining how to make the content and resources they provide accessible to various disability types.

Click this link to download or view a copy of the Accessible Sexuality Education Checklist and Resource Guide.

This guide can also be found on the Short Videos and Resources section of the website.

The Center for Sex Education and Annual National Sex Ed Conference

The Center for Sex Education (CSE) is dedicated to the proposition that all people have a right to education that will help them understand, appreciate, and take responsibility for their sexuality. Based in Morristown, NJ, it is the national education division of Planned Parenthood of Northern, Central, and Southern New Jersey. The Center for Sex Education (CSE) provides three core services in sexuality education:

• Publishing sexuality education manuals used throughout the world. Guides address all ages, and nearly every topic in sex ed, providing sexuality educators with user-friendly, cost-effective lesson plans addressing puberty, healthy and unhealthy relationships, contraception, sexual safety, and much more.

• Hosting the National Sex Ed Conference, the largest conference in the United States devoted exclusively to sexuality education. The conference features more than 100 speakers every year, including many of the leading voices in the field. See www.SexEdConference.com.

Rachel Kaplan has presented at numerous National Sex Ed Conferences, most recently in 2023 where she provided a hands-on lesson using the SCOUT IT method on how to make sexual health education curriculum accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities while still following the fidelity of evidence-based programs. SCOUT IT is a method created by Kintsugi Consulting, LLC to assess curriculum and activities and determine what changes can be made to enhance accessibility and inclusion.

SafeBAE 2021 Virtual Summit

SafeBAE (Before Anyone Else) is a survivor-founded, student-led national organization whose mission is to end sexual assault among middle and high school students. As the only national peer-to-peer organization of their kind, they help promote culture change by giving teens the tools to become activists and shift school culture through raising awareness about dating violence, sexual harassment and assault, affirmative consent, safe bystander intervention, survivor care, and their rights under Title IX.

This presentation is provided by Rachel Kaplan and co-educator Effy Francis, and is geared towards parents/caregivers and educators on how to include and adapt education and skill-building to youth with disabilities as it relates to sexual health, consent, prevention of abuse, and sexual self-advocacy. Youth with disabilities are a marginalized population that is often purposefully excluded from sexual health education and conversations; which places them at increased risk for abuse and assault.

National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA)

NASHIA’s mission is to assist State government in promoting partnerships and building systems to meet the needs of individuals with brain injury and their families.

Kintsugi Consulting, LLC had the opportunity to partner with NASHIA on a three-part education series called “Sexually Speaking: Brain Injury, Development and Behavior”. Part 1 of three features Rachel Kaplan, MPH and Mary Romano, MD.

Sexuality is an integral part of being human. Sexual development is one of the most significant stages in an individual’s life. Love, affection, and sexual intimacy contribute to healthy relationships, feeling connected and individual well-being. However, the physical, cognitive and emotional challenges stemming from brain injury can greatly affect an individual’s ability for healthy sexual development and the formation/maintenance of positive social and sexual relationships.

Part 1: Sexual Development and Disruption

Presenters: Mary Romano, MD and Rachel Kaplan, MPH

This webinar focuses on neurotypical physical, emotional and cognitive growth, and subsequent issues associated with the occurrence of TBI. Optimal points for education for teens and parents were discussed as well as best practices for providing culturally competent care to adolescents and best supports for families navigating parenting and sexuality with youth who have experienced TBI.

To view a recorded copy of this training, visit this link. All you need to do is provide your name and email address to gain access.

To receive CEU credits for this portion of the three-part webinar, visit this link. You will need to fill out the associated form, and pay a fee for CEU credits; $10 for members, $15 for non-members.

The slide deck utilized for this presentation can be downloaded here.

The Family Resource Center of the South Atlantic (FRCSA) delivers effective and quality services for Wake, Durham, and surrounding communities providing prevention and intervention services to strengthen families and communities. As a family centered agency, FRCSA has solidified its standing as a stable dedicated leader continuing to develop, implement, and evaluate programs designed to ultimately help individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency. Family Centered Practice is a way of working with families to ensure safety, permanency, and well-being creating a partnership with the family and provide services that engage, involve, strengthen, and support families in order to become self-sufficient.

Kintsugi Consulting, LLC had the opportunity to provide a training on digital accessibility and representation for people with disabilities. For more information, contact Rachel Kaplan at this link.

Elevatus Training understands the challenges of addressing sexuality with people with developmental disabilities. As national leaders in the field of sexuality and intellectual, developmental disabilities and autism they offer evidence and trauma informed curriculum, online training, in-services and workshops to help professionals, educators, self-advocates and parents skillfully and confidently navigate the topic of sexuality.

Kintsugi Consulting, LLC and Elevatus Training collaborated to create an activity (video with debrief questions) to address our discomfort with the idea of people with disabilities dating someone without a disability in a way that uses adult learning theories to challenge assumptions, stereotypes, and implicit biases. For more information, contact Rachel Kaplan at this link.

Sexual Health Initiatives for Teens North Carolina (SHIFT NC) is a statewide nonprofit leading North Carolina to improve adolescent and young adult sexual health. By increasing awareness, disseminating data, improving policy, supplying professional development, and providing leadership, they are empowering North Carolina’s professionals to support healthy development. Their approach uses successful, evidence-based methods to make a positive change for teen pregnancy prevention, HIV and STIs, healthy development, sexuality, and relationships. 

*** As of June 2021, SHIFT NC informed the public it will be dismantled due to budget cuts and lack of funding ***

Kintsugi Consulting, LLC had the opportunity to provide a training on normalizing sexual health for youth with disabilities. For more information, contact Rachel Kaplan at this link.

My Brother’s Keeper Alliance of South Carolina

In September 2014, President Obama issued a challenge to cities, towns, counties and tribes across the country to become “MBK Communities.” This challenge represents a call to action for all members of our communities, men in particular, as they often sit at the intersection of many of the vital forces and structural components needed to enact sustainable change. My Brother's Keeper Spartanburg empowers youth in the greater Spartanburg area to reach their fullest potential through a wide range of services, programs, and opportunities that include, but are not limited to leadership camps, ABAN AYA sexual health and relationship building program and Evidence-Based Curriculum, summer camps, and community service initiatives.

 Kintsugi Consulting, LLC had the opportunity to provide a training on communication skill building for youth during a virtual summer series in 2020. For more information on trainings for youth or being trained on how to communicate with you effectively, contact Rachel Kaplan at this link.

Organizations That Receive Ongoing Consultation Services: