COVID-19 Resources for People with Disabilities

This list will be updated as we locate new resources that may be helpful for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Check back often to see what's new!

Go-to state disability resource: Tennessee Disability Pathfinder COVID-19 page. Pathfinder is prepared to take calls for disability-related questions, including through their multi-cultural program: 800-640-4636.

Tennessee resources

• Office of the Governor
• Tennessee Department of Health
• “Each of Us Must Help Protect Our Community at This Time” - written for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities by Dr. Bruce Davis (TN Dept. of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities’ Deputy Commissioner for Clinical Services) for the TennesseeWorks blog

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) resources

• Downloadable health care communication boards for people who have limited verbal communication (“Supporting Communication with Patients who have COVID-19,” from the Patient Provider Communication Network)
• Downloadable "Emergency Preparation 4 ALL Picture Communication Board" in English and Spanish (Temple University Institute on Disabilities)

Plain Language Documents

• 8-page booklet written by self-advocates that answers questions like "What is COVID-19? If I am sick, when should I call a doctor? How can I not get it? What do I do if someone I live with gets sick?" Link to Spanish version. (Green Mountain Self-Advocates)
• "What in the World is Going On? Plain talk for Pandemic Times”—this guide was created with Ivanova Smith, a self-advocate and civil rights leader in Washington State, with the support of our colleagues at the Washington Council on Developmental Disabilities. Addresses how life is changing because of community places closing and social distancing, and how people can find support from each other, what changes they can expect in coming weeks.
  • Downloadable and online-viewable PDF (12 pages)
  • YouTube video (6 minutes)
  •  Written Transcript
• A simple, easy-to-read web page that answers a few basic questions about COVID-19, such as "What is it, how do people get it, how can I stay safe, and what happens when people get it?" Can also be downloaded as a PDF file. (Brandeis University)
• A 27-page handbook that provides more complex information about COVID-19 using concrete wording and pictures. (“Your Corononavirus Handbook” by Laine Yuhas, journalist and disability advocate)

Social Stories

Social stories for children about coronavirus, using large, colorful pictures and simple text. These stories offer a great way to help kids understand what the disease is, how to help stay healthy, why school is out, and what might happen next.

• My Coronavirus Story (Easter Seals Illinois)
• My Story About Pandemics and the Coronavirus (Carol Gray)
• Social Distancing Social Story (Vanderbilt Kennedy Center)

Toolkits for families

A comprehensive, 60-page guide that includes action steps, printable social stories and visuals, and recommended apps and tools for supporting people with autism or other intellectual disabilities through COVID-19.

Visual Supports

From Vanderbilt Kennedy Center:

• Community Participation is Limited [PDF]
• School is Closed [JPG]
• Washing Your Hands [PDF]

Videos

• A short (3:50) animated video with information about how coronavirus is spread, how to protect yourself, and what to do if you get sick. (Oregon Department of Human Services’ Office of Developmental Disabilities Services)
• Fun information from Wisconsin self-advocates, with tips about washing your hands, staying healthy, and social distancing. (Wisconsin Self-Determination YouTube channel)
• Library of American Sign Language resources about COVID-19, from the National Association of the Deaf