"We help them set and achieve goals that will last a lifetime…the normal goals that we all want: a nice home, good health, and a good job with a decent salary."
Betty Dent, Outreach Specialist at AADD

Justice & Developmental Disabilities

AADD and partnering organizations have helped to train hundreds of officers throughout the Metro Area on the best practices when encountering individuals with developmental disabilities. During training, police officers learn how to recognize characteristics and behaviors of people with developmental disabilities. They learn how speaking in a calm and deliberate manner can keep a situation from escalating. And they learn that people with developmental disabilities are much more likely to be the victims of crimes rather than the perpetrators.

AADD volunteers and staff do their work through the Crisis Intervention Team, a collaboration of professionals dedicated to educating police officers and legal professionals about issues faced by families and individuals living with varying disabilities. For more information about how AADD participates or to sign up to become a trainer, contact Crandall Heard at (404) 881-9777 extension 228 or crandall@aadd.org.