October 2022 Special Needs Living Akron/Canton

Educator Perspective: Courage 2 Communicate. Ohio’s Communication Disability Law

By Dr. Kristine Turko, BCBA, COBA

Dr. Kristine Turko

A glimpse of flashing lights in your rearview mirror paired with the sound of sirens makes most of us anxious. Add concern about effectively communicating with the officer that is pulling you over, and the anxiety skyrockets. If you or a family member has difficulty communicating, it can make unexpected interactions with strangers — like law enforcement — an overwhelming task.

Communication disabilities are characterized by challenges in speaking, processing, or comprehending verbal and nonverbal speech. They can be associated with developmental diagnoses like autism and stuttering, or injuries like hearing loss and traumatic brain injury. The symptoms of communication disabilities are often misunderstood. For example, a person who is unable to articulate their words clearly or make eye contact consistently may be wrongly accused of noncompliance or intoxication.

It is important that those with communication disabilities are supported in their daily lives, and Ohio’s Communication Disability Law is here to help. Enacted in 2018, this law allows anyone with a diagnosed communication disability, like autism, to voluntarily enroll in a database that connects to Law Enforcement Agencies

Data System (LEADS). Once registered, if you are pulled over, police officers are notified through LEADS that there may be a person with a communication disability in the vehicle. Officers do not receive information about the person’s exact diagnosis but are aware that one exists. This notification increases the likelihood that people with communication disabilities will have a positive encounter with law enforcement.

The Spectrum Education Center at the University of Mount Union has created a campaign to increase awareness about Ohio’s Communication Disability Law called Courage 2 Communicate. The goals of this campaign are to educate the public about the Communication Disability Law, educate law enforcement about working with people who have communication disabilities, and increase the number of qualified individuals registered in the state database.

Courage 2 Communicate supports those who want to register by helping them complete and return the required form to Ohio’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Those who register receive a window cling for their vehicle. The window cling provides visual identification of enrollment in the program to help alert law enforcement.

In addition to supporting public enrollment in the state’s database, Courage 2 Communicate works with law enforcement to educate officers about communication disabilities. Officers learn about the common characteristics of communication disabilities, how they can be misinterpreted, and how to interact effectively with a person who has challenges with communication.

According to Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, there are only 57 people registered in Stark and Summit counties combined. The American Speech-Language- Hearing Association, ASHA, estimates that 5% to 10% of Americans have a communication disability. This means that there are between 45,000 and 90,000 qualified Ohioans, in Stark and Summit counties alone, that qualify to register.

For more information about Courage 2 Communicate, please contact the Spectrum Education Center at Mount Union at spectrum @mountunion.edu.