Sarah Campau Receives Full Fellowship; Will Study and Research Intersection Between Autism and LGBTQ+ Communities

Congratulations to Sarah Campau, MA, BCBA, CBIS, LABA, Assistant Clinical Director at May Institute’s Center for Adult Services, Eastern Massachusetts division. Sarah was accepted into the doctoral program at The University of Arkansas, where she received a full fellowship to study the needs of individuals in transition to adulthood and research LGBTQ+ sexual education for adults with disabilities. “As a behavior analyst working with people who have an autism diagnosis, I feel a personal responsibility to become culturally competent, and be the best advocate and resource I can be for the people I serve… My mission involves educating clinicians that support our LGBTQ+ clients that it is not a moral issue, it’s a matter of wellness.”

Learn more about Sarah’s drive to bring the intersection between the autism and LGBTQ+ communities to the forefront. Have a read of LGBTQ Cultural Competency: History, Disparity, and Prevalence in Behavior Analysis, a presentation which she delivered at the most recent New Hampshire ABA conference and ABAI in Chicago.

“It’s important to consider the needs of the people we serve for the entirety of their lives. Our needs, desires and understanding change through time as we grow, and it’s an important part of my job to help residents with that growth. Emerging research is showing that there is an intersection between the Autism and LGBTQ+ communities… Sexuality and gender is sometimes viewed as a taboo issue, especially when you’re talking about people with disabilities, but it’s an issue we can’t ignore. Research has clearly shown the positive impact of allyship in reducing suicide attempts, anxiety and depression of people examining their sexuality and/or gender expression. My mission involves educating clinicians that support our LGBTQ+ clients... Part of this service involves modeling positive LGBTQ+ service, taking residents to pride celebrations, community events, support groups and a willingness to have non-judgmental conversations.” — Sarah Campau