Parish Disability Resources
Open Minds, Open Hearts, Open Doors
Sometimes, the disability isn’t obvious, as in the case of some intellectual/developmental disabilities or mental illnesses. If you observe behavior that you don’t understand, it is good to remain aware for possible need of assistance and be nonjudgmental.
Accessibility 
Accessibility through Creativity Sometimes accessibility is a new way of thinking and sometimes involve little or no cost. (from NCPD)
Assess physical accessibility in your church building, including possible solutions.
Creating Inclusion Accessible documents review and training is available for free from Easter Seals Iowa Assistive Technology staff at, 401 NE 66th Ave. in Des Moines, Iowa 50313. Please call 1-866-866-8782 or 515-289-4069 (TTY) or email atinfo@eastersealsia.org
Assistive Listening Devices 
Here are some resources discussing various types of Assistive Listening Devices that work with hearing aid types. Hopefully this will assist in evaluating needs and what should be considered when choosing a type of Assistive Listening Device for your parish.
Awareness and Welcoming 
- Inclusion Tip/Fact Sheets on disabilities and related issues for inclusive parish life.
Child of God
Autism at Mass-Mass Without Tears
Compound Caregivers
Feeling Comfortable with People with Disabilities
Inclusion: Happy Kids for Christmas
Mental Illness Stigma--What Would I do?
Ministering to Difficult People
Pastoral Visits with Someone with Dementia
Postpartum Depression
Prenatal Diagnoses and Pro-Life Choices
Siblings of Children with Disabilities
Suicide Prevention Inclusion Tip Sheet/The Key to Suicide Prevention: Knowledge
Supporting Parishioners with Mental Illness
The Blessings of Autism
- Pastor Tip Sheet (original document from National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry – NAfIM)
- Pew Card for Disabilities and Pew Card for Mental Illness (Prior to printing add your parish name, choose two-sided print and flip on short edge) to raise awareness of welcoming persons with disabilities and mental illness in your parish.
- Sensory Friendly Mass resource of ideas of how to encourages parishes to consider adaptations to a current mass already scheduled to embrace and welcome members of our church with Autism, Down Syndrome, Developmental/Intellectual and other disabilities.
- Speaking of Disability: Pastoral Guidelines on Language (English) and Speaking of Disability: Pastoral Guidelines on Language (Spanish) (from NCPD, currently being update and will be reposted once it is made available to us)
- Tips for Welcoming People with Disabilities at Mass (from NCPD)
Caregiver Resources
Catholic Caregivers is a program of the Friends of St. John the Caregiver. We provide information and material to help those who support and work with caregivers. All the material and resources we offer are free. We do ask that you keep the Friends of St. John the Caregiver copyright on any material that's distributed.
Nourish for Caregivers is is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Created to improve the health and spiritual well-being of family caregivers...we provide faith-based programs and resources to churches and organizations to support caregivers. Our mission is to equip churches to create a spiritual home that ministers to the practical, emotional and spiritual needs of caregivers, giving them the tools and resources to help caregivers connect with their faith and encounter Christ, so that they can see the grace and blessings in their caregiver journey.
Nourish for Caregivers is a complete turnkey curriculum with all of the resources and tools needed to successfully implement an ongoing program for family caregivers. The Christ-centered materials focus on issues common to all caregivers, covering twelve (12) topics. Included are curriculum that cover subjects such as:
- The Caregiver Role and Decisions You Face
- Managing Family Dynamics
- Coping with Stress
- The Spirituality of Asking For Help
- End-of-Life Issues
We have three models available flexible to the specific needs of your organization: Traditional Model, Virtual/Hybrid Model and Healthcare Model. Read more about each program on their website.
COVID19 Resources
Disability Book Resources
List of Books available to check out from the diocese pastoral center, contact Patty Origer, 515-237-5073 or email poriger@dmdiocese.org
Grief Support Resources
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience loss and grieve for lost loved ones, just like everyone does. When that person has a hard time communicating how they feel or processing complicated emotions, it makes it more difficult. I Love You-When Someone you Love Dies and Healing the Hurt is a resource to assist these individuals in their grief
Mental Health Resources 
Picture Missals and Manipulatives
Listed below are several examples of Picture Missals that could be utilized as an example and adapted with pictures for your own parish.
My Mass Book A Picture Missal Print from Archdiocese of Newark
Picture Missal from St. Francis of Assisi Parish in West Des Moines, IA
Returning to Mass Safely picture communication tool
We go to Mass Picture Schedule from Archdiocese of Newark
Consider making manipulatives available for those attending Mass who need some tools:
Sensory Friendly Fidgets and tool resource list of possible ideas. to consider
Rosary made of silicone