Can you really change people’s behavior without punishment? The answer is “absolutely, yes!”

Unfortunately, people often think they are supposed to address undesirable behavior with punishment or unpleasant consequences. The good news is that you do not need to do this.

By Rev. Jim Fruehling, Ph.D.

These are familiar words, words that we read in all three of the Synoptic Gospels, each instance occurring immediately after Jesus teaches the disciples that He, the Son of Man, must suffer many things:

“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34, NRSV).

It all sounds so familiar, but what does self-denial look like, for us?

For many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Medicaid becomes the primary funder of their care at some point in their life. Sometimes this happens when they are transitioning out of high school, other times it happens when a parent or other guardian is no longer able to provide the bulk of their care.

Part of caring for our neighbors with intellectual and developmental disabilities includes making sure all of their needs are met—not just their spiritual needs.

Many of you may have listened to the NPR series “Abused and Betrayed” earlier this year, which reported on sexual abuse of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Here is information on how this affects people’s behavior and what care providers and church families can do.