Elevatus Training • Statewide Team Training Initiative
The Statewide Challenge
The need was clear. The path forward was not.
The state of Michigan needed a structure that could build knowledge, leadership, and teaching capacity across regions — not simply deliver information once and leave.
From Pilot to Lasting Capacity
What Michigan Built in Three Years
The initiative first developed local educators, then prepared experienced participants to train the next group.
A partnership between the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council and Elevatus Training.
Year 1 · 2018
11 teaching teams prepared
Self-advocates and professionals trained together to teach sexuality education in their communities.
Year 2 · 2019
15 more teams trained
That brought Michigan to 26 teaching teams statewide.
Year 3 · 2020
15 local trainers prepared
Experienced participants completed a train-the-trainer course and learned to train additional teaching teams, helping Michigan continue the work.
Total reach
2,014 people with I/DD reached
Across the three years, teams also reached 928 transition staff and 305 family members.
A model built around shared leadership
“It is so empowering to be able to reach out to your own community and inform.”
— Frank Vaca, Self-Advocate and Michigan Central Team Sexuality Educator
The Elevatus Model
Train teams. Support implementation. Prepare local trainers.
Our goal is to build lasting training capacity within your state, so the work continues long after we step back.
Elevatus Training is here to guide and support your progress each step along the way.
Step 1
Build Inclusive Teams
Recruit self-advocates and professionals who will learn and teach together.
Step 2
Learn the Curriculum
Complete a three-day training with accessible activities, handouts, and teaching tools.
Step 3
Teach in Local Communities
Use the 22-lesson curriculum to offer sexuality and relationship classes throughout the state.
Step 4
Develop State Trainers
Prepare experienced participants to train new teams, with technical support from Elevatus along the way.
A right to make informed choices
“People with disabilities have a right to safe and healthy sexual relationships if they choose to have one. The activities and information provided give them an opportunity to make informed choices about the types of relationships, their sexual health, and resources, and often, for the first time, they speak up about this topic.”
Bonnie González
Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council Chairperson
Sexuality Education Team Trainer, and Self-Advocate
In the conversation: confidence, community education, shared teaching, and the value of self-advocates reaching other self-advocates.
Voices From the Initiative
Hear what inclusive leadership looked like in practice.
Katherine McLaughlin speaks with Michigan self-advocates Frank Vaca and Bonnie González about the training, teaching in their communities, and what they want other states to understand.
Download the Full Proposal
Explore the three-year statewide plan.
Review the training approach, curriculum details, and year-by-year plan in a PDF you can share with your team.
Bring the Model to Your State
Begin with a conversation.
Tell us about your state and your timeline. Elevatus can help DD councils, health and human services departments, and other state partners think through the next practical step.
Many states plan this work a year or more ahead. We are happy to talk while you are still exploring.
Are you training just one organization instead of an entire state? See private training for organizations.
Statewide Inquiry