Hopeful Hearts

Welcome to Hopeful Hearts, a statewide framework to combat loneliness and social isolation by expanding access to safe, supported relationships for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism. Our statewide coalition including representatives from many sectors, including clinicians, advocates, policy leaders, family members, service providers, and self-advocates. 

We want to create a strong evidence-based framework that we can replicate in other states. We also want to build on pre-existing structures; check out our visual of how a dating coach could look similar to the structure for a job coach!

The Hopeful Hearts framework includes (1) events and opportunities for adults with disabilities, (2) neurodiversity-affirming training pipelines for professionals to support adults in their relationship pursuits, and (3) family/caregiver support. These pieces would all be woven together through an app designed specifically for and with adults with disabilities called “Togetha."

The LUNA Lab is excited to be driving the research behind this model. Our neurodiverse team conducts work collaboratively with autistic and otherwise neurodivergent adults to set our research priorities and guide our methods. Currently, we are researching parts (1) and (2) of the framework. We are currently recruiting and training Dating Coaches. Interested? Complete this and our team will reach out soon. 

Right now, we are recruiting autistic adults to participate in the dating coach program. Adults with other disabilities are welcome to participate in events and our upcoming phase will focus on how our dating coach program impacts individuals with diagnoses other than autism. 

Interested autistic adults should complete this form. Follow our Instagram for updated event dates and for info for folks who do not have an autism diagnosis~ @LUNA_Lab_Shriver

Interest in this program is incredibly high, speaking to the need for this type of programming! Our greatest limitation right now is financial support to train and support dating coaches and to provide high-quality programming for dating events. If you or someone you know is interested in supporting this work, please email us at shrivercen@umassmed.edu,