Free Classes for Young Adults with Disabilities:
Learn About Your Body, Sex, and Staying Healthy!

by Abigail Lyons, MPH, MAT 

Young adults with developmental disabilities, such as autism, often do not receive health education in ways that are most effective for them. Many are also excluded from research studies involving health education programs. The STEPS2 Project addresses this. 

STEPS2 provides free health education classes on Zoom for young adults aged 16 to 27. Participants must live in New York State and have an intellectual and/or developmental disability. Classes include either one-on-one sessions on social skills and sexual health, or small-group sessions on nutrition and physical activity. The classes are part of a research study exploring the most effective ways to teach health to young people with disabilities.  

Because this is a research study, each participant will be randomly assigned to a class by STEPS2. Each will answer questions during four short Zoom meetings and receive a $25 gift card each time, for a total of $100. This will help STEPS2 researchers understand how the classes are functioning. Over 500 young adults have already taken part in STEPS2. The classes are available for free through September 2026. 

STEPS2 is led by two professors at the City University of New York School of Public Health, Dr. Heidi Jones and Dr. Suzanne McDermott. The team is dedicated to enhancing health education and making it more accessible to everyone.  

If you know a young person with an intellectual and/or developmental disability who wants to participate in this opportunity, please contact us at steps2@sph.cuny.edu or call 914-365-8959. Learn more at cunyisph.org/steps2-study and https://cunyisph.org/steps2-study. 

Abigail Lyons, MPH, MAT, is a Project Manager for the Socialization to Enrich Participation and Support Sexuality (STEPS2) Research Study at CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy.