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Our Mission
The Arc of Aurora (CO) advocates for and with people with intellectual and/or other developmental disabilities and their families through individual and systems change advocacy, training and education, and individual, family and class support.
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Summer Greetings!
The Arc of Aurora will open general registration on July 22 for our October 10-11, 2013, Balancing the Scales of Justice for Children and Adults with Disabilities Conference here in the Denver area. And, boy, are we excited about it! With plenary/keynote speakers Bob Laurino, Jim Felte, Tom Tremblay, Jen Markowitz interspersed with 12 breakout speakers including Scott Modell, Kendon Conrad, Geri Wisner, Edie Deal and Carole O'Shea, great learning will be the only result! Conference registration is limited to 150 people; send me an email for additional information on the Conference agenda.
Jean Solis
VTrail Update editor
The Arc of Aurora (CO)
jsarcaurora@aol.com
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Opportunities
A CALL TO JOIN - Join in a virtual poster session to showcase our collective work to help end crime victimization of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities!
The Arc of Aurora (CO) invites you to join in an interactive "poster session" to review and brainstorm ways to end victimization of people with I/DD. Through a generous donation from the Arc Thrift Stores in Colorado, The Arc of Aurora has an exhibit booth at the upcoming
Example of photo (above) and sentence of explanation:
The Arc of Aurora created Project Illumination and launched it in Colorado in 2002 and nationwide in 2005. Today, multiple groups across the country use multi-disciplinary events to raise awareness of the incidence, prevalence and impact of crime victimization on people with I/DD.
Contact: Darla Stuart, The Arc of Aurora (CO), 720.213.1420 or dsarcaurora@aol.com
The Arc US convention to highlight our collective work. We are using the exhibit to ask attendees, "How can we end crime victimization of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities?" You can help show some answers to that question! Send us a photo of your event or project with a sentence or two (literally!) explaining how that event/project addresses crime victimization in your community. Include your contact information. We will compile your pictures into a slide presentation to help "prime the pump" of ideas to address crime victimization of people with I/DD. While the majority of folks attending this interactive poster session at The Arc US Convention will be members of Arc Chapters throughout the country, virtual poster submissions from ALL organizations are welcome! Send pictures to Darla Stuart at dsarcaurora@aol.com by July 29, 2013.
Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Offers New Training
National Center for Victims of Crime -- Request for Applications for Technical Assistance -- Sexual Assault Kit Backlog Reduction: Making Victims Part of the Solution
Would you like to improve your agency's response to victims whose cases include untested sexual assault kits? The National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) is seeking to identify 3 to 4 communities that would like to receive technical assistance to help improve their response to these victims. For more information on this opportunity, please read NCVC's Request for Applications. Completed applications should be returned by July 2 to iknecht@ncvc.org. This opportunity is part of the National Center's effort, funded by the Office on Violence Against Women, to reduce the backlog of untested sexual assault kits and ensure victim-centered system responses and service provision. Learn more.
Registration Open for Crimes Against Children Conference
On August 12-15, 2013, the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center and the Dallas Police Department will host their annual Crimes Against Children Conference in Dallas, Texas. Training workshops will be offered for professionals who combat crimes against children.
Submit Nominations for Crime Victims' Service Awards
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Resources
In early June, the Department of Justice released the Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services Final Report, the culmination of a major, 2-year Office for Victims of Crime strategic planning initiative designed to change permanently the way crime victims are treated in this country. The Report is the first comprehensive assessment of the victim assistance field in nearly 15 years. The Vision 21 initiative gave participants the opportunity to engage with a broad spectrum of service providers, advocates, criminal justice professionals, allied practitioners, and policymakers to address crime victim issues through a lens broader than their everyday work. The result of this collective examination, the report seeks to permanently transform the way crime victims are treated in this country. The Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services Final Report discusses the following: - Major challenges to the integration of research into victim services. - The tremendous need for crime victims to have access to legal assistance to address the wide range of legal issues that can arise following victimization. - The impact of advances in technology, globalization, and changing demographics on the victim assistance field. - The capacity for serving victims in the 21st century and some of the infrastructure issues that must be overcome to reach that capacity. The Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services Final Report is a document created by the field for the field. View the report to see the findings, recommendations, and strategies revealed through the Vision 21 project that have the potential to transform our work on behalf of victims, including those with disabilities. National Institute on the Prosecution of Sexual Violence July 9-12, 2013 Austin, TX Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of rapists are serial offenders who are known to their victims. They are adept at creating, identifying, and exploiting perceived vulnerabilities in their victims, ultimately rendering them more vulnerable to attack through the use of premeditated tactics and non-traditional weapons. Further, rapists routinely benefit from society's common misconceptions regarding their appearance, behavior, use of weapons, etc. that often results in a failure to identify, report, and hold them accountable for their crimes. To more effectively identify, investigate, and prosecute non-stranger rapists, prosecutors must overcome their own myths and misconceptions about sexual violence, as well as those believed by judges and juries. The National Institute on the Prosecution of Sexual Violence (NIPSV) is a three-and-one-half-day course designed to challenge participants to reevaluate their approach to prosecuting sexual violence crimes and it is FREE OF CHARGE. For additional information and other training opportunities, click here or contact AEquitas Communication and Operations Manager Christina Mathews directly at (202) 596-4226 or cmathews@aequitasresource.org Child Trends has just released an interesting report about the "senior class of 2013," including the statistics that out of a class of 100, 71 have experienced physical assault; 28 have been victimized sexually; and 32 have experienced some form of child maltreatment. Dates Released for NCVRW 2014 Each April, the Office for Victims of Crime helps lead communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) by promoting victims' rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. In 2014, NCVRW will be observed April 6-12. Toolkit Provides Resources for Combating Elder Abuse The Elder Abuse Toolkits for Prosecutors and Courts were designed to promote the effective prosecution of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation cases. The toolkits provide general guidance on how to effectively prosecute cases and improve court responses. Report Elder Abuse, Nursing Home Neglect and Financial Exploitation Every year, over a million elderly Americans experience abuse in their own homes, in relatives' homes, and even in facilities responsible for their care. You may suspect that an elderly person you know is being harmed physically or emotionally by a neglectful or overwhelmed caregiver or being preyed upon financially. Financial abuse and exploitation is possibly most underreported form of elder abuse. Perpetrators operate unscrupulous telemarketing scams out of countries such as Nigeria, Russia, Bosnia defraud the elderly out of billions of dollars. By learning the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and how to act on behalf of an elderly person who is being abused, you will not only be helping someone else but also strengthening your own defenses against elder abuse in the future... Promote Your Event on the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Calendar If your organization or agency sponsors conferences, workshops, or other training events that focus on juvenile or criminal justice, victim assistance, or drug abuse, you can promote the events on the NCJRS Justice Events Calendar. The calendar is accessed by researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and others who may be interested in attending or exhibiting at your event. Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Facilities Detailed The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has released "Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Facilities Reported by Youth, 2012" (NCJ 241708, 65 pp.). This report presents data from the 2012 National Survey of Youth in Custody, conducted in 326 juvenile confinement facilities between February and September 2012 with a sample of 8,707 adjudicated youth. Study Examines Childhood BullyingA recent blog post for stopbullying.gov reports on recently published research showing that victims of childhood bullying have a greater risk of developing mental health problems later in life. Register for Child Protective Services Webinar Series On June 18, July 16, and August 20, 2013, the National Resource Center for Child Protective Services will host the Webinar series Safety Organized, Trauma-informed, Solution-focused Approaches to Domestic Violence inChild Protection. Presenters will share current knowledge for child protection professionals, including strategies for family engagement and family-centered safety and case planning. The Frontier Regional FASD Training Center is offering the following FASD Intervention Strategies webinars: Part I: A Global Approach to Interventions Appropriate to a Person with an FASD on July 18, 2013 If it is accurate that a person with an FASD will always need an external executive function (per Sterling Clarren) it would behoove caregivers and service providers alike to be aware of intervention strategies that apply to every individual with an FASD and every situation relative to that individual. This webinar offers exactly that. Dr. Susan Doctor will discuss strategies that she calls "global" intervention strategies. She will spell out the rationale for and value of each global strategy as applied to the provision of appropriate supports for the individual with an FASD. Part II: The Hope is in the Interventions - A Comprehensive Model of Hope on June 20, 2013 or August 9, 2013 Part II builds on the information discussed in Part I. Here you will learn about a comprehensive model that can be utilized when in a personal or professional relationship with an individual with an FASD. There are three types of strategies that will be discussed. The first is Individual Interventions - strategies to assist caregivers and service providers relative to the life circumstances of that individual. The second type is Dynamic Case Management - a method for a team approach to case management that can better assist the person with an FASD. Lastly will be the discussion of Policy Issues that can either assist or hinder the provision of appropriate supports. Remember, the hope is in the interventions! Both webinars are offered at no cost and offer 1.5 contact hours each through the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC). To register or get more information, click here.
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Articles
Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and Leon County Sheriff's Office Arrest Two for Neglect of an Elderly Adult
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that her Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with the assistance of the Leon County Sheriff's Office, has arrested a Gadsden County resident and a Leon County resident on charges of neglect and failure to report neglect of a disabled, elderly adult. Staresa Smith allegedly neglected an elderly, disabled resident under her care at the McCauley Cluster, an Intermediate Care Facility for the Developmentally Disabled in Tallahassee. According to the investigation, Smith failed to provide proper supervision and care during the resident's bath, which resulted in the victim fracturing her hip. Lyasia Gilliam allegedly witnessed the incident and neither assisted the victim nor reported the incident.
Suit: Disabled women kept in "servitude"
For more than 30 years, two developmentally disabled women lived in relative obscurity at the Silver City area home of Mary Evans, after their discharge from a state institution. According to Evans' daughter-in-law, no one from the state offered to help. There were no attorneys or advocates asking questions. Now the developmentally disabled women are senior citizens - Josie, who is in her 80s, still lives at the Evans compound in Grant County; and 66-year-old A.M., who no longer lives there and, through a guardian, is suing the state of New Mexico over her treatment under Evans' care. NEW MEXICO (Silver City), Albuquerque Journal, June 23, 2013
Disabled man who died was in 18-to-59 care gap
Robert Gensiak, a 32-year-old Taylor man with Down syndrome and dependent on his family for care, died March 20 at Regional Hospital in Scranton of a massive infection brought on by the failure of his family to treat Norwegian scabies. The disease severely broke down his skin and left it ulcerated and cracked, law enforcement authorities said. He weighed 69 pounds when he died. PENNSYLVANIA (Lackawanna County), Standard Speaker, June 23, 2013
Jordie Callahan, Jessica Hunt, Daniel Brown Charged In New Ohio Captivity Case
ASHLAND, Ohio - A mentally disabled woman charged with shoplifting a candy bar asked to be jailed because three people "had been mean to her" - then went on to tell authorities about her time spent in unfathomably cruel servitude, along with her young daughter, at the hands of three people, authorities said Tuesday.
Utah mother accused of giving alcohol to disabled girl
Authorities in Weber County have arrested a mother accused of forcing her disabled daughter to ingest alcohol until she passed out. KUTV 2News reported Friday that Raquel Borce was arrested on suspicion of second-degree felony ...
Disabled Woman Attacked By Cop Calls 911 For Help
Part of the reason for that, it seems, was that the cop didn't bother listening to 36 year-old Megan Graham, who also suffers from a cognitive disorder, as she tried to tell him that she is disabled. According to Graham, she got out of her car at her ...
Disabled children at higher risk of abuse
Disabled children are three to four times more likely than children without disabilities to be victims of physical and sexual violence, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says. Lack of parental care and institutionalisation makes disabled ...
Charge: Ex-con duped Courage Center security, had sex repeatedly with vulnerable client
A convicted felon had sex numerous times with a vulnerable adult at Courage Center in Golden Valley, posing as a personal care attendant to dupe security for months and slip into the facility's assisted dressing rooms with the brain-damaged woman, according to a felony charge filed this week. MINNESOTA (Golden Valley), Star Tribune, June 14, 2013
Developmentally disabled woman to remain in jail
A developmentally disabled woman from Portage and her mother broke down in tears Thursday after a judge told them the disabled woman would not be allowed to leave jail to return home while her theft case proceeds. The woman was arrested May 31 on charges of resisting law enforcement, disorderly conduct and theft. She's accused of taking beer from a refrigerator on a man's outdoor deck. The case attracted more attention after it was revealed police had used a Taser twice on Patrick during the arrest. INDIANA (Valparaiso), Portage Community, June 6, 2013
Caregiver Guilty of Abusing Disabled Adult in Owings Mills Facility
A Baltimore man has been found guilty of abusing and assaulting a disabled adult in an Owings Mills facility. Solomon Oscar Ankrah, 32, of Baltimore, faces up to 10 years in prison and a $2,500 fine for second-degree assault and five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for second-degree abuse of a vulnerable adult, according to a press release sent Friday from Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler's office. MARYLAND (Baltimore), Owings Mills Patch, May 28, 2013
Mentally-Handicapped Man Beat and Robbed
Instead of helping the man, police say people who witnessed the assault pulled out their phones and recorded the 23-year-old mentally disabled man being beat and robbed. --- FOX16.com --- May 19, 2013 (ARKANSAS) http://is.gd/eMkqtn
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The Arc of Aurora
1342 South Chambers Road
Aurora, CO 80017
720.213.1420
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