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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, V-Trailers!
We are excited about how many opportunities and resources we have information about to include in this month's V-trail issue! Ongoing education for and support of those of us working to impact the lives of crime victims with intellectual and developmental disabilities is critical.  Along those lines, I encourage each of you to sign up for Dr. Campbell's October 1 no cost webinar on The Neurobiology of Sexual Assault (under the Opportunities section just below). I have heard Dr. Campbell present before, and she is quite good and offers information on fascinating research. I guarantee that you will think about sexual assault VERY differently after experiencing her presentation!
We'd like to offer up a special greeting to our new V-Trailers from Arc Chapters throughout the country and the Vail, Colorado, Action in Advocacy Conference-- welcome! And that welcome to new subscribers reminds me to remind you ALL to feel free to forward me information you think would be helpful included in this publication -- conferences, webinars, other resources, etc.
And as is always the case, let us know if we may serve as a resource to you in your ongoing work to impact the crime victimization of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities!
Jean Solis
VTrail Update editor
The Arc of Aurora (CO)
jsolis@thearcofaurora.org
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Opportunities
(events/activities to increase and/or support our skills in identifying and working with crime victims with I/DD in our communities)
Futures Without Violence 2015 National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence
The 7th Biennial National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence aims to advance the health care system's response to domestic violence. The Conference attracts the nation's leading medical, public health and family violence experts from across the U.S. with increased international participation.  Workshops, scientific posters, and plenary sessions highlight the latest research and most innovative clinical responses to domestic violence, with a focus on the work being done by physicians, physician assistants, nurses, mental and behavioral health providers, social workers, domestic violence experts, researchers and others. The Conference includes an exhibit hall to feature local and national resources. The Conference is primarily funded by the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Online abstract submission is now open. Click here to learn more about the Conference and to submit an abstract. Deadline for submissions is June 27, 2014. Who should submit: advocates for survivors of domestic/sexual violence, health policy leaders, health professional students, mental and behavioral health providers, nurses, nurse midwives, physicians, physician assistants, dentists, researchers, evaluators, social workers, survivors, other health care providers and allied professionals.
Submit your nominations for the 2015 National Crime Victims' Service Awards
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) relies on  us in the victim services field to share stories of great accomplishments, and wants to acknowledge the individuals, organizations, programs, and teams that are doing innovative and remarkable work for victims. The 2015 National Crime Victims' Service Awards are a way to celebrate these achievements. Use OVC's Online Nomination Form to nominate outstanding victim service providers, allied professionals, and crime victims and survivors for the 2015 National Crime Victims' Service Awards. Review the Submission Guidelines
for step-by-step instructions on how to complete your nomination form. Deadline for nominations is Wednesday, August 6.
The 10 award categories are
- Allied Professional Award,
- Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services,
- Crime Victims Financial Restoration Award,
- Crime Victims' Rights Award,
- Federal Service Award,
- National Crime Victim Service Award,
- Ronald Wilson Reagan Public Policy Award,
- Special Courage Award,
- Volunteer for Victims Award,
- Vision 21 Crime Victims Research Award.
Register Now for EVAWI Regional Training in Atlanta, GA, September 11 - 12, 2014
Registration is now open for End Violence Against Women International's (EVAWI) Regional Training Conference, Investigating and Prosecuting Sexual Assault and Stalking: Beyond the Basics, at the Doubletree Atlanta - Buckhead. EVAWI's comprehensive technical assistance grant awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice, allows them to make this training available for all law enforcement personnel free of charge. Choose registration type "Team/Discount Registrations" and enter discount code LE91114. For other professions, there is a minimal $75.00 charge for the full two days of training. Click here for more information on this two day training.
Ending Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) Hosted Webinar
The Neurobiology of Sexual Assault by Dr. Rebecca Campbell on Wednesday, October 1, 2014, at 11:00 AM MT -- no cost.
This course is designed for law enforcement personnel and others involved in the criminal justice and community response to sexual assault. Participants will learn about the neurobiology of trauma and its application to victims of sexual assault. By exploring how trauma affects victims' emotions and behavior, special attention will be given to examining how the brain processes and recalls traumatic events. This will help law enforcement personnel and others recognize how these concepts can be applied to sexual assault investigations. Not only can this help improve responses to victims and enhance their well-being, but it also has the potential to increase the criminal justice system's ability to hold offenders accountable. Click here for more information, including how to register.
The Frontier Regional FASD  Training Center offers no cost Regional In-Person Workshops. Prevention, Intervention, and Professional Ethics as Viewed through the Lens of the FASDs is one such training, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Training of Trainers (FASD TOT) is another such training. For more information on the Center and its trainings, click here.
National Institute on the Prosecution of Elder Abuse (NIPEA)
Sponsored by The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL), August 5-8, 2014, in Washington, D.C. This course is open to prosecutors only, and attendance is free of charge; however, priority will be given to OVW grantees. There is no limit to the number of attendees from any jurisdiction. Seating is limited and applicants are encouraged to apply early. Applicants will be informed of acceptance by email. To apply, click here.
The Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime, in collaboration with the Access to Justice Initiative and the Elder Justice Initiative, has released the first three modules of the free Online Elder Abuse Training for legal service providers. This interactive Web-based training program offers a variety of information, tools and resources, from interactive client scenarios to printable resources. This is a free training you can take at your own pace. Engaging interactions help reinforce the content, including real-life scenarios. The first three modules will help strengthen your knowledge and skills to assist elder abuse victims, including:
- Recognizing the signs of elder abuse, including domestic violence and sexual assault in later life.
- Identifying older adults who are at risk of abuse.
- Understanding and responding to difficult ethical issues that arise with elder abuse clients.
- Identifying various legal remedies available to victims of elder abuse.
- Connecting victims with appropriate community resources.
 More content to come. Three additional More content to come. Three additional modules will be released in August 2014. Visit the Legal Assistance for Crime Victims Initiative page to learn more about the training.
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Resources
(tools to help us in our work to address crime victimization of people with I/DD in our communities)
New Resources on Investigating Sexual Assault Against People with Disabilities
Ending Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) recently launched a training module and hosted a webinar to provide guidance on how to successfully investigate sexual assaults against people with disabilities. EVAWI's newest module in the OnLine Training Institute (OLTI) module is entitled Successfully Investigating Sexual Assault Against Victims with Disabilities. This free module offers 18 hours of continuing education units for those who are eligible. You can also listen to the archived version of the webinar and obtain a copy of the slides in EVAWI's webinar archive. A detailed course description provides more information about the content and speakers for this webinar. Slides from the webinar are available in two formats: 1 slide per page for increased visibility or 3 slides per page with room for notes. The webinar transcript is also available.
 Victim of Human Trafficking Screening Tool
The landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act made trafficking in persons a federal crime in 2000, but the greatest obstacle to rescuing victims of human trafficking is identifying them. To make identifying these people easier-and subsequently, getting them the services and support they need while also generating evidence against their traffickers, the  Vera Institute of Justice created a screening tool to be used by victim service providers and law enforcement when faced with someone who may be a victim of human trafficking. The tool, a 30-topic questionnaire that was tested by service providers and validated by Vera researchers, is the result of a two-year study funded by the National Institute of Justice. Click here to link to the research summary, technical report, and tool itself.
Research in Support of Creating a Vicarious Trauma Toolkit
Those of us who spend our working lives responding to the trauma of others run a risk of suffering vicarious trauma themselves.  Northeastern University is leading an effort to create a Vicarious Trauma Toolkit, and they need your input to make sure this resource is informed by the real world experience of first responders and victim advocates. The final toolkit will be available to all via a web portal, and will include training and technical assistance resources as well. This project is funded by the Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice. You may give this effort 10 to 15 minutes of your time, by clicking on the link below to take a secure survey managed by researchers at Northeastern University. Your insights will contribute greatly to this project. Take the survey now and forward this survey invitation to your colleagues. You may receive this survey from more than one source - the researchers ask that we only complete it once.
The Arc's National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD)  is hosting its sixth webinar in its Victim's Issues Series titled Abuse of People with Disabilities: A Silent Epidemic. This webinar features two self-advocates, Molly Kennedy and Kecia Weller, who will talk about why all types of abuse are unacceptable and encourage victims to report abuse. This is the final webinar in the Victim's Issues series for 2014. The webinar will take place on June 26, at 1:30 PM EST. Registration for this webinar and archived copies of past webinars are available on NCCJD's website.
Conservatorship Reform Project
The Disability and Abuse Project has conducted an audit of limited conservatorship procedures and cases processed through the Probate Court in Los Angeles County.  Its findings are disturbing. Los Angeles may be symptomatic of a much larger problem of personal and constitutional rights violations occurring throughout California, indeed, throughout the nation....
Assistant Secretary for Aging and Administrator of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) Greenlee's blog post on elder abuse comes in support of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15). In it she discusses the problem of elder abuse and how individuals and organizations can help to prevent and stop it.
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... including older Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities!
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World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Toolkit from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) provides outreach guides, tools, fact sheets and other materials in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, June 15. The kit provides materials for opportunities to increase public awareness about this serious public health problem that includes elders with disabilities.
Guide to Protect Against Financial Exploitation
To equip assisted living and nursing facility staff with the know-how to prevent and spot the warning signs of elder financial abuse, today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a guide to protecting residents from financial exploitation. Too often, vulnerable adults fall prey to con artists, family members, fiduciaries, professional advisers and others who steal their nest eggs and threaten their financial security.  CFPB's action-oriented guide gives facility staff the tools to
- Prevent financial exploitation and scams by educating staff, residents, and family members about warning signs and precautions
- Recognize, record, and report financial abuse as early as possible using a model protocol and a team approach
- Get help from first responders in the community.
While the guide is geared for assisted living and nursing facilities, it will also be helpful to operators of other senior living facilities. Family members of residents can read the guide to learn the red flags of financial exploitation, and can share the guide with staff of their loved ones' facilities. Long-term care ombudsman can benefit from tips in the guide. You can read CFPB's blog and download the manual from the CFPB's website. You can order free hard copies-single or bulk orders.
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Articles
(Abuse of people with I/DD occurs throughout the country, including in our own communities...)
Cedar Valley Services worker banned for sex abuse
A former Cedar Valley Services employee in Austin was banned from working with people receiving services from state-licensed facilities after allegedly groping and trying to coerce sex from a vulnerable adult in January and February of 2014. MINNESOTA (Austin), Austin Daily Herald, June 13, 2014
Man charged with assault, castration of mentally disabled cousin
A 50-year-old Cleveland County man was arrested after police say he assaulted and castrated his mentally disabled cousin who was in his care. The victim had severe injuries including broken bones, fractures, and bruises all over his body. NORTH CAROLINA (Cleveland County), WBTV.com, June 12, 2014
2 former Community Healthlink workers charged with stealing patient's pain meds
Two employees of the Worchester Community Healthlink, an agency that provides assistance to people with developmental disabilities, were both indicted Friday by a Worcester County grand jury on four counts of fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance, four counts of theft of a controlled substance, and four counts of abuse, neglect or mistreatment of an elderly or disabled person. MASSACHUSETTS (Worchester), News Telegram, June 10, 2014
State suspends adult foster facility in Detroit where resident was allegedly beaten The state suspended the license of a Detroit adult foster care facility where a worker was videotaped beating a 24-year old special-needs resident. Last week, 36th District Judge Ruth Carter ruled there was enough evidence to try the suspect on felony assault, torture and vulnerable adult abuse charges. MICHIGAN (Detroit), The Detroit News, June 9, 2014 Man Accused Of Trying To Rape Vulnerable Woman In Walgreens A 23-year-old man is accused of sexually assaulting a vulnerable female in a Walgreen's bathroom. The suspect now faces four charges of criminal sexual conduct and could get at least 15 years in prison if convicted. MINNESOTA (Minneapolis), CBS Minnesota, June 6, 2014
Catholic Priest-Teacher Accused of Abuse A Catholic priest is accused of abusing a vulnerable adult in 2012. ARIZONA (Tucson), Courthouse News, June 6, 2014 Couple Whose Son Starved To Death Sentenced To Prison A Lexington man who cashed his children's social security checks and spent thousands of dollars at casinos while his mentally handicapped son starved to death will spend the next two decades behind bars. KENTUCKY (Lexington), LEX18.com Caretaker Says Coworker Beat Mentally-Challenged Detroit Woman for 3-½ Hours A 49-year-old caregiver at an assisted-living center will stand trial on charges she viciously beat and tortured a 24-year-old patient at the facility. MICHIGAN (Detroit), mlive.com, June 5, 2014 Ocean County Mother Admits to Role in Disabled Daughter's Death A 54-year-old woman has plead guilty to contributing to her 32-year-old disabled daughter's death due to neglect. NEW JERSEY (Toms River), nj.com, May 29, 2014 Mother Charged With Neglect After Daughter in Wheelchair Tested Positive for Meth A woman was charged with abuse, neglect, aggravated assault for not caring for her disabled adult daughter. She was previously charged with neglecting her daughter when she left her in a car with a soiled diaper last summer. TENNESSEE (Memphis), WFSB news, May 29, 2014 Gadsden County Man Arrested for Abuse of a Disabled Adult A man faces a third-degree felony charge of Abuse of a Disabled Adult in a case involving physical abuse. FLORIDA (Tallahassee), WCTV news, May 23, 2014 Shreveport Firefighters Accused of Abuse Make Court Appearance Tuesday Five Shreveport firefighters are accused of abusing two adults with disabilities for several years. LOUISIANA (Shreveport), BayouBuzz.com, May 28, 2014 Report: Miss. Judge Smacks Mentally Disabled Black Man, Tells Him "Run, N-ger, Run" The NAACP plans to file a complaint against a local Judge for allegedly slapping a mentally disabled man twice and then yelling racist slurs at him as the man fled from the Judge. MISSISSIPPI (Canton), The Root, May 27, 2014 Attorney General's Office Arrests Gadsden County Man for Abuse of a Disabled Adult Attorney General Pam Bondi's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit arrested Gadsden County resident Aaron Alexander Gibson for Abuse of a Disabled Adult. Acting on a referral from the Adult Protective Services Division of the Department of Children and Families Services, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit launched an investigation into allegations of abuse at Florida State Hospital in Gadsden County. According to the Unit's investigation, Gibson, who was employed at the hospital, shoved and struck a disabled adult resident multiple times. FLORIDA, May 23 Ex-Cedarhurst Special Education Head Admits to $418K Theft The ex-head of a defunct special education pre-school on Long Island has admitted to giving $418,000 in taxpayer money to his relatives instead of ... --- Long Island Press --- May 23, 2014 (NEW YORK) Mom: Special Needs Daughter was Sexually Assaulted at School A local mother says she plans to take legal action against the Fulton County School District after police say her special needs daughter was sexually ... --- WSB Atlanta --- May 20, 2014 (GEORGIA) Consent at Issue in Rape of Mentally Disabled Woman The mentally disabled woman at the center of the rape trial against a deacon at her church in Kankakee took the stand on Thursday and said she did ... --- Kankakee Daily Journal --- May 16, 2014 (ILLINOIS)
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The Arc of Aurora
1342 South Chambers Road
Aurora, CO 80017
720.213.1420
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