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Vulnerability Trail Update                Vol./Year 6, No. 8              October 2014
 

Issues Related to

Crime Victimization and People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

In This Issue
Opportunities
Resources
Articles






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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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Greetings, V-Trailers!

Unique and important work like this V-Trail publication and the other education efforts The Arc of Aurora undertakes on behalf of victims of crime with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) needs ongoing support.   In this season of giving thanks and offering support, please consider showing your thanks and support by donating to The Arc of Aurora.  That you value this publication is certain -- you are reading it.  No donation is too small -- just as with our work on behalf of victims with I/DD, all of our support and efforts are cumulative and matter.  You may support The Arc of Aurora through the following:

Shop, sell and support Vtrail-Update and The Arc of Aurora's other advocacy work for and with people with I/DD, including those who are victims of crime, this holiday season!

 

Thank you.


Jean Solis

VTrail Update editor

The Arc of Aurora (CO)

jsolis@thearcofaurora.org 


Opportunities
(events/activities to increase and/or support our skills in identifying and working with crime victims with I/DD in our communities)

Effective Report Writing:  Using the Language of Non-consensual Sex Webinar for Sworn Law Enforcement

Register now -- registration is limited to the first 500 sworn law enforcement professionals.  This webinar provides technical assistance specifically for front-line law enforcement professionals.

Sunday, November 16, 2014 --8:00AM

Central Time

This webinar is designed to help officers and investigators write reports that will support successful prosecution.  The session begins by outlining the many purposes of an investigator's report, and goes on to summarize some of the various techniques for effective report writing.

 

Conference on Forensic Nursing for APS Nurses

Presented by MASTER (a program of the Academy for Professional Excellence, a project of San Diego State University, School of Social Work) in San Diego, CA, November 13 and 14, 2014.  This two day training is intended for nurses who consult on cases of elder and dependent abuse for Adult Protective Services.  Contact Cynthia Lopez at cylopez@mail.sdsu.edu or 619-594-2064 for more information or to request a registration form.

 

Connecting the Dots:  Understanding and Addressing the Links between Multiple Forms of Violence webinar

Thursday November 20, 2014 -- 11AM-12:30PM Pacific Time

Different types of violence are connected and often share the same root causes. They can also all take place under one roof, in the same community or neighborhood, at the same time, or at different stages of life. Understanding the overlapping causes of violence and the things that can protect people and communities is important, and can help us better address violence in all its forms.  Connecting the Dots: An Overview of the Links between Multiple Forms of Violence is a new resource co-developed by the Center for Disease control's (CDC) Division of Violence Prevention and Prevention Institute. This webinar highlights key content from this resource including the latest research on the connections between different forms of violence and how these connections affect communities. Taylor Code Maxie, a survivor of violence and hip hop artist, will perform and Tomei Kuehl from Colorado's Department of Public Health and Environment will also join us to describe how Colorado has worked strategically and creatively to prevent multiple types of violence from occurring in the first place.  Click here for more information on this webinar, including how to register.

Resources
(tools to help us in our work to address crime victimization of people with I/DD in our communities)

 

DOJ Launches New Resources for Combatting Human Trafficking

Attorney General Eric Holder in his late October remarks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) annual conference announced that the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance launched an expanded Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide. The Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide provides practical information on the creation and day-to-day operations of human trafficking task forces, as well as essential knowledge needed to identify and assist victims effectively and to investigate and prosecute cases of human trafficking.  OVC also launched a new mobile-friendly human trafficking Website, which contains a wide range of information including resources and research from the Federal Government, publications and products from OVC, local and national direct assistance information, and related funding opportunities for victims and survivors of human trafficking, victim service providers, law enforcement, and allied professionals.

The National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability's (NCCJD) webinar, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)-A hidden disability, is posted on its website.

Forensic Compliance Resources

Ending Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) offers a range of free resources to assist community professionals with forensic compliance, to ensure that sexual assault victims have access to a medical forensic exam, without any out-of-pocket costs and regardless of whether or not they have decided to participate in the criminal justice process.  In the Forensic Compliance Resources section of EVAWI's websiteyou will find a number of tools, including articles, reports, policies, and protocols that can be downloaded for use in your community - as well as links to external sources.

Integrating a Trauma-Informed Response Webinar Recording offered by AEquitas

This webinar addressed how to recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma following a crime of violence. The presenters discussed strategies for conducting thoughtful and effective victim interviews, collaborating with allied professionals to achieve a fully integrated trauma-informed approach, and explaining victim behavior at trial.  Allied justice system professionals including but not limited to prosecutors, law enforcement officers, community-based service providers, and judges are encouraged to view this recording.

The Neurobiology of Sexual Assault Webinar Recording Available

Ending Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) hosted Rebecca Campbell, Ph.D., on a Neurobiology of Sexual Assault webinar that, due to funding constraints, only sworn law enforcement could attend live earlier this month.  However, the recorded webinar, handouts, and transcript are now all available on EVAWI's website.

Frequently Asked Questions on VAWA 2013

Ending Violence Against Women International has responded to questions on the updated forensic compliance provisions in the 2013 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (often referred to as VAWA 2013). First, professionals have inquired about whether private insurance can be billed for the cost of a medical forensic exam.  Second, professionals are unsure what "regional health center providers" are under the public education provision. This training bulletin from EVAWI is dedicated to examining these two questions.

SANE App

Newly released is a free app developed by the International Association of Forensic Nurses and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center that helps create and maintain a sustainable program for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs).  More information is available at www.iafn.org and www.nsvrc.org.  If you are interested in the app but do not have an Apple device, you may access the resources and more information by clicking here.

Articles

(Abuse of people with I/DD occurs throughout the country, including in our own communities...)

 

Teen With Disability Found Locked In Cage

Two adults were arrested after a 19-year-old man with a disability was found trapped in a cage that was chained shut.

Baltimore County Caregiver Indicted for Neglect of Vulnerable Adults and Reckless Endangerment

Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that Jamal Alin DeWitt, 29, of Baltimore, was indicted by the Baltimore County Grand Jury with six criminal counts arising out of an incident that occurred September 3, 2013 in the Cockeysville area. The indictment consisted of three counts of Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult in the Second Degree and three counts of Reckless Endangerment. Arraignment has been set for November 12 in the Baltimore County Circuit Court.  Baltimore, MD - October 16, 2014

 

Sex Offender Lived in City Heights Group Home with Developmentally Disabled Women

Gina told 10News she believes the group home's owners should have done a background check on 28-year-old Kyle Sanders, who lists his address ... --- 10News --- September 29, 2014  (CALIFORNIA)

Video Shows Former Caretaker Dousing Autistic Man with Hot Water

Channel 9 has obtained video that allegedly shows a caregiver at a Lake County educational center for people with special needs dousing an autistic ... --- WFTV Orlando --- October 10, 2014  (FLORIDA)

 

Group Home Accused of Abuse

A Jacksonville mother heartbroken. She tells us the adult care facility where her 29-year-old mentally disabled son was living betrayed him. --- WJXT Jacksonville --- October 8, 2014  (FLORIDA)

 

Man Sentenced to 8 Years for 7 Minute-long Beating of Disabled Man at the Riverwalk

One of three men charged in the 2013 beating of a disabled man at the Bradenton Riverwalk Skate Park was sentenced to eight years ... --- Bradenton Herald --- October 8, 2014  (FLORIDA)

 

Former Group Home Worker Gets 13 Years for Abusing Mentally Disabled Man

Emphasizing an abuse of trust between a caretaker and a mentally disabled man, a judge sentenced a former group home worker to ... --- South Bend Tribune --- October 14, 2014  (INDIANA)

 

Former Cop Interviewed by Police in 2011 Homicide

A former police officer accused of beating two mentally handicapped men in a Somerset group home has been tangled up in a similar police ... --- LEX18 Lexington KY News --- October 9, 2014  (KENTUCKY)

Patient Advocacy Group Kept Abuse Case at Maine's Riverview Hospital Secret for Months

An attorney with the rights center said the group tried to persuade hospital administrators to report the abuse to the state's Adult Protective Services. --- Press Herald --- October 8, 2014  (MAINE)

 

Lawsuit Targets Mich. Prosecutors over Rape Charges

The Wendrows were arrested in December 2007 after their then 14-year-old daughter - who is mute, autistic and mentally impaired - typed out a ... --- USA TODAY --- October 7, 2014  (MICHIGAN)

 

Charges of Cover up in Investigation of Disabled Abuse

So they've created this system to give the appearance that it's safer to the families of the disabled. But it;'s far more dangerous now than when ... --- TWC News --- September 29, 2014  (NEW YORK)

 

Hometown Man Sentenced for Incest with Autistic Grandson

"The victim in this case was a 9-year-old autistic child who was your grandson," the judge said. "Who you did despicable things to, to be honest." --- Charleston Gazette --- October 2, 2014  (WEST VIRGINIA)

Polk County Woman Arrested for Abuse of a Disabled Adult

Attorney General Pam Bondi's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Polk County Sheriff's Office today arrested Bonnie L. Coleman, a house manager at a Medicaid-funded group home in Winter Haven, for abusing a disabled adult.  Tallahassee, FL - October 2, 2014

 

How Did the FBI Miss Over 1 Million Rapes?

Earlier this month, a 911 dispatcher in Ohio was recorded telling a 20-year-old woman who had just been raped to "quit crying." After she provided a description of her assailant, the caller went on to say, "They're not going to be able to find him with the information that you've given." This incident had its viral moment, sparking outrage at the dispatcher's lack of empathy. But it also speaks to the larger issue of how we are counting rapes in the United States.

 

Police Investigating After Teen With Autism Found Duct-Taped

A high school soccer coach and two players have been suspended after a teenager with autism was found duct-taped to a goalpost.

 

Girl Dies At Carlton Palms

Paige Elizabeth Lunsford, a teenager with autism, became very ill and was bound to a bed for 5 days before she finally died at Carlton Palms, an intensive behavior group home for persons with disabilities. Carlton Palms charges a negotiated rate for care, depending on the client's needs. It is unknown what APD paid for Paige's care, but APD reported to the Orlando Sentinel that some rates are as high as $577 a day.  When Paige died, records show, the home had been investigated by DCF for abuse or neglect allegations at least 139 times since 2001.  Full story by the Miami Herald.

 

Pittsburg: Police Investigating Possible Child Endangerment at Special Education School

Pittsburg police are investigating an allegation of possible child endangerment or child neglect at the Spectrum Center Delta Campus, ... --- San Jose Mercury News --- September 9, 2014  (CALIFORNIA)

 

Man Sentenced to Prison after Attack on Disabled Girl

A 62-year-old man was sentenced to prison Thursday in Weld County for an attack on a developmentally disabled girl. A Weld County District Court ... --- The Coloradoan --- September 11, 2014  (COLORADO)

 

Teens Arrested in Attack on Mentally Challenged Man

Two Newark boys have been charged in the brutal attack of a mentally challenged man in the Newark area after videos were posted on social media, ... --- The News Journal --- September 7, 2014  (DELAWARE)

 

Three Arrested for Abusing Vulnerable Adults at Threshold Center for Autism  

Attorney General Pam Bondi's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Orange County Sheriff's Office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office arrested three former employees of Threshold Center for Autism. Shenika Abraham, Kenneth Hampton, Jr., and Michael Meeks allegedly abused three residents of the Winter Park residential home. According to the investigation, a former employee of Threshold Center for Autism recorded instances of the alleged abuse on his smart phone. The video and supporting witness statements implicated Abraham, Hampton, and Meeks in three separate incidents of abusing disabled adult residents under their care. Threshold Center for Autism terminated the three employees...  Tallahassee, FL - September 16

 

'Mom, Please Help': FBI Probing Alleged Abuse of Deaf, Autistic Kids

The FBI is investigating the alleged abuse and neglect of vulnerable deaf and autistic children at a residential treatment center in Florida, NBC News ... --- NBCNews.com --- September 14, 2014  (FLORIDA)

 

Skin Shocks Used at Massachusetts School Draw FDA Investigation

Self-injury is one of the most difficult behaviors associated with autism and other developmental or intellectual disabilities, and a private facility outside ... --- Fox News --- September 14, 2014  (MASSACHUSETTS)

 

Employee of Anderson Center for Autism in Staatsburg Slapped Teen Resident, Cops Say

A 22-year-old employee of the Anderson Center for Autism was charged with endangerment after slapping a 17-year-old male ... --- The Daily Freeman --- September 17, 2014  (NEW YORK)

 

84-year-old East Texas Man Charged with Sexual Assault of Disabled Person

An elderly East Texas man has been charged with felonies for allegedly sexually assaulting a disabled person at an assisted ... --- Longview News-Journal --- September 18, 2014  (TEXAS)

 

Former Levy County Adult Family Care Home Owner Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that a judge has sentenced Priscilla Smith Johnson, the owner of an adult family care home in Williston, Fla., to more than eight years in prison. Johnson was arrested in October 2013 following an investigation by Attorney General Bondi's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Levy County Sheriff's Office. Allegations against Johnson included neglecting residents, failing to provide medical services for a resident's wounds, restraining a disabled adult with handcuffs both in the family care home and restraining residents at a remote location, willfully abusing a disabled adult and causing wounds on her wrists and permanent disfigurement, and financially exploiting residents at her family care home. Tallahassee, FL - September 8, 2014.

The Arc of Aurora

1342 South Chambers Road

Aurora, CO 80017

720.213.1420