Conflict Resolution for Adults withIntellectual and Developmental

Disabilities:

Organizing a Facility Based Program

GoalTo develop skills in adults with

intellectual and developmental disabilities

to achieve better outcomes

when faced with a conflict

at their job, at home or in a social setting.

Timeline

With the Wicomico County Health Department

leading, an idea was presented along with the grant

opportunity to potential participating agencies.

Timeline:

March 2009 Idea presented

April 2009 Grant submitted

July 2009 Grant received!!!

September 2009 Request for bids

October 2009 Bid awarded

November 2009 Training of Trainers

December 2009 Agency meetings

January 2010 Classes begin

February 2010 Follow up meetings at agencies

July 2010 Agency staff training

August 2010 Final Progress Report

Staff DevelopmentDay One:

Definition of Conflict

Conflict Styles

Conflict Causes

Communication Skills

Problem Solving Steps

Staff DevelopmentDay Two:

Conflict and Diversity

Values and Conflict

Moral Thinking

Power

Issues and Interests

Step Practice

Staff DevelopmentDay Three:

Development of Skills

Mediation Process

Program Development

Program Design Strategies

Wrap Up/Planning

Development of Agency Program

Location and Environment

Participants

Staff Preparation and Development

Lesson PlansLesson plans were developed with guidance from trainer for participants at each agency. Plans differed slightly as they were adapted by each lead teacher. Recommendation is three daily lessons of approximately one and one half hours completed within one week time period.

Lesson Plan One

Introductions and Rules

Definition of Conflict

Facial Expression of Emotions and Recognition

Body Language

Emotions Thermometer

Wrap Up

Lesson Plan Two

Buttons – My Own and Others

Needs

Calming Strategies

Wrap Up

Lesson Plan ThreeStep One: Stop and Calm Down

Step Two: Think

Step Three: Talk

Step Four: Feel Good Again

Problem Solving Step Practice

Wrap Up

Lessons Learned

Direct care workers supported by

administrators were the most successful

with and most gratified by the

training/teaching experience

Lessons Learned

Reluctant individuals soon became the program’s greatest proponents,

proudly displaying their Certificates of Completion, utilizing their new skills,

and begging to take the class again.

Lessons LearnedAgency staff engaged in an overview were

enthusiastically supportive because of the change of atmosphere at the day program.

“The whole atmosphere at our agency is different, you can feel it’s more calm”.

Results of Project The participants are very proud of their new skills and effectively put them to use in the day program which influences and inspires their colleagues to want to participate in upcoming workshops. This result was supported by participant and staff comments and behaviors.

Results “They don’t want to cause conflict so learning these techniques is important to them. It’s exciting because it’s working. We’re seeing a decrease in conflict. Some people may not be able to grasp an entire concept, but they are picking up enough so that they know what to do in a situation, like calming down. We all see them helping each other.” -Staff Member

Results

Two trainers commented that participants now know “I don’t have to do that” (meaning get into a confrontation) and also “I can do something with that” (meaning they can take this conflict and work through the steps to resolve it).

Results One young man attended day one of the workplace

training. He came in for day two of the three days and referred to a movie he had seen the night before, recognizing the concepts of conflicts between the characters based on what he learned the first day.

Another individual in the training cited a couple arguing on TV and was able to discuss what they could have done to resolve the conflict.

Questions?