Creative Strategies for Threading Violence Awareness into the Four Core Services
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Transcript of Creative Strategies for Threading Violence Awareness into the Four Core Services
Creative Strategies for Threading Violence Awareness into the Four Core Services
Created by Leslie Myers, MS< CRC, CDVC
DART Program Manager, IndependenceFirst
PresentersLeslie Myers, MS, CRC, CDVCDART Program ManagerIndependenceFirst600 W Virginia Street, 4th FloorMilwaukee, WI 53204(414) 291-7520 V/TTY(414) 226-8381 Direct Voice
Roberta Sick, Project DirectorPartners for Inclusive Communities-UAMSArkansas' University Center on Disabilities2001 Pershing Circle - Suite 300North Little Rock, AR 72114501-682-9900501-682-9902 TTY
Mary Oschwald Research Assistant Professor Regional Research Institute-PSU PO Box 7511600 SW 4th St Suite 900 Portland OR 97207 (503) 725-9602 (866) 856-1385 (toll-free)
Important Terms Independent Living (IL)
National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL)
Centers for Independent Living (CILs)
Independent Living Centers (ILCs)
Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC)
State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL)
Personal Assistance Services (PAS)
History-How Did We Get Here? 2004 - Focus groups held at NCIL’s annual conference “Voices Across America: Communities Coming
Together to End Crimes Against People with
Disabilities” developed
2006 – NCIL’s and APRIL’s Resolutions on Violence and Abuse of People with Disabilities sparked need for Task Force
2007 - NCIL Task Force on Violence and Abuse of People with Disabilities developed the “Violence Awareness Survey for Independent Living Centers”
Violence Awareness Survey 41.35% return rate
89% (n=98) extremely important for CILs to understand and respond to issues of violence
70% (n=77) somewhat confident recognizing signs of abuse, 20% (n=22) extremely confident
91% (n=100) wanted to learn more about “Role of CILs in Dealing with Violence/Abuse” (Here we are!)
IntroductionThe Rehabilitation Act defines a CIL as:
A consumer-controlled, community-based, cross-disability, nonresidential private nonprofit agency, designed and operated within a local community by individuals with disabilities.
CILs provide services and advocacy by and for persons with all types of disabilities to create opportunities for independence and assist individuals with disabilities to achieve their maximum level of independent functioning.
Centers are authorized to provide IL services in accordance to a SPIL, which is developed by the SILC in partnership with the State Vocational Rehabilitation agency.
A Center works with an individual to achieve their self-identified goals through peer counseling, skills training, advocacy, information and referral and other independent living services.
CILs
Consumer control
Self-help and self-advocacy
Development of peer role models
Equal access to all services, programs, activities, resources and facilities
Promote & Practice IL Philosophy
Advocacy
Peer Support
Independent Living Skill Development
Information and Referral
Four Core Services
Counseling
Housing modifications
Assistance in finding accessible housing
Rehabilitation technology
Mobility training
Interpreters and readers
Other Services
Other Services, cont. Personal assistance including attendant care
Needs surveys
Training for participation in community activities
Transportation
Therapeutic treatment
Social and recreation services
Other Services, cont. Services to youth to promote self-esteem and
self-empowerment
Services for children
Preventive services
Disability awareness in local communities
Missed appointments because their abuser controls their every move
Hard to advocate for themselves since their self- esteem has been shattered at the hands of an abuser
Violence and abuse takes toll on the mind, body and soul
Violence and Abuse Affects Service Delivery
Individuals are often kept isolated by their abusers
Many agencies that serve victims of violence/abuse are not accessible to people with disabilities
These combined barriers make it nearly impossible for the person being abused to leave
Violence and Abuse Affects Service Delivery, cont.
Provide services on a cross-disability basis to individuals with a variety of disabilities
Provide services to unserved and underserved
Work to increase availability and quality of community options for independent living
Increase communities’ capacity to meet needs of individuals with disabilities
Develop funding sources beyond that afforded by the Rehabilitation Act
Rehabilitation Act
Violence/abuse issues are disability issues and we need to make sure that they are addressed in every aspect of our programming and service delivery.
Is it a separate issue or will it fit into your existing Center activities and SPIL?
Addressing Issues – Where to Start?
Questions and Answers
Information and Referral
Awareness of community programs
Victim service programs
Sexual assault agencies
Domestic violence shelters
Law enforcement personnel
Gather information on these programs and services
Get information on program accessibility
Take opportunity to advocate for changes within inaccessible programs
What to do……
Phone
Develop list of programs and emergency numbers
In-Person
Distribute brochures and information sheets from local programs
Web-Site
Include links to local and national programs, information on victimization, self-help strategies, safety planning
Information and Referral
National Referral Sources The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Rape, Abuse & Incest, National Network (RAINN) 1-800-656-HOPE
National Center for Victims of Crime 1-800-FYI-CALL (1-800-394-2255) or TTY 1-800-211-7996
Locating interpreters
Providing accommodations
Working with people with different types of disabilities
Other Services You Can Provide
Weave these topics into your existing curriculum:
Self-protection
Safety planning
Empowerment
Abuse awareness
Self-esteem
IL Skills Training
Provides consumer with safety in disclosure
Peer must be trained on appropriate actions to take if they receive disclosure of abuse Support groups and individual support are essential tools for victim service agencies
Peer Support
Serious Advocacy Issues Waiting List
Lack of Affordable/Accessible Housing
Accessible Transportation
IL staff may need to:
Advocate for their consumer to get accommodations within the victim service agency or in the courts
Advocate for the consumer to be served at all by a victim service provider
Individual Advocacy
Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act
Crimes committed against people with disabilities
NCIL Resolution
Systems Advocacy
Additional IL Services Nursing home transition –
violence/abuse within institutions and vulnerability of transitioning consumers
Sports/Rec programs – teach adapted self defense
Youth services – provide classes on dating violence and date rape
Additional IL Services Computer recycling - information on on-line
and chat room safety, scams, and identity theft
Benefit programs offer chance to discuss financial abuse
Personal care attendant services – teach consumers how to identify caregiver abuse and strategies to stop it
Supporting Female Consumers Provide assertiveness training, peer counseling and self-esteem building
Recognize that abuse is a serious problem for women with disabilities
Offer initial counseling and referral for female consumers who are being abused
Become educated on abuse to create safe environment for women to disclose abuse
Educate providers of abuse-related services to be more responsive and accessible to consumers with disabilities
Educate abuse intervention programs on full accessibility
Supporting Female Consumers, cont.
Obtain personal assistants
Replace assistive devices or medications lost when the woman left home
Offer transitional services to establish independence from her abuser
Assisting Female Consumers in Shelters
Questions and Answers
Cross-referral between CILs and abuse intervention programs – very successful Outreach efforts enabled them to more effectively reach women with disabilities who were being abused
Collaboration
Outreach Activities and Crime Prevention Initiatives Include persons with disabilities in planning, execution, and evaluation stages of each initiative
Avoid labeling, stereotyping, and tokenism
Collaborate with key players
Engage the person with a disability by making sure that accommodations are in place to ensure effective communication and full participation
Suggestions Hold staff training on violence/abuse
Ask questions about abuse during intake, PAS supervision visits, consumer appointments
Develop policy and procedures for staff to follow when they suspect abuse
Ask victim service agencies to talk about their programs at staff meetings
Suggestions, cont.
Visit your local victim service agencies
Display posters and brochures to raise awareness of abuse, allowing consumers to see you as a safe environment
Read about abuse and violence against people with disabilities
Finding Funding Office on Violence Against Women:
http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/
Office for Victims of Crime: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/fund/welcome.html
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-Injury, Violence and Safety http://www.cdc.gov/InjuryViolenceSafety
Additional Resources The National Domestic Violence http://www.ncadv.org/
The Rape, Abuse & Incest, National Network (RAINN) http://www.rainn.org/
National Center for Victims of Crime http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/Main.aspx
Stalking Resource Center http://www.ncvc.org/src/Main.aspx
Dating Violence Resource Center http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbID=DB_DatingViolenceResourceCenter101
Additional Resources Online Directory of Crime Victim Services
http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/findvictimservices/
Professional Online Resources on Abuse and Disability http://www.disability-abuse.com/
OVC Publications http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/publications/welcome.html
Victims of Crime With Disabilities Resource Guide http://www.uwyo.edu/wind/resourceguide/resources/resources.asp
National Disability Rights Network http://www.napas.org/index.htm
National Adult Protective Services Association http://apsnetwork.org/
Final Questions and Answers
The End
Wrap-Up and Evaluation