OVC-ARC Riverside Online Professional Training Conference 9/9-9/29 2004


WORKSHOP INFORMATION FOR CEU CREDIT



Communication Strategies for Community-Based Risk Reduction

Tom Hanna, B.A.

Program Description
This course will begin with an examination of the special circumstances of
abuse of children and adults with disabilities, and proceed to a discussion
of generic "abuse prevention" strategies, and how they are similar to, and
different from, risk reduction strategies when disabilities are a factor.
A comprehensive strategy for developing community-based risk reduction will
be described.  When abuse and disabilities go hand-in-hand, it is important
to look beyond the specific instances, and examine the fabric of the
community.  The locus of responsibility for prevention is in the community,
and it is unwise to focus prevention on the person with the disability.
The best strategy involves a combination of tradition community education
efforts and the use of the media to promote risk reduction messages through
a public awareness campaign.  Specific successful programs where abuse and
victimization is the target for risk reduction will be used to illustrate
the community-based plan.

Outline:
   1. Special circumstances of abuse of children and adults with
      disabilities
        a. Self-advocacy and self-capacity
        b. Nature of support system
   2. Generic abuse prevention strategies
        a. Targeting the (potential) perpetrator
        b. Aiming for self-protection
        c. "It takes a village"
   3. Risk reduction when disabilities are a factor
        a. "When no one's there to help."
        b. Community awareness and attitudes
        c. How the caregiver sees risk reduction
   4. Locus of responsibility
        a. The ideal role of the community
        b. The impact of dignity, rights and privacy
   5. Build on Strength: a strategy for risk reduction
        a. Assess the problem and the perceptions
        b. Identify and codify the "right messages"
        c. Aim for widespread community education efforts
        d. Build strong community partnerships
        e. Make the Media the ally in public awareness
        f. Follow a formative evaluation approach
        g. Commit to a "7 Percent Solution."
        h. Examples from the real world


Training Objectives

Participants will:
*Gain an understanding of the general principles of risk reduction
*Appreciate the particular difficulties of risk reduction when disabilities are
a significant component in the picture
*Learn specific steps for achieving risk reduction where abuse and disabilities
collide
*Learn the steps to implement a community-based prevention effort
*Understand the reasonable level of commitment needed for success in risk
reduction