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Ask the Expert Session: Victims With Disabilities

ASK THE EXPERT SESSION: VICTIMS WITH DISABILITIES

This is a FREE training event. 

Date: March 12, 2018

Time: 10:00 am - 10:30 am

The UP Project is hosting an Ask the Expert session with Scott J Modell, Ph.D. on Monday, March 12, 2018 at 10am.

Scott J Modell, Ph.D. is currently the President of MCG Consulting and Co-Founder of Collaborative Safety. From 2013 to 2016, he served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. He has also served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Prior to moving to Tennessee, Dr. Modell spent fifteen years as a Professor at California State University, Sacramento. Over his last five years at the university, he additionally served as Director of the university’s Autism Center for Excellence. He is an expert in child abuse, crime victims with disabilities, disability etiology, and interview techniques. He has authored nine books and has over 300 published articles and abstracts. Dr. Modell is frequently invited to lecture at national and international conferences regarding child abuse and crime victims with disabilities. He has received international recognition for his work in the area of crime victims and interview techniques for individuals with disabilities.

Session Overview:

Studies have long established that individuals with disabilities are disproportionately criminally victimized. In 2015, the average annual rate of violent victimization for individuals with disabilities was more than twice the rate among individuals without disabilities. Serious violent victimization for individuals with disabilities was more than three times than that for individuals without disabilities (Harrell, 2017). The risk of being a victim of crime, especially a victim of sexual assault, is 4 to 10 times higher for an individual with a disability. There are a number of factors related to individuals with disabilities susceptibility to victimization. Understanding and communicating effectively with adults and older adults with disabilities including intellectual disabilities, autism and other developmental disabilities who are victims of abuse are necessary skills for adult protective services, law enforcement, district attorneys, clinicians, and other social service personnel who may work with these individuals who have been victimized. Furthermore, assumptions made regarding these populations can inhibit effective communication, creating safe environments and conducting thorough investigations. This presentation will focus on the susceptibility of victimization for persons with disabilities as well as typical biases and assumptions that impact investigation and service delivery to individuals with disabilities.

To register for this session please click here.

 

For questions, comments, or concerns please contact Emma Nichols at (707) 992-0537 or emma.nichols@cirinc.org