INSTRUCTOR/STAFF TRAINING

Background of ESCAPE-NOW

Established High Rates of Abuse People with intellectual and developmental disabilities face significantly higher levels of risk for abuse than people without disabilities ( Studies: Horner-Johnson & Drum, 2006; Hughes, Lund, Gabrielli, Powers, & Curry, 2011 )

Established Need for ESCAPE-NOW There is an urgent need to provide people with intellectual and developmental disabilities with information about abuse and with effective skills to protect themselves from victimization ( Studies: Hickson, Khemka, Golden, & Chatzistyli, in press, 2013, 2008)

The Original ESCAPE Curriculum We developed ESCAPE (An Effective Strategy-Based Curriculum for Abuse Prevention and Empowerment) to provide women with intellectual and developmental disabilities with a tool to prevent sexual, physical, and verbal abuse. We found that the women who received ESCAPE made more prevention-focused decisions in situations of abuse than women in a control group (Khemka, Hickson, & Reynolds, 2005).

The ESCAPE-DD Curriculum The ESCAPE-DD Curriculum was developed, with the support of the New York State DDPC, to expand the original ESCAPE curriculum so that it would be appropriate for both men and women. With the support of the NYS DDPC, we produced and distributed 1,000 copies of the ESCAPE-DD Staff Training DVD and Curriculum CD package. An evaluation study showed that men and women who received ESCAPE-DD made more prevention-focused decision-making responses in situations of abuse than those who did not receive the curriculum (Hickson, Khemka, Golden, & Chatzistyli, 2012).

Current ESCAPE-NOW

Goal of Current ESCAPE Project The overall goal of the current ESCAPE Project was to update and revise the content of the ESCAPE-DD Curriculum and to replace it with the ESCAPE-NOW Curriculum, to be made available in a web-based format. ESCAPE-NOW is made available through Wiki Scholars Platform and all instructional materials archived on the Wiki are available for free download. ESCAPE-NOW provides options for enhanced accessibility features (visual, audio) and interactive lessons

ESCAPE-NOW Basic Structure Unit I Knowledge of Abuse & Empowerment Unit II Decision-Making Strategy Training Unit III Support Group Sessions Lessons 1-5, approx 30 to 45 min per session Lessons 6-12, approx 30 to 45 min per session 6 sessions, approx mins per session

ESCAPE-NOW New Features

Basis for ESCAPE-NOW New Features The new features that have been incorporated into ESCAPE-NOW are based on: 1. Extensive experience of Project Team and Advisory Board; 2. New ideas from a comprehensive review of up-to-date research and theory on abuse and decision making; 3. Findings from our ongoing research program and the online ESCAPE Project Needs Survey on Abuse and Vignette Validation Survey.

ESCAPE-NOW: New Features Optional Technology-Based Alternative Formats including SMARTBoard based interactive activities in the lessons, audio narrated vignette booklet, and power point presentation of the vignette booklet with printed text Assessment Checkpoints at the end of each lesson to monitor individual mastery of lesson content Individual Participant Binders with worksheets and assessments, including a Certificate of Completion

General Tips for Trainers

The curriculum lesson activities in Units I & II have been scripted to provide trained instructors with language and content for teaching abuse concepts and self-protective decision-making skills and strategies to adults with IDD. Unit III uses a support group structure to provide participants with opportunities to apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills and strategies to situations in their own lives. Due to the sensitivity of the content of the curriculum, it is advised that professionals with abuse counseling expertise and experience be available to provide support for participants who may need to be referred by the instructors Instructors are recommended to follow the general tips for trainers listed in the Introduction of the Instructor’s Manual (see page 11)