Department of Human Services

FURTHER INFORMATION:

September 29, 2004
(609) 292-3703
Lavonne Johnson

Domestic violence professionals address needs of women with disabilities

New Jersey hosted its first conference today - The Unheard Voice: Services to Abused Women with Disabilities Conference - to address the specialized issues of caring for women with disabilities who are victims of domestic violence, in an all-day session at the Somerset Holiday Inn in Somerset , Wednesday, September 29 th from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

“We are very pleased that our Division of Disability Services has teamed up with the NJ Coalition for Women with Disabilities, Inc. and the Southern NJ Perinatal Cooperative to host a conference that addresses issues effecting women who are on a very vulnerable tier of our population,” said Human Services Commissioner James M. Davy.

Professionals who work with women in the areas of disability, healthcare, sexual assault and domestic violence will receive 7.2 Nursing Contact Hours by the Southern NJ Perinatal Cooperative, an approved provider of continuing education by the NJ State Nurses Association (NJSNA), which is accredited by the ANCC Commission of Accreditation of the American Nurses Association. Credits are also being offered for Domestic Violence Specialist Credits.

The goal of the conference is to increase the ability of healthcare, domestic violence, sexual assault and disability professionals to recognize violence and abuse perpetrated against women with disabilities, and to provide appropriate and sensitive support and services to women with disabilities needing help. Participants learned how to describe violence affecting women with disabilities and the factors that put them at high risk for violence. They also learned strategies for health care providers to assess, identify and treat women with disabilities who experience violence or threats of violence and to identify disability an victim services resources available for this population of women.

Heather Taylor, Ph.D ., of the Center for Research on Women with Disabilities in Houston , Texas , will give the keynote address - Afraid to Tell… Pulling Violence Against Women with Disabilities Out of the Shadows .

Morning Institutes will include

• Disability & Healthcare Workers' Institute: Stop the Violence, Break the Silence

• Michelle “Shell” Schwartz & Heather Kamper, Safe Place – Austin , Texas

• Violence & Sexual Assault Workers' Institute: Connecting the Dots: Making the Connection between Violence and Disabilities.

• Beverly Frantz, Temple University Institute on Disabilities

Afternoon Workshops will include:

• Mental Health Interventions with Battered Women – Cynthia liskchick, Ph.D., DVS , NJ Coalition for Battered Women

• Unraveling the Layers Descendant's View of Domestic Violence & Disability – Jane Dunhamn, NJ Minorities with Disabilities Coalition

• Survivors Speak – Ester Smits & Carolyn Morgan, Violence & Persons with Developmental Disabilities Project – Speaking for Ourselves, Inc.,; Kate Blisard, People Support Network of NJ; and Madeline Yuhas, Deaf Outreach Consultant

• NJ Law Against Discrimination – Bear Atwood, Esq., Special Assistant to Director, NJ Department of Law & Public Safety, Division on Civil Rights

• Adapted Safety Planning with People who have Disabilities – Shell Schwwartz & Heather Kamper, Safe Place – Austin , Texas

• Working with Deaf Victims of Domestic Violence – Marilyn J. Smith, Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (ADWAS)