The New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) has free copies available of “ESCAPE – An Effective Strategy-Based Curriculum for Abuse Prevention and Empowerment for Adults With Developmental Disabilities”.

This curriculum was developed by the Center for Opportunities & Outcomes for People With Disabilities, Columbia University Teacher’s College in collaboration with AHRC New York City, and funded by the DDPC. Initially developed as a cross-systems training for providers of abuse prevention/crisis services and providers working with people with developmental disabilities, the training curriculum was modified and adapted to a DVD format with the assistance of self-advocates.

The curriculum is intended to assist persons with developmental disabilities to identify potentially abusive situations, and to effectively develop approaches to avoiding and/or dealing with such situations. It is particularly appropriate for agencies assisting people in residential or day program settings. The curriculum has been researched and proven to raise awareness and help people avoid potentially abusive situations.

The material may be duplicated as long as credit is given to the source grantee. The DDPC encourages appropriate organizations to use this resource and/or share with individuals or groups who could positively benefit from these materials. It is available by contacting Nick Rose, of the DDPC Program Staff, at: nrosse@ddpc.state.ny.us.

For additional background information, or if you require specific training or technical assistance to implement, please go to: http://www.tc.columbia.edu/oopd/index.asp?Id=Center+Projects&Info=Options+for+Obtaining+the+ESCAPE-DD+Curriculum  .