Hawai'i State Council on Developmental Disabilities

Trainings

I/DD and Dementia Training

About

This nationally acclaimed workshop was developed using the best evidence-informed care principles available in acknowledgment of the emerging need for professionals who are capable and comfortable with screening, assessing, and managing the interventions and supports related to caring for clients with dementia and intellectual/developmental disabilities. Learn more!

Dates: November 1, 2, and 3, 2023 (November 3 is an optional 3rd day only for those wishing to become NTG
Affiliated Regional Trainers)

Time: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

Location: Oahu Veterans Center (1298 Kukila St., Honolulu) or Online through Zoom

Registration Fee: $20.00

Healthy Relationships Training:

About

Hawaiʻi has evidence of need for better training, education and services as well as awareness of sexuality and healthy relationships for youth and adults with an intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD). A coordinated system of services and collaborative partners will help to ensure that youth and adults with I/DD receive the support they need to have healthy sexuality and safe relationships with others. The Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities (HSCDD) is committed to including this need for youth and adults with I/DD in the 5 year (2022-26) State Plan.

Healthy Relationships Training is provided by DD Council Program Specialists, Amelia Kyewich-Kaneholani M.Ed, and Zosimo Arista, MSW, who have completed the 3- day Elevatus Training on Becoming a Sexuality Educator and Trainer. Currently there are three other trainers in Hawaiʻi including Professor Rhonda Black from UH Manoa, Kim Shields, RN, MSN, CPHQ, from Bayada Home Care and Lily Chan-Harris from Employment Network Hawaiʻi.

Statement of Need:

An estimated 25/700 (3.5% of all reported cases) adult protective services cases in Hawaiʻi for individuals with I/DD were reported in 2019 for abuse/neglect investigation. The number of actual cases is likely underreported.
Current training and education of persons who are mandated reporters to APS-DHS is minimal (30 minutes) with most time spent on forms, definitions and only 5 minutes allocated on how to report sexual abuse. The training does not include how to support sexuality of youth and adults with I/DD.
Current sexuality training and education within programs serving youth and adults with I/DD is reportedly sparse and not mandated by state or county or agency. The DOH Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD) and a few agencies have offered training in the past, as resources were available.
Community awareness of potential for or how to respond to victimization/abuse of youth and adults with I/DD, is not felt to be widespread and needs to be strengthened significantly.

Vision Statement: All youth and adults with I/DD, ages 16 and above, including those with communication issues, will live in a positive and healthy environment, and a supportive and safe community statewide.

Five Year Goal: To develop a sustainable support system relating to sexuality and healthy relationships that reaches all youth and adults with I/DD, statewide, particularly those with communication issues.

As part of the DD Council’s 5-year state plan, we are working towards providing training on relationships and sexuality to Medicaid Waiver 1915(c) agency providers, non-profit organizations that provide services to individuals who have a developmental disability, parents and adults with a developmental and or intellectual disability.

Currently we are offering training to agency staff including program supervisors, managers, and directors.

The training for agency staff consist of the following modules:

Sexual self-advocacy and sexuality
Messages about sexuality
Sexual Development and Disability
Personal Barriers
Answering Questions
Responding to Behaviors
Working with Parents Guardians
Trauma Informed Approach

Training Objectives:

Helping people with disabilities become sexual self-advocates
Identify values and attitudes and how those impact individuals with disabilities
Teach staff and parents how to talk about sexuality with participants and their children
Demonstrate effective training techniques to use with staff, parents, and people with disabilities.

For more information about upcoming trainings or to book a training for your agency, please contact Zosimo Arista at 808-586-8100.