Risking Connection IDD Basic Training 

Dr. Karyn Harvey, noted expert on trauma with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) argues, “Trauma in people with IDD is the elephant in the room.” The statistics are harrowing:

• People with IDD are 2.5 times more likely to be victims of violent crime compared to people who are not disabled (Harrell, 2017)
• 31% of children with IDD suffer child abuse compared to 9% of non-disabled children (Sullivan & Knudson, 2000)
• 14% of direct care staff admitted to acts of violence against adults with IDD and 35% said they had witnessed such violence (Strand, Benzein, & Saveman, 2004)

Yet, few IDD organizations train their staff about trauma, address trauma in the people they support, or recognize how re-traumatization can happen in their programs.

Risking Connection IDD is a foundational trauma training specifically tailored to those that support people with IDD. It provides a philosophy and method for working with people that have suffered trauma through physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, separations from love ones, bullying, witnessing violence, and other adversities. It provides a framework for understanding how extreme behaviors in the present are often rooted in survival strategies needed to cope with past trauma.

Having been hurt and betrayed in relationships, traumatized people need to risk forming connections with caring support people that are different (enough) from harmful past relationships. They need relationships that are RICH – Respectful, Informative, Connected, and Hopeful.

Risking Connection is unique in that it stresses that taking care of BOTH the person being supported and support staff are critical. So, it focuses on the impact of compassion fatigue on the support person and the essential need for self-care.

Each day of this participatory training includes lively presentations, small and large group discussions, videos, and application exercises.

Training Overview

Day 1

• What We Mean by Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)
• The Impact of Adversity and Trauma (ACEs Study)
• Trauma and People with IDD
• A Trauma-Informed Model vs. A Not Trauma-Informed Model
• The Risking Connection Trauma Framework
• How We Were Parented and How It Impacts Our Work
• Introduction to Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction 

Day 2

• Strengthening Attachment through RICH Relationships
• Managing Frame and Boundaries with Trauma Survivors
• Regulating the Body and Brain
• Strengthening Feelings Management Skills
• Noticing Our Reactions to People We Support to Promote RICH Relationships
• Addressing and Transforming Compassion Fatigue
• Implementing Trauma-Informed Care as an Organization

Please Note: The Risking Connection IDD training is a centerpiece of the Traumatic Stress Institute’s Whole-System Change Model to Trauma-Informed Care. When implementing the model, organizations adopt the Risking Connection training through a Train-the-Trainer process. If you would like more information about the Whole-System Change Model, click here.

Register Now! 

Training Fee

The cost of this event (with or without CE credits) is $320 per person. This is an online event.

Cancellation Policy

Refund (minus $30 processing fee) provided for cancellations until 2 weeks prior to the event. Cancellations within the two week window are non-refundable.

Continuing Education Credits

Satisfactory Completion

Participants must have paid tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire webinar, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate. Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates will be available following course completion at www.ceuregistration.com

Cosponsored by R. Cassidy Seminars, P.O. Box 14473, Santa Rosa, CA 95402

This event is approved for 12 CE credits.

Psychologists
NY: R. Cassidy Seminars is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0018. Live online.

Psychoanalysts
NY: R. Cassidy Seminars is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychoanalysts. #P-0005. Live online.

Social Workers
CA and Other States: Most states accept continuing education courses offered by approved providers with national providerships or will accept the approvals of other state licensing boards of the same license type. Others, either do not require pre-approval of courses, or will allow licensees to retroactively file for course approval themselves. R. Cassidy Seminars is an approved provider with one national providership, as well as holding many individual state license type approvals. Check with your board to obtain a final ruling.

IL-SWs: Illinois Dept of Professional Regulation, Approved Continuing Education Sponsor, #159.000785. 
NY: R. Cassidy Seminars is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider (#0006) of continuing education for licensed social workers. Live online.
OH: Provider approved by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board, #RCST110701

Counselors/Marriage and Family Therapists
CA and Other States: Most states accept continuing education courses offered by approved providers with national providerships or will accept the approvals of other state licensing boards of the same license type. Others, either do not require pre-approval of courses, or will allow licensees to retroactively file for course approval themselves. R. Cassidy Seminars is an approved provider with one national providership, as well as holding many individual state license type approvals. Check with your board to obtain a final ruling.
IL-MFTs: Illinois Dept of Professional Regulation, Approved Continuing Education Sponsor, #168-000141.
NY-LMHCs: R. Cassidy Seminars is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board of Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0015.  Live online.
NY-LMFTs: R. Cassidy Seminars is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board of Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists. #MFT-0011. Live online.
OH: Provider approved by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board, #RCST110701
TX: Approved CE Sponsor through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists. Provider #151.

Creative Arts Therapists
NY: R. Cassidy Seminars is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board of Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists, #CAT-0005. Live online.

Chemical Dependency Counselors
CA: Provider approved by CCAPP, Provider #4N-00-434-0555 for 1vCEH. CCAPP is an ICRC member which has reciprocity with most ICRC member states
TX: Provider approved by the TCBAP Standards Committee, Provider No. 1749-06, X hour general. Expires 1/31/23.  Complaints about provider or workshop content may be directed to the TCBAP Standards Committee, 1005 Congress Avenue, Ste. 460, Austin, Texas 78701, Fax Number (515) 476-7597.

Educators
TX: R. Cassidy Seminars is an approved provider with the Texas Education Agency CPE# 501456.

Nurses
CA: Provider approved by the CA Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CeP15554.

Dentists
CA: R. Cassidy Seminars is a provider approved by the Dental Board of California as a registered provider of continuing education. RP# 4874.