'Intellectual Disabilities 101' Webinar to be Held November 19th at 12 p.m.

The Committee on Mental Illness and Intellectual Disability Training of the Vermont Judiciary Commission on Mental Health and the Courts will be presenting a one-hour webinar on November 19, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. entitled "Intellectual Disabilities 101." The session is designed to provide judges, lawyers, law enforcement, DOC staff, and clinicians an overview of the system of care in Vermont for people with intellectual disabilities.

During the session the presenters will discuss common terminology and provide a review of Act 248, which authorizes a state criminal court to civilly commit a person with an intellectual disability, who is a continuous risk of significant harm to others, into the custody of the Commissioner of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living (DAIL). Presenters will also discuss guardianship processes and services for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Finally, the presenters will focus on the challenges people with disabilities face in their daily lives. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, individuals with disabilities are nearly four times more likely to experience violent crimes than those without disabilities. These alarming statistics highlight that service providers working with victims are likely to encounter people with disabilities, whether they realize it or not. In addition to addressing common misunderstandings about intellectual disabilities, the presenters will discuss various accommodations that people with intellectual disabilities might need during different stages of investigations and legal proceedings, with the goal of ensuring that communication with individuals with these disabilities is just as effective as with those without disabilities.

The session will be presented by:

• Stuart Schurr, DAIL's General Counsel;
• Benjamin Chater, Assistant Attorney General;
• staff from DAIL's Developmental Disabilities Services Division;
• Lindsey Owen, Executive Director of Disability Rights Vermont; and Max Barrows, Outreach Director for Green Mountain Self-Advocates.

A link to the webinar and further information about the VT Judiciary Commission on Mental Health and the Courts is available at https://www.vermontjudiciary.org/mentalhealth. You may also contact [email protected] with questions relating to the webinar.