Maltreatment: Prevention and Response
Here is a list of lessons found in this course with their description and learner objectives:
Lesson #1 Overview of DSP Roles
This lesson provides an overview of the roles a direct support professional (DSP) plays in preventing and responding to maltreatment. It reviews the legal, ethical, and practice issues a DSP needs to consider. It will also provide the learner with a basic understanding of maltreatment.
Objective 1
Describe four aspects that define the direct support professional's role in preventing and responding to maltreatment. This includes:
Lesson #2 What is Maltreatment?
This lesson goes into more detail regarding definitions of maltreatment and the direct support professionals (DSPs) legal role. A worksheet and Web links are provided to help the learner research and understand roles based on local laws and policies.
Objective 1
Describe potential maltreatment and your role as defined by your state and employer.
Lesson #3 What is Abuse?
This lesson goes more in depth regarding definitions of abuse. It provides multiple examples of forms and types of abuse. It will help the learner to discriminate between reportable events and events that are of concern. It also provides ideas for response to both.
Objective 1
Define abuse as required by state and employer. Recognize signs of potential abuse.
Lesson #4 What is Neglect?
This lesson goes more in-depth regarding definitions of neglect. It provides multiple examples of forms and types of neglect. It will help the learner to recognize his or her risk of neglect. It will also help the learner to understand the take steps to prevent or report neglect with other caregivers.
Objective 1
Define neglect as required in your state and by your employer and recognize signs of neglect.
Lesson #5 What is Exploitation?
This lesson goes more in-depth regarding definitions of exploitation. It provides multiple examples of forms and types of exploitation. It will help the learner to recognize helpful boundaries in the behaviour of direct support professionals to prevent undue influence on those he or she supports.
Objective 1
Describe exploitation as defined by state law and policy and recognize signs of exploitation.
Lesson #6 Balancing Rights with Protection
Rights violations can be forms of maltreatment. They also can be a response to fear for a person's safety. This lesson will help the learner to consider the balance between the mandate to protect and the need to respect rights. It will also help the learner to recognize behavior management strategies that increase the risk of maltreatment. Examples include seclusion and restraint.
Objective 1
Explain how to protect the rights of people he or she supports as well as how to monitor for safety as needed.
Lesson #7 The Ethical Role of the DSP
Maltreatment laws tell direct support professionals what their legal obligations are. Ethics are useful for situations without clear right or wrong answers. This lesson looks at ethics in practice. It also looks at specific situations regarding maltreatment.
Objective 1
Apply ethical standards when recognizing and reporting maltreatment.
Lesson #8 An Overview of Risks for Maltreatment
Risks of maltreatment go beyond just the caregiver who engages in maltreatment. Community attitudes and support practices also have an influence. This lesson provides the learner with an overview of these issues.
Objective 1
Identify factors that affect the risk of maltreatment for a person who receives support.
Lesson #9 Characteristics of Caregivers That Affect Risk
Caregiver traits greatly affect the likelihood of maltreatment. Caregivers who are apathetic or easily frustrated and lack anger management skills are at increased risk. This lesson looks at traits that increase risk. It also reviews strategies for reducing the risk in other caregivers. It will help the learner to understand how to reduce his or her own risk as well.
Objective 1
Describe and recognize characteristics of caregivers that affect the risk of maltreatment.
Lesson #10 Characteristics of Situations That Increase Risk
Certain environments and situations influence the likelihood of maltreatment. Isolation provides privacy for a person who may maltreat. It also makes it difficult for a person who receives support to report. Environments that rely on punishment in response to challenging behavior increase risk. This lesson will help the learner to consider environments and what he or she can do to decrease risk.
Objective 1
Recognize situations that may increase the risk of maltreatment.
Lesson #11 Characteristics of People Supported that Affect Risk
A person who is supported is never responsible for maltreatment. It is the caregiver's responsibility to manage any risks. But certain traits in a person can make it more likely that a caregiver will maltreat. Traits that increase the stress of caregiving and reduce the natural rewards are included. This lesson will help the learner to understand how direct support professionals and others can take steps to manage stress and reduce risk.
Objective 1
Recognize and describe the characteristics of those he or she supports that affect the risk of maltreatment.
Lesson #12 Reducing Caregiver Risk of Maltreating
A caregiver who is at risk for maltreatment has signs. He or she has trouble managing emotions and being appropriately bonded to the people he or she supports. Caregiver incompetence is another risk. Being alert to signs of these risks in themselves and others is important for direct support professionals. This lesson will help the learner to understand the steps to take to manage or reduce these risks.
Objective 1
Take steps to reduce the risk of maltreatment in yourself and others.
Lesson #13 Engaging and Supporting Protective Factors in Individuals
Overprotection, isolation, and lack of engagement are situations that increase a person's risks of being maltreated. Methods of support that encourage listening to a person, engaging him or her in all aspects of their life, and helping the person to make decisions are critical. They help a person to recognize problems. They also help a person to have more ability to speak up and be protected. This lesson will help the learner to understand how to use these methods of support.
Objective 1
Support people in ways that encourages protective factors that reduce risks of maltreatment.
Lesson #14 The Role of Documentation and Systems in Prevention
Putting systems in place to track important information and documentation can reduce a person's vulnerability to maltreatment. This lesson refreshes the learner on good documentation practices. It helps him or her to consider forms of documentation and systems to engage in the areas of maltreatment.
Objective 1
Document effectively and use systems to reduce the likelihood of maltreatment.
Lesson #15 Engaging and Supporting Protective Factors in Organizations and Communities
Attitudes in our communities, homes, and organizations make maltreatment more or less likely. This lesson encourages the learner to look at systemic issues and to get involved in change.
Objective 1
Engage in activities in organizations and communities that encourage protective factors regarding maltreatment.
Lesson #16 Responding to Potential Maltreatment
Potential maltreatment is not always easy to recognize. Learners already have reviewed definitions and examples. This lesson will help the learner to consider what this might look like in practice and the steps for responding. The learner will understand how to care for an individual as well as follow reporting laws. Information regarding how to interview a person without leading him or her is included.
Objective 1
Respond effectively to potential maltreatment.
Lesson #17 Where to Report Potential Maltreatment
Reporting potential maltreatment may go beyond protective services. This lesson will help the learner to understand options for reporting. It reviews the roles of internal designees of the employer. It will also help the learner to understand the roles of law enforcement, ombudsmen, and protection and advocacy agencies.
Objective 1
Report potential maltreatment to the correct contacts and agencies.
Lesson #18 How to Report Potential Maltreatment
Reporting maltreatment must be done within certain timeframes. Reports must have enough detail to be helpful. This lesson reviews important details that protective services and others will seek. It will help the learner to understand how to be organized and thorough in reporting.
Objective 1
Report potential maltreatment in a timely and comprehensive way.
Lesson #19 Follow-Up to Potential Maltreatment Reports
Making a potential maltreatment report is often an emotional and draining experience for a direct support professional (DSP). He or she may have many feelings regarding the situation. A DSP may be eager to find out the outcome of an investigation. But he or she may not be informed of the outcome for a variety of reasons. This lesson will help the learner to understand why he or she may not get specifics regarding investigations. It will help the learner to focus on important steps to follow-up over which he or she will have more influence and which are more meaningful.
Objective 1
Identify and attend to critical issues after a report of potential maltreatment is made.