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May 2005Vol. 6, No. 4Addressing Abuse of Children and Adults with Disabilities

Children and adults with developmental disabilities are at greater risk for all types of abuse or neglect, yet preventing and recognizing the maltreatment can be difficult. The Partnership for People with Disabilities has developed a comprehensive web-based course on the topic for health care professionals and others who serve this population, including those in education, protective services, the courts, and law enforcement.

The course, "Abuse and Neglect of Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities: A Problem of National Significance," consists of 13 self-paced instructional modules on a range of topics from risk factors and recognizing abuse to reporting and treatment. Each module includes learning objectives, self-study questions, references, resources, and links to relevant websites.

The Partnership for People with Disabilities is a project of Virginia Commonwealth University. A complete outline of the course and ordering information can be found at www.vcu.edu/partnership/maltreatment (Editor's note: Link no longer active).