A cornerstone of BPI is its training curricula. BPI continues to develop and adapt trainings to identified needs for law enforcement, adult protection and human services, medical and public health personnel, academia, victim services, persons with a disability, and others. Education and training are the key to reducing, and in some cases, preventing crime. As a result of BPI trainings, Massachusetts has seen a significant increase in the successful recognition, reporting, investigation, and prosecution of crimes committed against persons with a disability.
If you’re interested in learning more about the trainings, or if you’d like to learn more about how to register, please email DPPC.Learning@mass.gov.
BPI offers the following trainings on an ongoing basis:
The three-day APS onboarding offers comprehensive and interactive basic investigation training for Massachusetts Adult Protective Services (APS) investigators, managers and others from DPPC, DDS, DMH and MRC. The basic investigations training provides participants with the fundamental principles and procedures needed to plan for, organize and conduct a timely and comprehensive APS investigation. The training also highlights the critical aspects of a criminal investigation and the benefits of utilizing a multidisciplinary approach.
DPPC’s online learning portal offers essential onboarding and professional development resources for Adult Protective Services (APS) staff. New APS investigators undergo virtual comprehensive onboarding through learning modules within the DPPC’s Learning Management System (LMS) covering DPPC’s mission, role and operations along with a professional development series addressing Injury Recognition, Impact of Trauma, Self-Care, MAP requirements, Engaging Persons with Disabilities, etc.
The Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DPPC), Building Partnerships for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities Initiative (BPI), and Massachusetts Advocates Standing Strong (MASS) collaborated to develop the A&A (Awareness & Action) training, funded by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). This three-hour interactive session educates individuals on recognizing, reporting, and responding to various types of abuses against adults with disabilities, covering physical, sexual, verbal, and financial abuse as well as neglect. Taught by individuals with disabilities and others, the training uses video vignettes, PowerPoint presentations, group activities, skits, and worksheets.
Protect, Report, Preserve is a half or full-day train-the-trainer program that incorporates multimedia productions to educate professionals who provide services to persons with a disability on recognizing, reporting and responding to abuses and crimes committed against persons with a disability. PRP equips staff with strategies for identifying and reporting suspected incidents of abuse and neglect, details what to do when abuse is suspected, reviews the investigation process, and discusses effective training techniques for use with the PRP curriculum. In Massachusetts, service providers are required to receive training on mandatory reporting of adults with disabilities to the Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DPPC). This service provider training was developed to help satisfy the requirements of mandated training. In addition to serving as an educational event, PRP provides a “train-the-trainer” aspect for direct care, training specialists, provider administrators, or other interested human service professionals. Those who attend receive a copy of the curriculum and accompanying media files. Participants are encouraged to incorporate these materials into their agency’s orientation program for new hires, and/or as part of their required, annual Mandated Reporting training.
Contact DPPC.Learning@mass.gov for more details about PRP.
The Learning Collaborative series, hosted by the Disabled Persons Protection Commission’s (DPPC) Sexual Assault Response (SAR) team, offers a platform for professionals in the field of disability, medical, law enforcement and trauma services to engage in collaborative discussions and learning opportunities. Each session brings together experts and stakeholders to address critical topics related to supporting individuals with a disability who have experienced abuse and trauma. Through roundtable discussions, presentations, and shared resources, participants explore current challenges, innovative approaches, and available resources to enhance support and education for survivors. Topics range from promoting healthy relationships and boundary skills to creating a culture of compassion and empowerment in addressing mental health needs. The series aims to foster collaboration, share promising practices, and ultimately improve outcomes for individuals with a disability.
Contact SAR.PSN@mass.gov for more details about Sexual Assault Response (SAR) Learning Collaborative.
The Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DPPC) offers free, live-virtual training for mandated reporters and others focusing on recognizing, reporting, and responding to abuses committed against persons with a disability. The course covers DPPC’s role, the prevalence of abuse, mandatory reporting, indicators of abuse, reporting procedures, and post-reporting steps. Training sessions are on the first and third Thursday of each month from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. accommodating up to 99 participants per session. Registration is required and certificates of completion are available upon request. Register here for DPPC’s Reporting Abuse and Neglect of Persons with Disabilities – VIRTUAL.
The Building Partnerships for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities and Older Adults Initiative (BPI) and the Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DPPC) partnered with the Modell Consulting Group, LLC, in delivering a comprehensive series of training sessions focused on the forensic interviewing of adults with disabilities. This series is designed for professionals with roles and experience in or working with adult victims with disabilities and witnesses of abuse and crimes such as Adult Protective Service (APS) investigators, forensic interviewers, prosecutors, and law enforcement.
- Foundations for Forensic Interviewing Adults with Disabilities: The FIND Five-Day Foundations for Forensic Interviewing Adults training is designed for professionals with roles and experience in or working with adult victims and witnesses of crime and individuals with disabilities. The training is founded in forensic interviewing best practices with considerations for memory, trauma and cultural background.
- Advanced Forensic Interview Certificate: The FIND Four-Day Advanced Forensic Interviewing Certificate is designed for established forensic interviewers with previous basic training and extensive experience in forensic interviewing and/or working with individuals with disabilities. The certificate is founded in forensic interviewing best practices with considerations and adaptations to account for individual disability, mental health disorder, language capacity and cultural background.
- Adapted for Individuals Who do not Speak: The FIND Three-Day Adapted for Individuals Who do not Speak training is designed for established forensic interviewers with previous basic training and extensive experience in forensic interviewing and or working with individuals with disabilities. The training is founded in forensic interviewing best practices with considerations and adaptations to account for individuals who do not speak, use gestures to communicate, speak few words or utilize a communication device.
A half-day training provided to every municipal police recruit on their role, and that of adult protection, in recognizing, reporting, and investigating crimes against victims with a disability. During the New Recruit training, law enforcement recruits are introduced to the prevalence of abuse/crimes committed against persons with a disability, the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize, report and investigate crimes committed against persons with a disability, the complexities in conducting investigations, the benefits of a multidisciplinary response and understanding the Massachusetts Adult Protective Service System and the role of the Disabled Persons Protection Commission.
The Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) in Massachusetts offers a 40-hour Sexual Assault Investigations Training course. The course is intended to provide agents and investigators with skills and strategies for conducting effective victim-centered investigations into adult sexual assaults. The course includes information on interviewing victims and perpetrators of sexual assault, including victims with a disability, as well as a review of relevant Massachusetts laws.