University of South Carolina Libraries
Program to trs By CLAUDETTE JAMES Gamecock Staff Writer A new public-awareness Droiect. nd ministered by the university affiliated facilities program, will provide training for professionals and para-professionals who work with the developmentally disabled. Developmentally disabled persons are those suffering from mental retardation, autism, epilepsy and cerebral palsy, where the disability occurred before 18 years of age, and is expected to continue indefinitely. SPECIAL TRAINING is required for those who work with handicamied oersonR Project field coordinator Papti Rajagopal said the program at USC will administer the statewide technical assistance and training project. The United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare approved Senator to speak ^ State Sen. Tom Tur- JBSS nipseed will speak at a -IPV forum at 7:30 tonight in the iS1: Campus Room of CapAlso speaking will be John Harper of the Richland County Council. The forum is sponsored Jk bv the USC Ynnricf Democrats and will con- JBXSjiM centrate on a recent plllll controversy surrounding the S.C. Public Service Commission. rj Twinn Riw is Comii DOUG K< for Student Body Pr mm He Knows How to Get T vaf/q t\/%vi ft it ^v4> vwv AVI I/UU^ JOkUPv lin those who \ funding for the three-year project in September. Rajagopal said the project "will train at least 1,000 persons in the first year." Project-training sessions will be open to the public, and many of those who attend will be staff members from state acencies. including the mental health department, and criminal enforcement agencies, Mary Atkinson, acting director of the USC program, said. "The main outcome of this project is to acquaint the public and promote awareness of developmental disabilities and service in South Carolina," she said. ONE OF THE priority areas of this project deals with the developmentally disabled criminal offender. Steve Dillingham, who is in charge of this section said, "We want to educate and train public officials, law enforcement officers and JMHppB $2 VALI 'umipseed J , SWEA r Band $1J VAU ELECTRK ^ 925 Hug from ] jiii m esident T % i 1 he Job Done ti April 4 vork with disa people involved in the criminal justice system to the special needs of the developmental disabled offenders." me prooiem is mai mese aisaDieci persons are arrested and put in jail along with other offenders, where they can't protect themselves. A UAF publication describes the situation: "Other inmates manipulate these individuals, abuse them sexually and financially, and teach them criminal behavior previously unknown." If prison staff understand how to deal with the developmentally disabled, program officials say that institutions can prevent such "abuse and disruption." Dillingham said he hopes the outcome of tins segment of the program will bring about better services which are tailored to meet the offender's specific needs. Jay Smith, a graduate assistant working with the project, said they have developed a 2 PIPE R> II BIG!! m rHDAY 3 ERS4BC TC UES A# $9 V JERS FOi LIES (II C WAREHOUSE DISCO er Street-off Gervais Open 6 days 12 noon to midnight J ARK P DP A CI AlfUAl^ L Experij bled tape presentation to explain \vhat developmental disabilities are. The tape is available to the public. Rajagapol said, "There are very few people who are aware of this Droiect. We are trying to make the citizens aware of the present problems that exist with the developmentally disabled." Some of the problems are special education and job placement. Others involve living situations. The physically handicapped person needs specially designed building entrances, elevators and wide doorways. A mentally handicapped person needs a normal community setting with srwoinllv cnnervlooH Hstmno * MW|#va viuvvl IV44IVOy VT1IC1C IIC can live a normal life. Atkinson will administer the project at USC. Other directors will be Roger Smith of 5 Winthrop College and Robert Mende of The College of Charleston. \CKS iAII 'AlUES 'S'* AUCHOS I VALUES to** I BIG DENTSVILLE WAREHOUSE 6033 Two Notch Road 754-2636 Daily & Sat. til 7 p.m. Thurs. & Fri. til 9 p.m. I TTS I m "HT1 T% ' JEi> JliJCfi I I I assto H