2024 Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse Awareness Conference

Event Details

Friday, September 20, 2024 | 8:30am-3:15pm EDT

Virtual

Please join AppalReD Legal Aid for our 21st annual Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse Awareness Conference on Friday, September 20th from 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. This year's conference will be livestreamed over Zoom.

Participants can earn free CEUs and CLEs.

Registration

Registration is closed. The conference has reached capacity.

Zoom details should be in your email. Email reminders were sent from Zoom.

Agenda

Session Descriptions

Providing Access to Courts for Survivors of Domestic Violence

Join us for an empowering session with Cassie Chambers Armstrong as she explores the vital role of virtual technology in providing court access for survivors of domestic violence and other marginalized groups. This talk will illuminate the importance of ensuring safe and convenient access to the justice system for those who need it most.

Key Takeaways:

The Importance of Virtual Access: Understand why providing virtual court access is crucial for survivors of domestic violence and other marginalized communities, ensuring they can seek justice without additional barriers.
Ongoing Efforts: Gain insight into the current initiatives and efforts being made to expand access to the courts through innovative virtual solutions.
Available Technology: Learn about the various technologies available that enable parties to attend court virtually, from video conferencing platforms to secure communication tools.

Participants will leave this session equipped with the knowledge of how virtual access can transform the court experience for survivors, making the justice system more accessible, inclusive, and supportive. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation on enhancing access to justice through technology.

Combatting Elder Financial Exploitation

Join us for an insightful and engaging session with Kate Dieruff as she delves into the critical issue of elder financial exploitation. This session will provide participants with an overview of financial exploitation, highlighting real-life examples of successfully prosecuted cases to illustrate the severity and complexity of these crimes.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding Financial Exploitation: Gain a clear understanding of what constitutes financial exploitation, including common tactics used by perpetrators to target elderly individuals.
Protecting Identities and Assets: Learn the essential strategies to safeguard personal identities and assets, ensuring that elders are protected from financial abuse.
Navigating Online Scams: Discover the latest online scams targeting seniors and understand their devastating impact. Learn how to recognize red flags and protect against these digital threats.
Reporting Financial Crimes: Find out who to contact and the steps to take when reporting financial crimes and abuse. Empower yourself with the knowledge to act swiftly and effectively.

Whether you are a caregiver, a concerned family member, or a professional working with seniors, this session will equip you with the tools and knowledge needed to combat elder financial exploitation and protect our most vulnerable population. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an expert in the field and join the fight against elder financial abuse.

How to Identify Signs of Exploitation in Seniors Under Guardianships

Join us for an enlightening session with Scott Collins as he sheds light on the critical issue of elder exploitation within the context of guardianships. This talk will provide participants with the knowledge and tools to identify and address the abuse of vulnerable seniors.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding Guardianships and Conservatorships: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the nature and function of guardianships in Kentucky, including how these roles are intended to protect elder individuals and where they can go wrong.
Identifying Signs of Abuse: Learn the key indicators that suggest an elder under guardianship may be experiencing exploitation or abuse, from financial irregularities to changes in behavior and well-being.
Reporting and Prevention: Discover the appropriate channels for reporting suspected abuse and explore potential reforms and best practices that could help prevent future exploitation of seniors.

This session is essential for legal professionals, caregivers, social workers, and anyone involved in the care and support of elder individuals. Equip yourself with the crucial knowledge to protect seniors from exploitation and ensure they receive the respect and care they deserve.

Batterers: Types of Batterers, Tactics Used, and Adaptive Abusive Patterns Across the Domestic Violence Spectrum

Join us for a profound and informative session with Darlene Thomas, Executive Director of Greenhouse 17, as she explores the intricate dynamics of domestic abuse. This talk will provide participants with a detailed understanding of the various types of batterers, the tactics they use, and how they evolve their abusive behaviors to exploit new technologies.

Key Takeaways:

Types of Domestic Abusers: Gain an overview of the common types of domestic abusers, understanding their distinct characteristics and behaviors.
Abusive Tactics and Technology: Learn how abusers adapt to and leverage newer technologies to maintain and increase control over their victims, from surveillance apps to social media manipulation.
Identification and Accountability: Discover effective methods for identifying abusers and holding them accountable, both within the legal system and through community-based approaches.

This session is invaluable for professionals working in domestic violence prevention, law enforcement, legal services, social work, and community advocacy. Equip yourself with the critical insights and tools needed to recognize, address, and prevent domestic abuse. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from a leading expert and strengthen your ability to support survivors and hold abusers accountable.

Speaker Bios

Cassie Chambers Armstrong

Professor Armstrong is a 2015 graduate of Harvard Law School, where she was President of the Legal Aid Bureau. She subsequently was selected to be a Skadden Fellow and, with that award, worked for two years as an attorney at Louisville Legal Aid Society and the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, where she represented victims of domestic violence in family law matters, designed and implemented a comprehensive program to provide legal services to rural victims of domestic violence, and litigated appeals on poverty law issues. Most recently, Professor Armstrong worked as an Associate at the Louisville firm of Kaplan Johnson Abate & Bird LLP. Before that, she clerked for Judge Amul Thapar, now at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and then a Judge at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. She also clerked briefly for Judge Phillip Shepherd of the Franklin Circuit Court.

Professor Armstrong received a B.A. from Yale College, summa cum laude, in 2010, an M.P.H. from Yale in 2011 and an M.Sc. in Public Management and Governance from the London School of Economics in 2012. She is a native Kentuckian, having grown up in eastern Kentucky. Her book, Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains was published by Random House in 2020. She was elected to Louisville Metro Council's District 8 seat in June 2020. From 2018-2020, she served as the Vice Chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party. She now serves as a Senator in the Kentucky Senate, representing District 19, and is an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Louisville’s Louis D. Brandeis School of Law.

Scott Collins

Scott Collins is a former U.S. Army veteran and minister, and the current Managing Attorney of the Elder Law Practice of Scott E. Collins, Esq. He is also a member of the Elder Law Division of the Kentucky State Bar, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and ElderCounsel, an organization committed to the highest standards of excellence in elder law and special needs planning.

Kathryn Dieruf

Kate Dieruf is a federal prosecutor working for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky. AUSA Dieruf attended Centre College for her undergraduate degree and then attended the University of Kentucky for law school. Upon graduation, she was a judicial law clerk to the Hon. John G. Heyburn, District Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. She then served as a judicial law clerk for the Hon. Judge Eugene E. Siler, Circuit Judge for the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. She left that clerkship to work for the United States Attorney’s Office and has been there for ten years. For eight of those ten years, AUSA Dieruf has served as the office’s Elder Justice Coordinator, helping to garner government resources towards combatting elder exploitation while prosecuting elder financial exploitation cases. She also served as the district’s Cyber Prosecutor and Digital Asset Coordinator.

Darlene Thomas

Darlene has served as Founder/Executive Director for GreenHouse17 since December 2004. GreenHouse17, serving 17 counties in central Kentucky, is an advocacy agency committed to ending intimate partner abuse and its impact on families and the community. In her 34-year career as an advocate for survivors of power-based violence, she has been responsible for direct service, comprehensive program development, and community engagement for social change efforts. Ms. Thomas provides leadership for multiple community collaborations and committees; provides expert testimony on legal cases; facilitates professional development training for local, state, national and international forums; and provides consultation for organizations who are seeking strategies to re-imagine their programs and services. Under her leadership, GreenHouse17 programs and services have received statewide and national awards for innovation including: Commerce Lexington’s Non-Profit Impact Award, the Mary Byron Foundation Celebrating Solutions Award, the Kentucky Non-Profit Network Innovative Award, the Center for Nonprofit Excellence Pyramid Award for Social Innovation, and the National “Shelter of the Year” Purple Ribbon Award, as well as being named a Partnership for Freedom/Re-imagine Opportunity national finalist. She currently serves as Legislative Chair and Past President for ZeroV, Kentucky’s statewide domestic violence coalition.

Geoff Wilson

Geoff Wilson is a licensed clinical social worked qualified to practice independently of supervision. Geoff received his Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Kentucky. He has been practicing in the mental health treatment fields since 1995. Geoff is qualified to provide counseling services for individuals, couples, and families and has extensive experience treating adolescents and adults with co-occurring mental health disorders. As a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, he has the ability to help anyone experiencing issues with alcohol and substance use, abuse, and addiction. Geoff has a variety of experience in different settings, including inpatient psychiatric, adolescent and adult residential, and various outpatient levels of care. In these settings, he has had experience treating individuals with depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship, and family issues. Geoff is a sought-after trainer and consultant, and he provides supervision for individuals pursuing their independent certification and licensure in the counseling and social work fields.

Presentation Slides

Scroll to the bottom of this page. Slides are available under "Files."

Free CEUs/CLEs

As we receive approval for 2024, we will update this list. However, this year we will NOT be offering Nursing Contact Hours.

In 2023, CEUs/CLEs were approved for the following number of hours:

Continuing Legal Education 5.5
Nursing Contact Hours 6.6
Social Workers 6.5
Licensed Professional Counselors
Psychologists
Nursing Home Administrators
Clinical Alcohol & Drug Counselors.

Is This Conference For Me?

Individuals who work in any capacity with individuals who have experienced domestic violence and those who work with older individuals in any capacity will benefit from this conference. This would include, among others: