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Planning the Third Annual Domestic Violence Conference at
Dalton State include these members of the Conasauga Judicial
Circuit Domestic Violence Task Force, clockwise from left
foreground, Lynne Cabe, Dalton State; Nicole Kelley, Dalton
Public Schools; Jim Sneary, RESOLV Project; Marcy Muller,
Georgia Legal Services; Sue Jordan, Northwest Georgia Family
Crisis Center; and Laura Head, District Attorney’s Office
A host of speakers, including law enforcement officers,
battering victims and a representative of the National Institute
of Justice in Washington, DC will converge on Dalton State
College Friday, Oct. 16 to impart knowledge and expertise at the
Third Annual Domestic Violence Conference, an annual event which
each year draws increasing numbers of professionals from across
the state who work with victims of abuse as well as with those
who abuse them.
The event is co-sponsored by the Conasauga Judicial Circuit
Domestic Violence Task Force, RESOLV Project, United Way of
Northwest Georgia and the Dalton State College School of Social
Work. It is held during the month of October which is Domestic
Violence Awareness Month.
“The purpose of the event,” said Dr. Lynne Cabe, assistant
professor of Social Work at Dalton State and Task Force
co-chair, “is to provide information and training to
professionals, the community, organizations, faith communities,
and families in order to increase understanding of domestic
violence victimization, dispel myths relating to domestic
violence, and assist conference attendees in effectively
identifying and responding to domestic violence in their own
families and communities.”
Keynote speaker for the conference is Bernard Auchter, senior
social analyst from the National Institute of Justice in
Washington who will speak on “Improving Practice through
Domestic Violence Research.” The keynote speaker will be
introduced by Conasauga Circuit District Attorney Kermit
McManus.
Participants will then have their choice of attending one of
three breakout sessions: “Elder Abuse: Domestic Violence in
Later Life,” with Pat King, RN, a forensic specialist with the
Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Aging; “Law
Enforcement Investigation in Domestic Violence” with Sgt. Jay
Eisner of the DeKalb County Police Department; or “Best
Practices for Protecting Children when Domestic Violence Is
Present,” with Melissa Gifford, executive director, Four Points,
Inc.
Following lunch, there will be a brief presentation by the Kids
on the Block dramatic puppets on bullying and now it can
contribute to domestic violence in later life. That presentation
will be led by Mary Smith, former school counselor now working
with the Family Support Council.
A panel presentation follows on “Community Collaboration around
Domestic Violence.” Moderated by Auchter, the panel includes
Jennifer Thomas, statewide family violence task force
coordinator; Mary Smith; Rosemary Gieger, former victim of
domestic violence and now a client advocate with the Northwest
Georgia Family Crisis Center; Ross Jordan, outreach minister,
Central Church of Christ; Jason Parker, chief, Dalton Police
Department; and Mike LaChapelle, victim family member and
outreach services member, Methodist Children’s Home.
In the afternoon, participants will attend a second breakout
session, choosing between “Responding to Latino Families
Affected by Domestic Violence – What Does Culture Have to Do
With It?”with Julia Perilla, assistant research professor,
Georgia State University; “Linking Animal Abuse and Domestic
Violence – Improving Protection for Victims,” with Christy
Cardena, training director, Georgia Coalition Against Domestic
Violence; and “Sexual Assault as it Relates to Domestic
Violence,” with Mike Merced of M&M Consulting LLC.
Cost to attend the daylong seminar is $35 and includes lunch.
Those interested in registering may do so online at
www.daltonstate.edu/cce
or by calling 706-272-4454. Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
will be provided for social workers; application has been made
for Continuing Legal Education and Police Officer Standards &
Training (POST) CEUs.
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