People with mental
retardation and related developmental disabilities must be protected from harm
and injury and must have the tools and supports so that they can protect
themselves.
ISSUE
Abuse, neglect, and
mistreatment of our constituents by the general public, service providers, and
even their own families are all too common.
Families often lack the supports necessary to avoid undue stress as well
as access to resources to help them protect their children from abuse, neglect,
and mistreatment by others. Individuals
living outside the family home, regardless of the size or location of the
residence, are particularly vulnerable. In
addition, existing laws, regulations, and policies may fail to prevent abuse and
neglect.
POSITION
Protection from harm of
people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities is vital.
Children
In most situations
the birth, adoptive, or foster family is the best source of protection from harm
for a child. To fulfill that role, a family should have access to:
·
Family support services.
·
Parent support groups.
·
Information and referral
networks.
If the family is unable
to provide necessary protection for any reason, federal, state and local child
protection laws and regulations should be applied to protect the child.
Any protective action should infringe as little as possible on the
individual’s and family’s right to privacy and self-determination.
Adults
When an adult needs
protective assistance, the best protection usually comes from the person’s
family, community, and friends. Protection
services should be provided through adult protective agencies or advocacy
groups. Individuals should be
trained to better protect themselves. As
with children, whenever applicable and available, the full force of the law
should be applied to protect the individual.
