The last blog post described the legal problems regarding and the steps toward providing better services to DD/ID individuals with a history of sexually inappropriate behaviors. This post will explain more thoroughly what PRS and ARMIDILO-S is, who created these, and how they influence Reside. As a habilitative program, Reside Residential Care’s program, indeed, stems from these previous programs and ideas, but we are a unique company.
Preliminary Risk Screening, or PRS, is commonly used to identify the specific struggles of DD/ID clientele, which behaviors are struggles, which aren’t, what support might reduce risk, and what methods may increase risk. This screening is normally conducted with a large group, face-to-face in a discussion-based format. During the screening, relevant history and current status are evaluated, and the team addresses what is going on and what to do in order to provide proper care and support. At the end of the discussion, a verbal summary and general ideas of what may be changed, adjusted, and considered are taken into account.
Assessment of Risk and Manageability of Individuals with Developmental and 
Intellectual Limitations who Offend – Sexually (ARMIDILO-S) is closely related to PRS. Once the PRS is completed, the service providers are made aware of what level of risk the DD/ID client is. This work stemmed from Jim Haaven’s work. Haaven, who is known as the foremost expert in the treatment of DD/ID sex offenders, began his career at the Oregon State Hospital. He was instrumental in the development of the standard policy and practice in the treatment of DD/ID sex offenders. In fact, with his start being so close to home, some of our clients were included in Haaven’s program in years’ past. He is also one of the founding members and past president of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA), the international organization based in Beaverton, Oregon.
After several law suits across the country concluded a lack of clearly defined, systematic, and prescribed treatments and assessment tools for DD/ID individuals to make progress toward independence in the community, Haaven’s services were contracted to bring reform. He worked in several states to develop a systematic way to decrease restrictive supervision procedures with DD/ID sex offenders who live in the community. The result was the ARMIDILO-S. Last year, Jim Haaven was kind enough to visit Reside and offer ideas regarding the use of ARMIDILO with our clients. Although the tool was not implemented into practice, the philosophy that all DD/ID individuals who have sexually offended deserve the right to progress towards independence was adopted into the program.
