AUBURN – The Creating Connections Consortium will host a training workshop from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 4, titled “Making the Case: Investigation of Sexual Assault Cases when the Victim has Mental Retardation, Developmental Disability or Autism.” The workshop will be held at the Auburn Public Library Conference Room.

The focus of the workshop is to help law enforcement officers understand how best to work with crime victims who have cognitive differences.

Topics will include “Understanding Cognitive Differences,” “Risk Factors for Sexual Assault,” “Signs and Symptoms of Sexual Abuse/Sexual Assault,” “Challenges for Reporting and Prosecution” and “Best Practice for Responding to the Assault.”

There will also be a resource panel to discuss the role of different community resources and how to access those services following the report of a sexual assault.

Presenters will include Julie Moeller from John F. Murphy Homes; Marty McIntyre from the Sexual Assault Crisis Center; Deb Cashman, assistant district attorney for Androscoggin County; and Matt Brown, U.S. probation officer.

Community resources represented on the panel will be the Sexual Assault Crisis Center, the MR crisis team, Adult Protective Services, the Androscoggin Children’s Advocacy Center and agencies that provide support and services to people with cognitive disabilities.

The consortium is a project of the Sexual Assault Crisis Center. In addition to SACC, the consortium includes the Androscoggin Children’s Advocacy Center, John F. Murphy Homes, Lutheran Social Services, Living Innovations, Support Solutions, Social Learning Center, Maine MR crisis team and Androscoggin Sheriff’s Dept., Auburn police, Lewiston police and Lisbon police.

The goal of the consortium is to improve system response to victims of sexual assault or sexual abuse when that victim has a cognitive disability.

The workshop is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register for the conference, contact Tonya Sands at 784-5272, ext. 107.