April 29, 2023
A Better Way will host a Ladies’ Lunch & Learn in Wooster, OH, on April 29, 2023!
Come join this meeting at a cozy home and get training on identifying and reporting abuse and making our homes, churches, and communities safe places. Learn ways to teach and empower children, how to respond wisely in the event of possible abuse, topics of special interest to survivors, and much more.
Enjoy a delicious lunch and network with others who care about children. Get the opportunity to ask questions in a safe and supportive environment.
Credit may be offered by some foster/adoption agencies for this training. (Check with your agency for their requirements.)
The registration fee includes lunch. We will have options available for those with gluten or dairy sensitivities.
Limited funds may be available if you need help with the purchase of a ticket. Please inquire.
Location: the address will be given to those who purchase a ticket. The event will be held in Wooster, OH.
Admission Policy: We reserve the right to refuse admission to anyone. For example, if we have received credible reports of abusive behavior, or you have caused concerns at a previous event, those could result in you being excluded from this event. Please note that we take our attendees’ safety and comfort seriously. If you have any concerns or questions about safety at our event, please speak promptly to our staff or law enforcement.
Please observe all posted or verbal requests and observe directions from staff.
Age Restriction: Due to the nature of this event’s subject matter, this meeting is only open to women 18 or older. Mothers may bring young children who are nursing/bottle fed.
We look forward to seeing you!
Schedule of Events
8:30 AM | Doors Open/Registration |
9:00 AM | Welcome and Announcements Hope Anne Dueck |
9:15 AM | Self Care and Emotional Regulation Crystal Sayre |
10:00 AM | Break |
10:15 AM | Law Enforcement Presentation: Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Stacey Chuhi, Wooster PD |
11:15 AM | Break |
11:30 AM | Q & A with Law Enforcement |
12:00 PM | Lunch |
1:00 PM | The God Who Sees Dianne Darr Couts |
2:00 PM | Break |
2:15 PM | A Brief Overview of Signs of Abuse and Safety Planning Kate Abruzzino |
3:15 PM | Break |
3:30 PM | Q & A with all speakers |
4:15 PM | Closing Remarks |
Speakers
Kate Abruzzino
Kathleen Abruzzino (Ab-roo-zeen-oh) has worked at OneEighty in Wooster, OH, since 2006. OneEighty is a non-profit behavioral healthcare agency offering services in Wayne and Holmes Counties, including assistance with addiction and substance use disorder, mental health counseling, domestic violence and sexual assault victim advocacy services, and a 24-hour crisis shelter. She is the Victim Advocate and Outreach Manager, and is a Registered Advocate with Senior Status through the Ohio Advocate Network.
Kate holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work from the University of Akron, is a Licensed Social Worker, received the OAESV 2022 Excellence in Advocacy award, and was a Domestic Shelters 2022 Purple Ribbon Award winner for Rural Initiatives of the Year for her work spearheading the project to develop the Plain Amish Power and Control wheel.
She is a Certified Danger Assessor with the danger assessment lethality tool developed by Dr Jacqueline Campbell, supervises the OneEighty Hospital Advocate team, and provides supervision for college interns working toward their Bachelor’s degrees in Social Work. She is currently a board member of the OASIS Recovery Club, a member of the Suicide Prevention Coalition, a member of the LOSS team, which provide support to families after a suicide-related death, and is a Peer Grief Recovery Coach, able to guide others that have also lost someone to overdose death.
Stacey Chuhi
Stacey Chuhi has been a Police Officer with the City of Wooster for ten years. She has obtained her Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Kaplan University. Prior to working as a police officer, she was a caseworker for Children Services for three years. She also has experience in investigations and dispatching. Her passion in police work is drug interdiction and child abuse investigations. Stacey enjoys spending time with her friends and family and any outdoor activity.
Dianne Darr Couts
Dianne Darr Couts is a retired high school English and French teacher and survivor of childhood sexual abuse and institutional abuse. As a board member of Missionary Kid (MK) Safety Net, Dianne is a speaker at conferences and in churches about abuse in religious settings. Her book, Things Fell Apart, But the Center Held, is her story of an extraordinary childhood, rich with wonderful experiences, juxtaposed with sexual, emotional and spiritual abuse.
Dianne is married to Bud, a retired minister. They have three married children and seven grandchildren.
Hope Anne Dueck
Raised in a plain community and observing multiple cases of child abuse, Hope Anne has a burning passion to protect children and the vulnerable from abuse.
Having previously helped create and serve on the board of a non-profit in the 1990’s that supported survivors, Hope Anne eventually went on to co-found A Better Way with Wesley Yoder in 2017 to provide education about prevention of abuse, as well as supporting survivors through advocacy in a variety of ways.
It would be impossible for her to do the work that she does without the enthusiastic support of her husband, Paul, and their children, and she is always grateful for their love and support.
Crystal Sayre
Crystal Sayre is a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor who currently works at Cedar Ridge Behavioral Health Solutions in Cambridge, Ohio. Crystal graduated from Ashland Theological Seminary with a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Crystal’s love in counseling is supporting parents and children to experience better connections with each other. Her focus is trauma-informed care of all ages of clients. Her desire is that every person and client experience the love of Jesus when they are with her.
Notice
Anyone with a credible accusation of any type of abuse, or a conviction of abuse of any kind, is not welcome to attend our standard events. Anyone who has attended in the past and caused concern for our staff, our law enforcement partners, or our attendees, is also not welcome at future events. We reserve the right to reject registrations, or to ask anyone who has arrived to vacate the premises. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.