(Lebanon, OH) – When it comes to safety education, people with disabilities are often left out- a gap the Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities is working to close.

The need for programming is clear. A 2025 study published in EClinicalMedicine stated that violence victimization occurs more frequently for children with disabilities, with global estimates suggesting children with disabilities are twice as likely to experience violence than their non-disabled peers.

However, the same 2025 study found that most school-based violence prevention programs are not designed with students with disabilities in mind, with many failing to include accessible components or data on effectiveness for this population.

The Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities hosted its third annual Safety Night on July 29, 2025, to fill this education gap. The event was hosted for individuals aged 18 years and older who receive services from the Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities to learn about personal safety and well-being, including internet safety, creating healthy relationships, medication use and misuse, the dangers of smoking and vaping, and how to interact with police officers.

“If anything looks suspicious or scary, ask for help.”

Safe on Main is a local organization that provides comprehensive services to domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking survivors, including crisis shelter, court advocacy, therapy, and support groups.

Roy Lutz, Education and Outreach Manager of Safe on Main, was a crowd-favorite presenter who discussed a variety of topics related to internet use, personal boundaries, and healthy relationships, including:

• Understanding the difference between online predators and bullies.
• Recognizing the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence, including its misuse by scammers.
• Practicing appropriate social media etiquette.
• Respecting consent and personal boundaries.
• Building and maintaining healthy relationships with yourself and others.
• Supporting and managing your mental health.

Lutz used familiar examples from Disney movies to illustrate safety topics, including using Carl Fredricksen’s house in “Up” surrounded by construction to represent personal boundaries.

“Our focus is to create violence-free communities, and that doesn’t happen without changing and affecting relationships,” Lutz said. “This is a population that I think is underserved in regards to education around healthy relationships, and that’s how I think we solve these issues of violence.”

This is Safe on Main’s third Safety Night presentation at the Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and Lutz said his favorite part is seeing familiar faces and forming relationships with individuals served by the agency.

“We are here to be your friend, and I am here to help you, even though I may sound scary.”

Officer Aaron Morgan from the Springboro Police Department was a newcomer to Safety Night and offered advice on how to interact with police officers. Presenting in uniform, Morgan explained to the audience that police officers sometimes need to adopt an intimidating demeanor to command respect and maintain control in tense situations. 

Morgan, who is a friendly and approachable woman, demonstrated how her behavior shifts when faced with danger. First, she thoughtfully prepared the crowd for what she was going to present. Then, Morgan confidently switched to her authoritative “police voice” and intimidating body language. She explained that although she may seem scary, she’s there to help the community.

Morgan further explained:

• What police officers can assist with.
• How to respond if you see a police officer in public.
• What not to do if you see a police officer with a tool in their hands.
• What to do and say when calling 911.
• What to do if your car is pulled over.

Community Employment Coordinator Cheri Cummings, who organized Safety Night, created a station for event participants to create a Safety Card, a customized card with their emergency contact information and information about their disability that would assist emergency responders in the event they might need to interact with the person.

For example, Morgan explained that police officers monitor someone's behavior during a traffic stop, including watching for eye contact to determine a person's level of awareness. However, avoiding eye contact is a common characteristic for people on the autism spectrum. Therefore, some people may choose to inform the police officer of their disability to avoid miscommunication. 

The Safety Card is the size of a credit card and is designed to fit behind an individual's driver’s license in their wallet. It is intended to be presented to a police officer during a traffic stop to help explain the actions of a person with a disability.

Not all substances are created equal.

Amy Johnson of Talbert House Prevention Services gave a visual presentation of substance abuse that included real alcohol containers to demonstrate how different beverages contain varying levels of alcohol, and why that matters.

Johnson emphasized the importance of carefully reading product labels by showing a package of THC-infused gummies. While the package contained 10 gummies, the label indicated that a single dose was only a portion of one gummy—not the entire piece. This example highlighted how misunderstanding dosing instructions can lead to unintentional overconsumption, reinforcing the need for reading package labels.

Johnson also touched on smoking and vaping, including the substances that can harm you in vapes beyond tobacco.

“When it comes to medication, sharing isn’t caring.”

Devvastated was founded after a loved one passed away due to fentanyl poisoning. The organization aims to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and other illicit drugs.

Vikki Stickelman of Devvastated led an engaging presentation about medication use and misuse. She discussed not sharing medications, the dangers of fake pills, and how to properly dispose of medication.

Take the wheel, and take it seriously.

Warren County Safe Communities is an organization dedicated to reducing traffic-related injuries and death. Ann Brock of Warren County Safe Communities presented on the importance of proper driver training and responsible behavior behind the wheel. To demonstrate the dangers of impaired driving in an interactive way, Brock brought drunk goggles that gave attendees a firsthand experience of how alcohol can affect vision and coordination.

After the presentations, participants visited each organization's booth for additional information. Participants visited safety stations to learn more about each topic that was presented, including a table set up by the Warren County Health Department.

Safety Night will be hosted again next year.

For more information, contact Megan Becker at megan.becker@warrencountydd.org or (859) 653-7445.