The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Combating child, elder abuse
CANASTOTA » The Rev. Thomas Burgess, pastor of Hope Christian Fellowship and a supervisor with Onondaga County Adult Protective Services, recently spoke at two events.
On June 12, he provided child abuse sensitivity training to the children and youth workers at Tucker Memorial Baptist Church in Syracuse, where he shared the warning signs of child abuse and guidelines for age-appropriate behavior. On June 15, he was a presenter at the 20th annual elder abuse conference sponsored by Vera House and held at the Dou- ble Tree Hotel in East Syracuse, where he conducted a workshop on community resources in the fight against elder abuse.
In addition to being an ordained nondenominational minister and a casework supervisor, Burgess is the Family TypeHomes for Adults Coordinator in Onondaga County. A life-long Central New Yorker, Burgess is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he received his bachelor of science degree in Speech Communications and Education. He subsequently completed post-graduate work at LeMoyne College to earn certification in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
An educator in elementary, secondary and adult education for more than two decades prior to working for Onondaga County, he frequently presents to various community groups and is a trainer for a National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life grant. He is a past recipient of an Onondaga County Volunteer Award for his work with abused children and youths and a National Adult Protective Services Association Award for his work on elder justice.