Thursday, February 27, 2014 – Half Day Intensive Session
12:30 – 1:00 p.m. Registration (Suite B)
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Afternoon Intensive: (Suite B)
Presented by: Erik Carter, Ph.D.
Panel Guests: Amanda Bell, Molly Cooney, and Colleen Moss
Title: Friendship Matters: Fostering Relationship and Community Connections for Youth and Adults with Developmental Disabilities
Session Description: Ensuring that youth and adults with intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities contribute to and benefit from the many social and learning opportunities available within their communities is an important undertaking. This session will highlight strategies learned through projects focused on (a) peer-mediated strategies as an evidenced-based approach for promoting peer connections in inclusive classrooms and extracurricular activities, and (b) use of natural supports as an avenue for promoting social relationships. Attendees will learn about these practical and promising approaches for developing supports and fostering relationships among people with and without disabilities both in the classroom and larger community.
4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Reception and Networking (Ivory Coast Restaurant)
Friday, February 28, 2014 – Full Day Conference
8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Registration / Continental Breakfast (Suite C)
8:30 – 8:45 a.m. Opening Remarks: President of Wisconsin AAIDD: Justin Kuehl, Psy.D. (Suite C)
8:45 – 10:15 a.m. Keynote: Suite C
Presented by: Erik Carter, Ph.D.
Title: Promoting rigor, relevance, and relationships: Equipping young people with disabilities for a good life after high school.
Session Description: For most youth, life after high school offers an exciting array of opportunities and new pursuits. Yet, far too many young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities leave school without the skills, supports, relationships, and connections needed to pursue their aspirations for adulthood. This presentation will focus on current research addressing effective approaches for promoting (a) access to rigorous learning opportunities in secondary school, (b) connecting youth to relevant school and community experiences, and (c) fostering supportive peer and adult relationships. Recommendations for research and practice aimed at promoting successful transitions will be shared.
10:30 – 12:30 Morning Sessions
Session A: Managing Threatening Confrontations Part 1 (Suite D)
Presenter: Paul White, M.A.
Session Description: Managing Threatening Confrontations is designed to assist you in learning how to effectively support clients and others who could experience the full range of behavioral escalation. These moments often appear chaotic, when to talk, when to step back, who to call for back up, and “when to duck.” This seminar is designed to put order to the chaos. Stages of escalation are described and each stage is paired with a positive action plan for caregivers as well as teams. The content places strong emphasis on pro-active supports. The principles are taught in a straightforward manner so as to provide a framework for conceptualizing behavior escalation that can readily translate into positive plans of action. The learning is brought to life using a video of a dramatic, real life enactment of threatening confrontations by professional actors.
Session B: Let’s Get to Work Project (Suite E)
Presenter: Jennifer Neugart
Session Description: The Wisconsin “Let’s Get to Work” project focuses on policies and practices to improve integrated employment outcomes for youth with significant disabilities. This session will provide an overview of one of eight state Projects of National Significance systems change grants to improve competitive employment outcomes for youth/young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Participants will leave this session with an overview of the Wisconsin “Let’s Get to Work” project, including a better understanding of: 1) how to implement evidence-based practices at the local level and systemically; 2) policy barriers that impact employment; and 3) practical strategies for engaging policymakers in systems change.
Session C: Change: An Inevitable and Complex Perception (Suite F)
Presenter: Robert Eisenbart, RN MSN FNP
Session Description: This training will give the participants an overview to answer the question; “What is Change?” It will discuss that when change occurs, transition becomes difficult and stress results. The training will cover what this stress does to the physical body as well as perception and behavior. The discussion will include some techniques, treatments, and lifestyle adjustments that help minimize the effects of stress on clients’ quality of life.
12:30 – 1:15 p.m. Lunch
1:15 – 3:15 p.m. Afternoon Sessions
Session D: Managing Threatening Confrontations Part 2 (Suite D)
Presenter: Paul White, M.A.
Session Description: This is a continuation of the morning session that will further explore the escalation continuum and discuss positive solutions for working with challenging situations.
Session E: Crisis Intervention Services for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities (Suite E)
Presenters: Justin Kuehl, Psy.D. and Claudia Meyer, OTR
Session Description: Milwaukee County recognizes the unique needs of individuals with developmental disabilities when they present in crisis. The county has developed a systemic approach to assist with crisis stabilization to promote long-term, ongoing success and integration in the community. This presentation will discuss the current interdisciplinary approach to assessment and treatment within the crisis services.
Session F: “Healing, Religion, and Alternative Therapies” (Suite F)
Presenters: David Morstad and Leann Reichertz
Session Description:
Leann Reichertz: “Bringing Joy Into a New Transition”
This is a hands-on session that will give participants the opportunity to experience different forms of therapy that can make a transition easier and even enjoyable. Leann will offer practical, therapeutic techniques that anyone can employ.
David Morstad: “Operationalizing Spiritual Life Assessments in Support Practices”
Participants will receive information that will help ensure that an individual’s spirituality is integrated into his/her formal support services. Participants will learn about various spiritual life assessment instruments and philosophical trends that are currently used to improve support service outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. Closing Remarks
Conference Sign-Up Information
Cost:
February 27 only: $50 (Free to AAIDD Members)
February 28 only: $70
February 27 & 28: $110
Student Rate: (must submit photo copy of current student I.D., availability of student registration is limited)
– Both days: $50
– Feb. 27th only: $25
– Feb. 28th only: $35
(AAIDD members if attending both days pay a fee of: $70)
*No refunds will be allowed. Substitutions of attendees may be made with notification to even coordinators listed below
Vendor Information: If you would like to be a vendor at our event please call Linda Draayers at 414-433-1210 ext. 101. The fee is $100 and is non-refundable.
Hotel Accommodations: Kalahari Resort and Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells
Single Room: $70
Double Room (2 to 4 people): $129
Must book rooms before 1/28/14 to receive the discounted rate
Phone Number of Resort: 1-877-525-2427
Resort Address: 1305 Kalahari Dr. Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 (Get Directions)
Contact Information for Event Coordinators:
Linda Draayers: 414-433-1210 ext. 101
Dan Drury: 414-433-1210 ext. 104
Speaker Biographies
Erik Carter, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt University. His research and teaching focuses on strategies for supporting meaningful school inclusion and promoting valued roles in school, work, and community settings for children and adults with intellectual disability or autism. He has co-authored five books – including The New Transition Handbook: Strategies Secondary School Teachers Use that Work (Brookes Publishing) and Peer Support Strategies: Improving all Students’ Social Lives and Learning (Brookes Publishing). He has co-authored more than 100 articles and book chapters and was the recipient of the Distinguished Early Career Research Award from the Council for Exceptional Children, the Early Career Award from the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and the Patricia Sitlington Research Award from the Division on Career Development and Transition. He lived in Wisconsin for six years before moving to Tennessee in 2011.
Robert Eisenbart, RN MSN FNP has been a Registered Nurse for over 29 years. 27 plus of those years spent in service to individuals with developmental disabilities and some with mental illnesses. He currently works at Southern Wisconsin Center as a Nurse Specialist and does Consulting and Training on their Community Relations Team. He has a Masters degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner, which he hopes to utilize in the community, to serve the developmentally disabled population in the future in some capacity.
Justin Kuehl, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist who has worked for the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division since 2006. In his capacity as an attending psychologist on the Observation Unit, he conducts risk assessments, provides brief supportive therapy, develops treatment plans, and offers consultation to an interdisciplinary staff. He has developed a specialized expertise in assessment, stabilization, and coordination of outpatient services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Dr. Kuehl is the president of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities – Wisconsin Chapter. He is also an active member of the Wisconsin Psychological Association.
Claudia Meyer, OTR is an occupational therapist whose career has focused in mental health and in community integration for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities working in workshops, group homes, individual apartments, and providing consultation to community service providers and Southern Wisconsin Center. Since 2008, she has developed the role for OT in mental health crisis services on the Observation Unit for the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division and continues to explore the options for inclusion of OT as services become more community based. She received a WOTA Award of Professional Excellence in 2008 for her work with intellectual disabilities and mental health. She is the president-elect of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities – Wisconsin Chapter.
David Morstad has served as executive director of the Bethesda Institute since 2010. Created in 2009, the Institute is the primary outreach division of Bethesda, providing consultation, resources, research, education, professional training, and leadership development. Prior to becoming executive director of the Institute, he served in a number of different roles with the organization since 1977, most recently as vice president of Communications. He is a widely published author of educational resource materials. In 2010, he received the Henri J.M. Nouwen Award from the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. He has a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and Education and a master’s degree in Special Education. He was married in 1976, and has three children and one grandchild. His hobbies include music composition, travel, and scuba diving.
Jennifer Neugart is the Project Coordinator for the “Wisconsin Let’s Get to Work Project.” She has been with the Waisman Center for the past 10 years where she has provided youth with leadership and advocacy training and parents with transition and employment training. She also has extensive experience with improving the employment outcomes of youth with disabilities through policy and practice.
Leann Reichertz has a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art, is a C.O.T.A. and is a certified Benevolent Touch Instructor. She has served children, adults and elders with special needs within the field for the past 20 years and has worked for the past 15 years as a Day Program Director for Options for Community Growth, Inc. in Hales Corners Wisconsin.
Paul White, MA has extensive experience in supporting children and adults with developmental disabilities and has been on staff at the UW-Waisman Center since 1986. Paul is the Director of the Community TIES program. This program provides positive supports to persons with developmental disabilities and emotional/behavioral challenges. Paul has developed a series of seminars on subjects related to positive behavioral supports. He has provided these seminars to thousands of providers across Wisconsin; these seminars are regularly included in the curriculum offered through the UW-Extension.