2018 Conference Schedule
Scroll down for detailed descriptions of the breakout sessions from last year's conference!
Choices for Session 1 (10:15-11:45):
Title: Inclusive Practices that Work
Description: Join us in exploring commonly used support strategies such as developmentally appropriate practices, universal design, positive behavior supports, embedded instruction and interventions, picture exchange systems, visual supports and social stories. As you begin to apply these tricks of the trade, all your kids will benefit! This session is primarily intended for preschool age educators and providers.
Presented by: Melinda Benson, Program Coordinator with the Inclusive Childcare Program and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Educators and Service Providers
Title: The Power of Stories
Description: Daily we see Social Scenes and we are judged by our response to them. ASD students struggle in social scenes. How do you help them? Through Stories! I will demonstrate how to examine the social success/failures of characters, and how students will then modify their behavior for social success!
The presentation focuses on social thinking and cognition that are supported through reading and investigating stories.“Social skills intervention that is carefully planned, implemented, and scaffold into the curriculum presents a greater opportunity for learning than does incidental social skills instruction” (Anderson 2004), and children’s books give this support.
Presented by: April T Giauque, Transition Teacher for Texas school for the Deaf, Parent, Social Skills Specialist, MA in Special Education, Parent of 9
This session is intended primarily for: Family Members/Guardians and Educators
Title: Let’s Head Out! – A planning session for the “what if’s”
Description: This workshop will help you plan ahead for the predictable and unpredictable things that may arise when going out in the community. Sometimes it’s easier to stay home with your child or find other arrangements then venturing out when you know it’s going to be stressful. This workshop will guide you through simple and effective ways to feel more prepared before heading out with your kiddo into the great unknown! Participants will have the opportunity to develop a plan to address safety and create supports that will make heading out a little less stressful for all.
Presented by: Jennie Heidrick, Program Director/Behavior Consultant at OTAC; Stephanie Hunter, Behavior Professional, Parent and CODSN Board President
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Service Providers
Title: Puberty, Adolescence and Autism: The Things Nobody Wants To Talk About But Must Be Discussed
Description: This lecture style presentation covers the physical development associated with puberty and adolescence. The presentation focuses on what parents and professionals can expect and pays specific attention to common areas of increased difficulty for individuals with autism, such as public or excessive masturbation. The presentation offers specific, evidence-based teaching strategies which may be used in the home and at school. The presentation IS NOT intended for children.
Presented by: Laura Corder, Clinical Director for Children’s Clinical Care LLC and Marci Hammel, Autism Specialist with Columbia Regional Program
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Service Providers
Title: LifeCourse – Tools to help you build the life you want
Description: LifeCourse is a framework being used by families, adults with disabilities, and allies across the country to help us all envision and pursue the lives we want. This presentation will introduce participants to the concepts and tools that makeup the framework. Throughout the presentation, panelists will support participants to start using the tools for their own lives in ways of their choosing.
Presented by: Beth Kessler, Family Engagement Director with Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities; Heather Olivier, Director of Bridging Communities Family Network and Parent; Emilie Wylde Turner, Executive Director of Living Opportunities and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Ideas Worth Sharing
Description: People with developmental disabilities and family members are incredible assets to our communities. They tackle tough issues creatively, develop ideas that benefit others and accomplish unique and beautiful feats. This session provides an opportunity for these people to share their ideas, teach new perspectives and inspire us with several five to ten minute presentations facilitated by a master of ceremonies. The session will close with presenters on a panel for a facilitated question and answer period with the audience.
Presented by: Ross Ryan, Community Advocate with Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition; Jaime Daignault, Parent and Executive Director for the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: The how and why of teaching typical students about inclusion!
Description: This presentation will have relevant facts and statistics about inclusion. Participants will also be given time to create a lesson plan to try in their classroom.
Presented by: Valerie Mallory, Behavioral Professional, Parent and Training Coordinator at 1st Choice
This session is intended primarily for: Educators and Family Members/Guardians
Title: State-Level Advocacy at Any Age
Description: Learn how to advocate and interact with our State Senators, Representatives and Agency Leaders to create positive policy change. We will focus on how children and youth along with their family members can be effective advocates in their community and at the State Capitol.
Presented by: Cheryl Cisneros, Parent and Executive Director of Creating Opportunities Family Network
This session is intended primarily for: Family Members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Trauma Education: Science, Hope and Healing
Description: Toxic stress and trauma can affect early development and is more common than you think.
Learn about the groundbreaking Adverse Childhood Experience Study, the incredible power of resilience, and what you can do to help rebuild the brain of a person who has experienced trauma.
Presented by: Shauna Signorini, Parent Partner at OHSU Family to Family and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Educators and Service Providers
Title: Employment Focus Group
Description: Are you or someone you know looking for a job? Do you have stories of success or challenges that you want to share? Cathy Ficker-Terrill wants to hear what you have to say. Cathy is Oregon's Independent Reviewer for the Lane v Brown employment lawsuit that settled in 2015. Her job is to make sure Oregon is meeting requirements to increase access to supported employment services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since the lawsuit settled, Oregon has been working hard to meet requirements and more people with IDD are accessing supported employment services. Some people are getting community jobs! Some people are facing challenges too. Tell us about your experience.
Presented by: Cathy Ficker-Terrill, Oregon's Independent Reviewer for the Lane v Brown employment lawsuit
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Family Members/Guardians
Choices for Session 2 (1:15-2:15):
Title: Working-Class Autism and a Big Green Guitar
Description: TR’s story of growing up in rural Oregon and being diagnosed with autism as an adult. She will discuss growing up without a diagnosis, and the process she (and her mother) went through to get an actual diagnosis as an adult “I am in my 40s. I feel reborn. I have new information, I have a new beginning. I can make a meaningful existence for myself. But not by continued attempts to run a neurotypical script in an autistic brain, no matter how heroically executed, no matter how any times I try, try again. A diagnosis is not an excuse for failure. It’s a clue that the person might need a different approach to success.”
Presented by: TR Kelly
This session is intended primarily for: Educators and Family Members/Guardians
Title: Meet and Greet with Alexis for Youth Experiencing Disabilities
Description: Alexis is very passionate about connecting with youth and young adults who experience disabilities. This will be a time for young people to connect with Alexis on a more personal level. It will use a more informal meet and greet style, and allow for deeper interaction than her keynote speech.
Presented by: Alexis Wineman, Self advocate, Speaker and Miss Montana 2012
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Family Members/Guardians
Title: “Sharing what works for us: Will it work for you?”
Description: Each panelist will share accommodations that worked for them.
Presented by: A panel including: Niko Boskovic, Felicity Woods and Libby Hunter
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Educators
Title: Using Web-Based Technology to Promote IEP Self-Direction by Students with Cognitive Disabilities
Description: This presentation showcases a project in which students with mild to moderate cognitive disabilities at the elementary, high school, and secondary transition levels are using web-based self management applications to manage their IEP goals, do their own ongoing progress assessments, and use that information to direct their own IEP meetings.
Presented by: Tom Keating, CEO at Cognitopia
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Educators
Title: Our Employment Story: How We Achieved Community Employment
Description: The panel will share with the audience some of the struggles and successes to achieving
community employment. The participants will learn who should be on an employment team, how the team supported the panel members to gain employment and what some steps may be for the audience to get their own community job. There will be time for participants to ask the panel members questions.
Presented by: Erica Drake, Employment Specialist; Margie Blackmore, Autism Specialist/Transition Network Facilitator at High Desert Education Service District; and panel
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Family Members/Guardians
Title: Peer to Peer (P2P) Mentor Project Central Oregon
Description: The P2P project is an 18 hour training that supports people who want a job in their community on how to get a job in their community. P2P mentors are people with developmental disabilities who are trained to teach their peers knowledge and skills to get a community job. Peer mentors either have or have had a competitive integrated job. In this session participants from P2P will share their journey with the audience and the peer mentor who ran the class will share what the project entails and the curriculum.
Presented by: Jordan Ohlde and Olivia Hornbeck
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates
Title: Sharing the love: Growing up with a sibling who needs more
Description: This panel will discuss what it is like to grow up with a sibling who has a disability.
Presented by: A panel including: Vida Boskovic, Amber Sohn, Aaron Moore, Holiday Barnes, and Ari Ramsey
This session is intended primarily for: Family Members/Guardians and Service Providers
Title: Parent Rights in Special Education
Description: Learn about different rights and responsibilities, communication strategies and healthy Individualized Education Program (IEP) team dynamics. Includes information about procedural safeguards, the importance of record keeping, options for dispute resolution such as mediation, complaint, and due process, and other strategies for resolving disagreements.
Presented by: Roberta Dunn, Parent and Executive Director at FACT Oregon
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Service Providers
Title: Transition to Adult Health Care
Description: Most of us received no formal education to use health insurance or find a doctor. Many parents who have kids with disabilities, have a long established relationship with their pediatricians. As children reach adulthood, they have new health needs and also legal rights. Learn about the changing roles, expectations, systems, and processes in order to be prepared.
Presented by: Shauna Signorini, Parent Partner at OHSU Family to Family and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Educators
Choices for Session 3 (2:30-3:30):
Title: Life Care Planning for Two Generations: Understanding how to insure the future of a child with special needs when you are no longer able to support them.
Description: Helping families understand how and when to think about special needs planning for their loved one. This power point presentation will include an overview how to plan for the short and long-term for an individual with special needs. We will cover estate planning considerations, overview of special needs trusts, and ABLE Accounts and how they affect eligibility for government benefits.
Presented by: Alisha Langford, Special Needs Planner with Palladio Group and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians
Title: How to overcome adversities and negative behaviors: Using people’s negativity by turning it into a positive in my own way.
Description: I hear negative talk and I defeat that by doing the impossible. The method will be from my own experiences in life and my desired outcome will be that people learn that if he can do it, so can I! Objectives: Using different coping techniques, Reaching out for support and Goal setting.
Presented by: Casey Olsen, Donation Tech at Opportunity Foundation and Self Advocate
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Yoga and Mindfulness
Description: Participants will be guided through a basic yoga flow based on Yoga Calm techniques, which includes quiet reflection, active movement, and guided meditation. Audience is anyone who would like to take time to build a strong body and clear mind.
Presented by: Suzy Hayes, Autism Consultant with High Desert ESD
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Helping students be good digital citizens in a digital world
Description: This session will cover topics on how to helps students organize and use their digitals tools effectively. Real life experiences on teaching students responsibility on items like, social media, how to set up appropriate email names, how to use Google for organizing.
Presented by: Margey Vrbata and Wendy Burkhardt, consultants with High Desert Education Service District
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Educators
Title: Self Employment Adventure
Description: My son Kevin attended school starting at the age of 6 months, so in more ways than one, school was his life – and he loved it! School was a place where he was safe, and included, and welcomed every day, which was a comfort to both of us. He had a schedule, productive things to do, a place to go and belong, every day for 20 years.
But for many of those years, I dreaded the day when school would end for him, shortly after his 21st birthday. Every year, I watched as his peers moved on to jobs in the community, or classes at COCC, or other day programs – none of which were the right fit for Kevin. Even after Kevin graduated from High School, there appeared to be no options that would work for Kevin. Then he enrolled in the RSD Transition Center program for 18-21 year olds, and they connected us with Cortney Gibson from Voc Rehab, and a whole new world opened up for Kevin!
Presented by: Jennifer Summerton, Parent and FAN Advocate, Cortney Gibson, I/DD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Independent Living: What does that really look like?
Description: Not all Independent Living Situations look the same, this will be a panel discussion about the challenges over the last 8 plus years of creating independent living situations. We will discuss history, what we do, the models that we use. How the model at the house is different than the model at the apartments and the waitlist.
Presented by: Jordan Ohlde, Self Advocate; and Panel
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Understanding and Coping with Emotions: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Made Simple
Description: Have you ever had trouble understanding or describing your emotions? Have you ever had trouble coping with difficult emotions? If so then this presentation is for you! Co presenters Kelly and Ruthie will be facilitating a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Group introducing skills in the areas of mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. This presentation is geared towards self-advocates, but is also appropriate for service providers and family members who can come to learn some skills themselves, or get tips on how to facilitate a group process. At the end of this group you will have learned at least one skill in each of the four DBT areas, feel validated and connected to your peers, and understand what it is like be in or run a group process!
Presented by: Kelly Belczyk LCSW; Ruthie Lai, Behavioral Health Specialist both with Deschutes County Behavioral Health
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Service Providers
Title: Life’s better Together: the story of an interdependent life of community and inclusion at Juniper Hill Farms.
Description: The first thing that the Juniper Hill Farms community learned in 2010 was that it takes more than money, more than a place to live, a housemate, a job, and a support person showing up to have a successful and happy independent life. Yet these things are usually the primary focus when considering a life of independence for a person with a disability. Through photos and personal stories, we will address the importance of relationships and the more complex questions:
1. Is farm life isolating (as disability policy has suggested) or is it a safe, peaceful place to return to at the end of a day spent out in the greater community?
2. In Brent’s words,“Inclusion is the feeling of being wanted.” How DO you create a life of true, effortless inclusion? (the answer for us is ‘sunflowers’).
3. How do you teach common sense to your support people?
4. Is successful entrepreneurship possible?
5. And most importantly, how can you build relationships around food?
Presented by: Diane Belnavis, Founder of Juniper Hill Farms
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: The Grief Process for Parents of Children with Disabilities or Special Health Challenges
Description: When we learn our child experiences a disability, there is a kind of death of the dreams we held for that child…and we need to dream new dreams. Working through the grief process enables us to let go of the old dreams, and accept and love our child more fully.
Presented by: Susan Cushman, Family Support Director with United Cerebral Palsy and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Service Providers
Title: ID and DD eligibility in Oregon: More than a diagnosis – the importance of age-appropriate standardized testing
Description: Using a PowerPoint slide show, I will provide a high-level overview of DD service eligibility under Oregon Administrative Rules 411-320-0080(3) and (4) (for Intellectual Disability and Developmental Disabilities, respectively), and relevant definitions for parents/families, advocates, and community partners. This will briefly touch on IQ scores, common diagnoses, commonly used assessments and types of evaluators, age-specific tests, and important ages for testing related to eligibility for DD services.
Presented by: Becky Smallwood, Diagnoses & Evaluation Coordinator with the Oregon Department of Developmental Disabilities and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Service Providers
Title: Inclusive Practices that Work
Description: Join us in exploring commonly used support strategies such as developmentally appropriate practices, universal design, positive behavior supports, embedded instruction and interventions, picture exchange systems, visual supports and social stories. As you begin to apply these tricks of the trade, all your kids will benefit! This session is primarily intended for preschool age educators and providers.
Presented by: Melinda Benson, Program Coordinator with the Inclusive Childcare Program and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Educators and Service Providers
Title: The Power of Stories
Description: Daily we see Social Scenes and we are judged by our response to them. ASD students struggle in social scenes. How do you help them? Through Stories! I will demonstrate how to examine the social success/failures of characters, and how students will then modify their behavior for social success!
The presentation focuses on social thinking and cognition that are supported through reading and investigating stories.“Social skills intervention that is carefully planned, implemented, and scaffold into the curriculum presents a greater opportunity for learning than does incidental social skills instruction” (Anderson 2004), and children’s books give this support.
Presented by: April T Giauque, Transition Teacher for Texas school for the Deaf, Parent, Social Skills Specialist, MA in Special Education, Parent of 9
This session is intended primarily for: Family Members/Guardians and Educators
Title: Let’s Head Out! – A planning session for the “what if’s”
Description: This workshop will help you plan ahead for the predictable and unpredictable things that may arise when going out in the community. Sometimes it’s easier to stay home with your child or find other arrangements then venturing out when you know it’s going to be stressful. This workshop will guide you through simple and effective ways to feel more prepared before heading out with your kiddo into the great unknown! Participants will have the opportunity to develop a plan to address safety and create supports that will make heading out a little less stressful for all.
Presented by: Jennie Heidrick, Program Director/Behavior Consultant at OTAC; Stephanie Hunter, Behavior Professional, Parent and CODSN Board President
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Service Providers
Title: Puberty, Adolescence and Autism: The Things Nobody Wants To Talk About But Must Be Discussed
Description: This lecture style presentation covers the physical development associated with puberty and adolescence. The presentation focuses on what parents and professionals can expect and pays specific attention to common areas of increased difficulty for individuals with autism, such as public or excessive masturbation. The presentation offers specific, evidence-based teaching strategies which may be used in the home and at school. The presentation IS NOT intended for children.
Presented by: Laura Corder, Clinical Director for Children’s Clinical Care LLC and Marci Hammel, Autism Specialist with Columbia Regional Program
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Service Providers
Title: LifeCourse – Tools to help you build the life you want
Description: LifeCourse is a framework being used by families, adults with disabilities, and allies across the country to help us all envision and pursue the lives we want. This presentation will introduce participants to the concepts and tools that makeup the framework. Throughout the presentation, panelists will support participants to start using the tools for their own lives in ways of their choosing.
Presented by: Beth Kessler, Family Engagement Director with Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities; Heather Olivier, Director of Bridging Communities Family Network and Parent; Emilie Wylde Turner, Executive Director of Living Opportunities and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Ideas Worth Sharing
Description: People with developmental disabilities and family members are incredible assets to our communities. They tackle tough issues creatively, develop ideas that benefit others and accomplish unique and beautiful feats. This session provides an opportunity for these people to share their ideas, teach new perspectives and inspire us with several five to ten minute presentations facilitated by a master of ceremonies. The session will close with presenters on a panel for a facilitated question and answer period with the audience.
Presented by: Ross Ryan, Community Advocate with Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition; Jaime Daignault, Parent and Executive Director for the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: The how and why of teaching typical students about inclusion!
Description: This presentation will have relevant facts and statistics about inclusion. Participants will also be given time to create a lesson plan to try in their classroom.
Presented by: Valerie Mallory, Behavioral Professional, Parent and Training Coordinator at 1st Choice
This session is intended primarily for: Educators and Family Members/Guardians
Title: State-Level Advocacy at Any Age
Description: Learn how to advocate and interact with our State Senators, Representatives and Agency Leaders to create positive policy change. We will focus on how children and youth along with their family members can be effective advocates in their community and at the State Capitol.
Presented by: Cheryl Cisneros, Parent and Executive Director of Creating Opportunities Family Network
This session is intended primarily for: Family Members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Trauma Education: Science, Hope and Healing
Description: Toxic stress and trauma can affect early development and is more common than you think.
Learn about the groundbreaking Adverse Childhood Experience Study, the incredible power of resilience, and what you can do to help rebuild the brain of a person who has experienced trauma.
Presented by: Shauna Signorini, Parent Partner at OHSU Family to Family and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Educators and Service Providers
Title: Employment Focus Group
Description: Are you or someone you know looking for a job? Do you have stories of success or challenges that you want to share? Cathy Ficker-Terrill wants to hear what you have to say. Cathy is Oregon's Independent Reviewer for the Lane v Brown employment lawsuit that settled in 2015. Her job is to make sure Oregon is meeting requirements to increase access to supported employment services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since the lawsuit settled, Oregon has been working hard to meet requirements and more people with IDD are accessing supported employment services. Some people are getting community jobs! Some people are facing challenges too. Tell us about your experience.
Presented by: Cathy Ficker-Terrill, Oregon's Independent Reviewer for the Lane v Brown employment lawsuit
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Family Members/Guardians
Choices for Session 2 (1:15-2:15):
Title: Working-Class Autism and a Big Green Guitar
Description: TR’s story of growing up in rural Oregon and being diagnosed with autism as an adult. She will discuss growing up without a diagnosis, and the process she (and her mother) went through to get an actual diagnosis as an adult “I am in my 40s. I feel reborn. I have new information, I have a new beginning. I can make a meaningful existence for myself. But not by continued attempts to run a neurotypical script in an autistic brain, no matter how heroically executed, no matter how any times I try, try again. A diagnosis is not an excuse for failure. It’s a clue that the person might need a different approach to success.”
Presented by: TR Kelly
This session is intended primarily for: Educators and Family Members/Guardians
Title: Meet and Greet with Alexis for Youth Experiencing Disabilities
Description: Alexis is very passionate about connecting with youth and young adults who experience disabilities. This will be a time for young people to connect with Alexis on a more personal level. It will use a more informal meet and greet style, and allow for deeper interaction than her keynote speech.
Presented by: Alexis Wineman, Self advocate, Speaker and Miss Montana 2012
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Family Members/Guardians
Title: “Sharing what works for us: Will it work for you?”
Description: Each panelist will share accommodations that worked for them.
Presented by: A panel including: Niko Boskovic, Felicity Woods and Libby Hunter
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Educators
Title: Using Web-Based Technology to Promote IEP Self-Direction by Students with Cognitive Disabilities
Description: This presentation showcases a project in which students with mild to moderate cognitive disabilities at the elementary, high school, and secondary transition levels are using web-based self management applications to manage their IEP goals, do their own ongoing progress assessments, and use that information to direct their own IEP meetings.
Presented by: Tom Keating, CEO at Cognitopia
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Educators
Title: Our Employment Story: How We Achieved Community Employment
Description: The panel will share with the audience some of the struggles and successes to achieving
community employment. The participants will learn who should be on an employment team, how the team supported the panel members to gain employment and what some steps may be for the audience to get their own community job. There will be time for participants to ask the panel members questions.
Presented by: Erica Drake, Employment Specialist; Margie Blackmore, Autism Specialist/Transition Network Facilitator at High Desert Education Service District; and panel
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Family Members/Guardians
Title: Peer to Peer (P2P) Mentor Project Central Oregon
Description: The P2P project is an 18 hour training that supports people who want a job in their community on how to get a job in their community. P2P mentors are people with developmental disabilities who are trained to teach their peers knowledge and skills to get a community job. Peer mentors either have or have had a competitive integrated job. In this session participants from P2P will share their journey with the audience and the peer mentor who ran the class will share what the project entails and the curriculum.
Presented by: Jordan Ohlde and Olivia Hornbeck
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates
Title: Sharing the love: Growing up with a sibling who needs more
Description: This panel will discuss what it is like to grow up with a sibling who has a disability.
Presented by: A panel including: Vida Boskovic, Amber Sohn, Aaron Moore, Holiday Barnes, and Ari Ramsey
This session is intended primarily for: Family Members/Guardians and Service Providers
Title: Parent Rights in Special Education
Description: Learn about different rights and responsibilities, communication strategies and healthy Individualized Education Program (IEP) team dynamics. Includes information about procedural safeguards, the importance of record keeping, options for dispute resolution such as mediation, complaint, and due process, and other strategies for resolving disagreements.
Presented by: Roberta Dunn, Parent and Executive Director at FACT Oregon
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Service Providers
Title: Transition to Adult Health Care
Description: Most of us received no formal education to use health insurance or find a doctor. Many parents who have kids with disabilities, have a long established relationship with their pediatricians. As children reach adulthood, they have new health needs and also legal rights. Learn about the changing roles, expectations, systems, and processes in order to be prepared.
Presented by: Shauna Signorini, Parent Partner at OHSU Family to Family and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Educators
Choices for Session 3 (2:30-3:30):
Title: Life Care Planning for Two Generations: Understanding how to insure the future of a child with special needs when you are no longer able to support them.
Description: Helping families understand how and when to think about special needs planning for their loved one. This power point presentation will include an overview how to plan for the short and long-term for an individual with special needs. We will cover estate planning considerations, overview of special needs trusts, and ABLE Accounts and how they affect eligibility for government benefits.
Presented by: Alisha Langford, Special Needs Planner with Palladio Group and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians
Title: How to overcome adversities and negative behaviors: Using people’s negativity by turning it into a positive in my own way.
Description: I hear negative talk and I defeat that by doing the impossible. The method will be from my own experiences in life and my desired outcome will be that people learn that if he can do it, so can I! Objectives: Using different coping techniques, Reaching out for support and Goal setting.
Presented by: Casey Olsen, Donation Tech at Opportunity Foundation and Self Advocate
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Yoga and Mindfulness
Description: Participants will be guided through a basic yoga flow based on Yoga Calm techniques, which includes quiet reflection, active movement, and guided meditation. Audience is anyone who would like to take time to build a strong body and clear mind.
Presented by: Suzy Hayes, Autism Consultant with High Desert ESD
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Helping students be good digital citizens in a digital world
Description: This session will cover topics on how to helps students organize and use their digitals tools effectively. Real life experiences on teaching students responsibility on items like, social media, how to set up appropriate email names, how to use Google for organizing.
Presented by: Margey Vrbata and Wendy Burkhardt, consultants with High Desert Education Service District
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Educators
Title: Self Employment Adventure
Description: My son Kevin attended school starting at the age of 6 months, so in more ways than one, school was his life – and he loved it! School was a place where he was safe, and included, and welcomed every day, which was a comfort to both of us. He had a schedule, productive things to do, a place to go and belong, every day for 20 years.
But for many of those years, I dreaded the day when school would end for him, shortly after his 21st birthday. Every year, I watched as his peers moved on to jobs in the community, or classes at COCC, or other day programs – none of which were the right fit for Kevin. Even after Kevin graduated from High School, there appeared to be no options that would work for Kevin. Then he enrolled in the RSD Transition Center program for 18-21 year olds, and they connected us with Cortney Gibson from Voc Rehab, and a whole new world opened up for Kevin!
Presented by: Jennifer Summerton, Parent and FAN Advocate, Cortney Gibson, I/DD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Independent Living: What does that really look like?
Description: Not all Independent Living Situations look the same, this will be a panel discussion about the challenges over the last 8 plus years of creating independent living situations. We will discuss history, what we do, the models that we use. How the model at the house is different than the model at the apartments and the waitlist.
Presented by: Jordan Ohlde, Self Advocate; and Panel
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: Understanding and Coping with Emotions: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Made Simple
Description: Have you ever had trouble understanding or describing your emotions? Have you ever had trouble coping with difficult emotions? If so then this presentation is for you! Co presenters Kelly and Ruthie will be facilitating a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Group introducing skills in the areas of mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. This presentation is geared towards self-advocates, but is also appropriate for service providers and family members who can come to learn some skills themselves, or get tips on how to facilitate a group process. At the end of this group you will have learned at least one skill in each of the four DBT areas, feel validated and connected to your peers, and understand what it is like be in or run a group process!
Presented by: Kelly Belczyk LCSW; Ruthie Lai, Behavioral Health Specialist both with Deschutes County Behavioral Health
This session is intended primarily for: Self Advocates and Service Providers
Title: Life’s better Together: the story of an interdependent life of community and inclusion at Juniper Hill Farms.
Description: The first thing that the Juniper Hill Farms community learned in 2010 was that it takes more than money, more than a place to live, a housemate, a job, and a support person showing up to have a successful and happy independent life. Yet these things are usually the primary focus when considering a life of independence for a person with a disability. Through photos and personal stories, we will address the importance of relationships and the more complex questions:
1. Is farm life isolating (as disability policy has suggested) or is it a safe, peaceful place to return to at the end of a day spent out in the greater community?
2. In Brent’s words,“Inclusion is the feeling of being wanted.” How DO you create a life of true, effortless inclusion? (the answer for us is ‘sunflowers’).
3. How do you teach common sense to your support people?
4. Is successful entrepreneurship possible?
5. And most importantly, how can you build relationships around food?
Presented by: Diane Belnavis, Founder of Juniper Hill Farms
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Self Advocates
Title: The Grief Process for Parents of Children with Disabilities or Special Health Challenges
Description: When we learn our child experiences a disability, there is a kind of death of the dreams we held for that child…and we need to dream new dreams. Working through the grief process enables us to let go of the old dreams, and accept and love our child more fully.
Presented by: Susan Cushman, Family Support Director with United Cerebral Palsy and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Service Providers
Title: ID and DD eligibility in Oregon: More than a diagnosis – the importance of age-appropriate standardized testing
Description: Using a PowerPoint slide show, I will provide a high-level overview of DD service eligibility under Oregon Administrative Rules 411-320-0080(3) and (4) (for Intellectual Disability and Developmental Disabilities, respectively), and relevant definitions for parents/families, advocates, and community partners. This will briefly touch on IQ scores, common diagnoses, commonly used assessments and types of evaluators, age-specific tests, and important ages for testing related to eligibility for DD services.
Presented by: Becky Smallwood, Diagnoses & Evaluation Coordinator with the Oregon Department of Developmental Disabilities and Parent
This session is intended primarily for: Family members/Guardians and Service Providers