Training and Education

RFW offers a variety of training and educational opportunities to its members and the rehabilitation community including Professional Development Seminars, an annual Rehabilitation and Transition Conference, and other special conferences and training events.

The 2008 Rehabilitation & Transition Conference was held April 9 - 11 at The American Club in Kohler. Please visit the website for post-conference information and resources!

Click to view the Professional Development Seminar Catalog for 2005

In 2008, Rehabilitation For Wisconsin, Inc. (RFW) is pleased to offer its members and other organizations and individuals involved in the rehabilitation community, the 2008 professional development seminar (PDS) series. A lively blend of half-day to full-day seminars including presentations, interactive activities, and discussions. Please see the descriptions below for session details and to register, or print the 2008 PDS flyer.

*Remember, RFW members may send four staff members to each PDS for FREE!

All 2008 seminars will take place at the Comfort Inn and Suites North Star Conference Center in DeForest (just 10 minutes from Madison), Wisconsin.

February 13, 2008
- Doing Our Best Work: 10 Ingredients of Quality Support
  - Speaker: Peter Leidy, Human Services Trainer
  - What do we really mean by “best practices” and “quality supports”? What do these look like when we consider people with disabilities and those who do the important work of supporting them one at a time? This seminar will cover 10 important elements of excellent direct support, taking a good look at how we can measure when we are at our best.
  - Register Now!

March 19, 2008
- Managing Threatening Confrontations
  - Speaker: Paul White, The Waisman Center
  - Have you ever been involved in a confrontation with an angry or aggressive person that left you feeling disoriented, inadequately prepared, or plain scared? This seminar will help you learn how to effectively support clients and others who could experience the full range of behavioral escalation. These moments often appear chaotic; it’s hard to know when to talk, when to step back, who to call for back up and “when to duck.” This seminar is designed to help put order to the chaos.
  - Register Now!

May 14, 2008 (1/2 day)
- Family Care Contracting and the CMO/Provider Relationship
  - Speaker: Wayne Hagenbuch, Care Wisconsin
  - As your organizations begin to look to the expansion of Family Care, you may be wondering how to develop a relationship with your Care Management Organization and how to contract with them as a vendor. Our speaker is responsible for the provider contracting and relations functions for one of the CMOs that is currently working in Family Care.
  - Register Now!
    - *Registration for this PDS is limited to 25 individuals! We ask that organizations please register no more than 2 individuals for this session.

June 17, 2008
- Morning: Past Present Future - Developmental Disabilities 201
- Afternoon: Supporting Successful Communication for People with TBI
  - Speakers: Patricia Fabian, The Threshold, Inc. and Lyn Turkstra, University of Wisconsin
  - Morning session: Based on feedback from her DD 101 seminar, Patricia Fabian is back to look further into the DD world. The session will take a look at how we got to where services are today, what is available in other parts of the world and where the future is taking us (and who should be leading.)
    Afternoon session: Many individuals with TBI have cognitive impairments that limit their ability to read, write, listen and speak effectively in community settings. In this workshop, you will discuss strategies for supporting the communication of people with TBI, including communication-based strategies for managing problem behaviors.
  - Register Now!

July 17, 2008
- Examining CRP Perspectives on Barriers to Service Delivery for Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities and Dual Diagnosis
  - Speakers: Deidre O'Sullivan and David Strauser, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  - The success of individuals with psychiatric disabilities finding and maintaining employment depends partly on CRP professionals. This session will explore the common barriers when serving individuals with psychiatric disabilities based on the perspectives of CRP professionals that currently serve this population.
  - Register Now!

August 13, 2008 (1/2 day)
- The Ins and Outs of Your Directors and Officers Insurance
  - Speakers: Jerry Iverson, HRH Insurance Services and Rick Haugen, Philadelphia Insurance
  - Learn how to navigate your D & O insurance policy including how to properly document issues, how the process works and what happens when a claim is filed.

September 18, 2008
- Micro-enterprise and Supported Self Employment for People with Disabilities
  - Speaker: Shannon Munn, Progressive Community Services
  - This interactive training will focus on the options of Supported Self Employment and Micro-Enterprise Development for people with disabiliites. Our speaker has been involved in a very succesful pilot project in Dane County and will share thoughts, ideas and succcess stories, as well as information on PASS Plans and IRWEs.
  - Register Now!

October 15, 2008
- Tools to Get the Job Done!
  - Speaker: Ken Hagman, Opportunities, Inc.
  - This seminar, targeted to job coaches, production supervisors, trainers, mentors and case managers, will provide a variety of practical experiences and demonstrations relating to training in the workplace for persons with disabilities, including practical ergonomics, seating and positioning and fixtures and adaptations.
  - Register Now!

November 11, 2008
- Morning: Walk a While in my Autism
- Afternoon: Job Development for Individuals with Autism
  - Speakers: Kate McGinnity, Autism Consultant and James Emmett, Autism Consultant
  - You’ll spend the morning learning what it’s like to live with autism, in this hands-on, interactive, simulated training. The afternoon session will focus on job development strategies for individuals with autism.
  - Register Now!