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Cruising Into the Future

SESSIONS

2007 Rehabilitation and Transition Conference

Each conference session is described below. After each description, session handouts are included.

Sessions by day:

Wednesday, March 21, 2007


WED 11 AM – 12:45 PM OPENING SESSION

Speaker: Amy Long. Photo of Amy LongTo get in contact with Amy, visit www.power2u.org. Amy received four or five different diagnosis while in the mental health system years ago. She refused to be seen through those labels and fought to regain her voice and take charge of her healing journey. She is herself a survivor of the mental health system and personal trauma and believes that the "healer lies within." She speaks with passion and humor and challenges us to "push the envelope" with the system today, so as to provide an environment where healing can and will happen.

WED 1:00 – 2:30 PM

Session 1: Transition Partnership School • Al Noll, Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute • Menomonie Area Schools and the Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute have a partnership that provides independent living and vocational programming for high school students with disabilities. The services include: housing in a dorm on campus, placement in work sites, recreational activities, and access to campus facilities. In the third year of the partnership, the outcomes and lessons learned will be shared. TRANSITION TRACK

Session 2: Managed Care, Self-Directed Supports and Employment – A Brand New Playing Field • Beth Durkee, Allegan County, Michigan; and Dennis Harkins, A Simpler Way – DHFS Consultant • As Wisconsin reforms its long-term care system based upon an unlikely partnership between managed care and self-determination, big changes and new opportunities are on the employment horizon for people who receive services and the agencies that serve them. Included will be a presenter from Michigan who have found that Michigan's similar partnership has enabled providers to phase out of facility-based services. We will also discuss the changes ahead for Wisconsin. EMPLOYMENT TRACK

Session 3: From the Combat Zone: Emerging Disability Issues • Karen Berte, Ph.D., Milwaukee V.A. Medical Center • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, other mental health issues and traumatic brain injury are occurring with a frequency not seen in previous wars and conflicts. Unrecognized or hidden disabilities are emerging slowly and the increase in numbers of women returning with physical or mental disabilities is a new reality for the military, their families and a public not previously accustomed to women being injured in combat zones. SPECIAL INTEREST TRACK

Session 4: The Road to Recovery • Mary Beth Forsythe, Consumer • The speaker will discuss the implications of recovery due to sexual trauma, and its resultant mental illness and / or alcoholism and drug addictions. She will share on a personal level how recovery is essential to personal growth and a major component of healing, as well as emphasize the importance of a strong partnership with professionals in this process. MENTAL HEALTH TRACK

Session 5: The Ethics of Cross-Cultural Counseling • Linda Hedenblad, MSE, CRC, RCEP V SIU Carbondale • We are all shaped by our life experiences. Through case study and discussion we will learn how to demonstrate respect for the diversity of those we serve. ETHICS TRACK

Session 6: Making Decisions without Thinking • Patricia Fabian, MS, CSW, The Threshold • When information and reason fail to help you make a decision, what do you do? Do you dismiss those quick decisions because you could never logically explain them beyond using the words "went on instinct" or "went with my gut feeling?" There are positives to making decisions with your instinct, but there are also pitfalls. Explore some of the things your mind may be trying to tell you while you are busy thinking about your decisions. Making those decisions without thinking will be a snap! MANAGEMENT TRACK

Session 7: Speech-to-Text and Text-to-Speech Solutions for Individuals with Learning Disabilities • Nick Hanford, Adaptive Technology Resources, Inc. • Participants will have the chance to compare and learn about a variety of products available for individuals who need text-to-speech and/or speech-to-text technology. The reading, writing, study skills, and scanning features of all products will be explored, as well as learning how to apply the products to effectively support your clients. Discover how you can incorporate different technologies together to achieve stronger results! ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TRACK

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WED 3:00 – 4:30 PM

Session 8: Love and Logic Solutions for Kids with Special Needs • David Funk, New Berlin Public Schools • The basic principles Love and Logic can be applied to students who challenge our teaching. Information provided is designed to be used by participants to address a wide range of learning and behavioral problems throughout all grade levels. Specific techniques will be identified that focus students on problem ownership and responsibility. TRANSITION TRACK

Session 9: Changes in the Ticket to Work Program • Bob Monahan, SSA Wisconsin Work Incentives Coordinator • The Ticket to Work Program, along with other Social Security Administration (SSA) work incentives and employment supports, can provide new opportunities for SSI and SSDI beneficiaries to return to the world of work. The SSA's Ticket to Work Program and new regulatory changes for individuals with disabilities who want to work will be described. EMPLOYMENT TRACK

Session 10: From Soldier to Injury to Home: Veterans Services in Wisconsin • Shana Bakken, Veterans Industries-Madison; Charles Jones, DVOP Specialist; and Bob Roundtree, US Department of Veterans Affairs • Join this discussion about the various levels of services, benefits and initiatives that greet Veterans with disabilities returning from the war. Get an idea about how the federal Veterans Administration, the state Workforce System and local county resources work to foster employment opportunities. Discuss ideas for collaborative efforts that will be needed in order to best serve the growing number of Veterans with disabilities and their families. SPECIAL INTEREST TRACK

Session 11: CommonGround: Supporting Client Choice • Amy Long, National Empowerment Center • Choice is the cornerstone of recovery and empowerment process. But how should staff respond when a client is making a choice that appears to be self-defeating or dangerous? Participants will learn skills associated with supporting client choice in ways that are respectful and that maximize client autonomy and self-efficacy. MENTAL HEALTH TRACK

Session 12: The Ethics of Confidentiality • Linda Hedenblad, MSE, CRC, RCEP V SIU Carbondale • We will examine the importance and challenges of confidentiality in today's rehabilitation environment. ETHICS TRACK

Session 13: Free Eye Exam • Patricia Fabian, MS, CSW, The Threshold • Is everything looking the same to you day after day? "When you change the way you see things, the things you see change." – Anonymous. Increase your focus on what is right with any situation, find opportunities and strengths, build enthusiasm, strengthen relationships with stakeholders, get both people and productivity up to the next level. Changing the way you see things may be easier than you think. Come for an "eye exam," leave with a new outlook! MANAGEMENT TRACK

Session 14: EADL Solutions for Individuals with Severe Mobility Impairments • Phil Dellegrazio, Adaptive Technology Resources, Inc. • Participants will compare and learn about a variety of Electronic Aides for Daily Living (EADL) for individuals with severe mobility impairments, such as paraplegia, quadriplegia, cerebral palsy, ALS, etc. EADLs can be operated by voice, switch, or a scanning system to control multiple devices within a person's environment. A demonstration will include how these items work, and the major benefits and specific applications for each product. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TRACK

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Thursday, March 22, 2007


THUR 8:45 – 10:00 AM GENERAL SESSION & KEYNOTE

Photo of Glenn McIntyre and his dog Boylan.Speaker: Glenn McIntyre & Boylan. "Always There is a Way!" – is the life-changing lesson that Glenn lives by and presents with his service dog, Boylan. As a young police office, Glenn's life was forever altered when he was hit by an impaired driver, leaving him a paraplegic. By overcoming challenges and through his commitment to inspiring and educating others, he is living proof that … "Always there is a way!" Find out more about Glenn, visit www.glennmcintyre.com.

THUR 10:15 – 11:45 am

Session 15: State Transition Project, Post School Follow-up, and Indicators 13 & 14 • Steve Gilles, DPI Transition & Professional Development Coordinator; and Mary Kampa, CESA 11 • School Districts must determine the percent of youth aged 16 and above with an Individualized Education Program (IEP). This includes coordinated, measurable annual IEP goals and transition services that will reasonably enable the child to meet postsecondary goals. The process and checklist needed to determine if a local district meets Indicator 13 will be discussed. Wisconsin has been collecting post high school outcomes of students exiting their high school placements for the past seven years. This session will explain and share the results of the outcomes survey, and describe the new Indicator 14 data collection requirements for local school districts. TRANSITION TRACK

Session 16: It's Not About Jobs, It's About INCOME! • Doreen Rosimos and Darcy Wilson, Income Links, LLC • Anyone can earn income. By learning about and following their 4 guiding principles: think small, start soon, earn enough, and be the boss; you will understand the basics in the session and be eager to pursue business ownership with your transition age youth to adults in rehab programs. EMPLOYMENT TRACK

Session 17: You Be the Judge • Douglas Feldman, Senior Trial Attorney, EEOC; and Dennis McBride, Employment Law Attorney, Lindner & Marsack, S.C. • Together with the audience, attorneys from differing perspectives will review facts and "argue" three court cases involving employment and disability issues covered under the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. During this highly interactive session, participants will discuss and learn about a variety of overlapping legal issues, learn how state and federal disability laws interact, and discover free resources and technical assistance available. SPECIAL INTEREST TRACK

Session 18: Is There Life Beyond Recovery? • Amy Long, National Empowerment Center • This session was cancelled.

Session 19: The Biological Basis of Ethics • David Mays, M.D., Ph.D. • Explore human ethics as a function of our innate biology. Human beings are born to certain ethical values just as we are born to learn language. This largely unconscious morality has great power over our decision-making, for good and for bad. Come and challenge some of your most cherished assumptions. ETHICS TRACK

Session 20: Five Diamond Customer Service • Stephen Beaumont, The American Club • How does the American Club provide Five Diamond customer service and motivate staff to be the best they can be? Learn about the Five Diamond rating, challenges within the service arena, creating an environment where staff want to do the job well, and the human resource process and quality measures. MANAGEMENT TRACK

Session 21: An Apple a Day and Beyond • Lynn Goeden-Hough, Waukesha County Special Education Cooperative; Marissa Arndt, and Maggie Johnson • Amazing, affordable, breakthrough technology for students with disabilities that will not only level the playing field, but move them ahead of the crowd. Hands on instruction utilizing a computer with built in screen readers, voice activation, screen enlargers, audio books & note taking, so simple you can learn it in under 90 seconds! Get tips, training and real life experience from real people (not sales people) using Mac computers and iPods to transition students from school, to work and beyond! ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TRACK

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THUR 1:30 – 3:00 PM

Session 22: Developing an Effective Long-Range Transition Plan • Linda Maitrejean, Director of Statewide Transition Initiative • Designing effective, long-range educational plans for youth with disabilities is necessary, and this session will focus on the "how to." The planning process includes IDEA 2004 Transition Requirements, Indicator #13 components, and best practice. Concrete examples of effective transition planning beginning at age 14 and including mild to severe disabilities will be shared. TRANSITION TRACK

Session 23: A National Picture of Disability Employment – What's Out There, New and Working Well? • Maggie Leedy, Montgomery Works • Our speaker will share information on best practices that are being used across the country in employment of people with disabilities. She'll have you asking "How do I turn that great idea into results?" An excellent list of resources will finish off the session, to turn your thoughts into action. EMPLOYMENT TRACK

Session 24: Accessible Housing – Creating Accessible Communities • Robin Jones, Director, DBTAC: Great Lakes ADA Center • Being able to live independently and/or with supports in the community depends largely on the availability of accessible housing. Agencies, builders, building owners, etc. play an important role in assuring that individuals have accessible options. Learn the legal obligations of agencies operating housing programs, the laws covering the construction of new housing, and discuss the national trend toward "visitibility" in this session. SPECIAL INTEREST TRACK

Session 25: Spirituality in Mental Health • David Mays, M.D., Ph.D. • Spiritual issues have moved out of the churches and into the political arena over the last 6 years and have become more prominent in mental health. This seminar will look at the importance of understanding religious values in our clients and in ourselves. MENTAL HEALTH TRACK

Session 26: Ethics and Boundaries • Linda Hedenblad, MSE, CRC, RCEP V SIU Carbondale • How much is too much? Through example and discussion we will seek to understand the complexities of ensuring respectful boundaries with those we serve. ETHICS TRACK

Session 27: Change Challenges • Sharon Mylrea and Claudia Orvis, 24C Coaching and Consulting • Rapid change is a fact of life in both our personal and our organizational lives. While resistance to change is "normal," a process for effectively managing change can help people view change as an opportunity rather than as a threat. In this interactive workshop, we will identify the role of leaders related to implementing change, the six components required for successful organizational change, and opportunity to apply the concepts to a current change situation will be given. MANAGEMENT TRACK

Session 28: Caring and Communication -Technology in the Home • Charles Hillman, GrandCare Systems • The extended caregiver network cannot be replaced by technology, but technology is an invaluable care partner. Founder of GrandCare Systems, Charles Hillman, an MIT graduate with a Master's in Engineering from UW-Milwaukee, speaks about the High Tech – High Touch Solutions for "Peace of Mind" for caregivers and "Living Independently without Isolation" for loved-ones. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TRACK

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THUR 3:30 – 5:00 PM

Session 29: Post-secondary Ports of Call • Colleen Barnett, Alverno College; Colleen Gonzalez, Waukesha County Technical College; Sandy Hall, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater; Tom Heffron, WI Technical College System; and Barbara Simon, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee • This panel will discuss process and best practices for the transition of high school students with disabilities into post-secondary educational environments. A basic overview of the laws and typical processes for most higher educational institutions will be described. Representatives from the Wisconsin technical college system, UW system, and a private college will discuss their specific programs for students with disabilities. Questions and participation encouraged. TRANSITION TRACK

Session 30: Successful Vocational Approaches To Working with Individuals with Mental Illness • Ava Gray, Riverfront, Inc.; and Mike Kleinschmidt, North Central Health Care • Working with and securing employment for individuals with chronic and persistent mental illness is a challenging endeavor. We will provide approaches that have proven to be successful with this population in the realm of supported employment. North Central Health Care Vocational Services has a 25 year history of serving this population in central Wisconsin in both metro and rural settings. EMPLOYMENT TRACK

Session 31: Accommodating Effectively and Economically; 508 and Advanced Reasonable Accommodation Issues • Glen McIntyre, McIntyre & Associates • We will define, discuss and resolve existing reasonable accommodation and/or disability issues in the federal workplace. Attendees will take an active role in scenarios regarding working with persons with disabilities and will have the opportunity to present questions and solutions of ongoing issues in their workplace. SPECIAL INTEREST TRACK

Session 32: Facilitating Transition for Adolescents with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness: Educational Services at PACT • Christine Ahrens, Ph.D. – PACT • Supported education and transition services for adolescents and young adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses will be discussed within a Community Support Program. Service structure and outcomes for a group of 43 clients will be reviewed. MENTAL HEALTH TRACK

Session 33: Representing People Ethically • Mark Sweet, Ph.D., Disability Rights Wisconsin • What happens to community support when money is scarce? Do we fit people into available slots or continue to individualize? During this session we will explore strategies that are practical and ethical. ETHICS TRACK

Session 34: Stress, Burnout, and Happiness • David Mays, M.D., Ph.D. • At the end of the day, we end up where we started – with ourselves. Is your life leading toward contentment and satisfaction, or are you stressed and out of control? This workshop will take a look at the science and psychology of stress, burnout, and happiness. MANAGEMENT TRACK

Session 35: Tablet Technology • Joe Mielczarek and Kelly Derleth, Northcentral Technical College • Tablet Technology is used to provide access to students with disabilities for materials necessary to be successful in school or on the job in a timely and efficient manner. Tablet Technology and the power it can give a student with a disability will be explained and demonstrated. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TRACK

FRI 8:30 – 10:00 am

Session 36: Transition, Employment and All the Rest • Maggie Leedy, Montgomery Works • This panel, led by Maggie Leedy, will discuss how to bring all of the players to the table – school transition staff, rehabilitation agencies, and DVR staff – and ensure a successful process for young adults with disabilities to leave school and join the "real world."

Session 37: Grassroots Empowerment Project • Molly Cisco, Grassroots Empowerment Project • The Grassroots Empowerment Project (GEP), the only state-wide non-profit organization that is controlled and directed by mental health consumers, recently launched a new initiative, Career Path to Recovery. This initiative provides vocational planning through peer support for mental health consumers. You will hear from the program director, as well as consumers who are successfully involved.

Session 38: Long Term Care Redesign • Kathleen Luedtke, BA, SW, CPM - DHFS • The latest information about long-term care reform in Wisconsin will be presented. Conference attendees will hear about DHFS reform activities and those of planning consortia statewide.

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Friday, March 23, 2007


FRI 10:15 – 11:45 am

Session 39: Climbing the Ladder of Youth Involvement: How to Promote Youth Leadership and Development in Your Organization • Linda Maitrejean, Director of Statewide Transition Initiative; and Jenny Neugart, Pathways to Independence • The statewide youth leadership and development initiative includes resource mapping on youth opportunities and publications, training on meaningful youth involvement and the development of the WSTI Youth Advisory Board, a youth-led board of young adults, who will share their leadership experiences and future direction of the board. You will also learn about the ladder of youth involvement and how to get to the top! This project is a collaborative effort between DPI, WSTI and DHFS. TRANSITION TRACK

Session 40: Expanding Employment Opportunities for Clients with TBI • Lisa K. Alberte, RN, BSN, CCM, MS, CRC, ABDA, Lisa K. Ablerte and Associates • Empowering vocational potential in clients with TBI and building employer relationships can enhance employment opportunities. Vocational potential can be strengthened for clients by recognizing realistic and feasible choices and utilizing effective compensatory strategies, reasonable accommodations, and job modifications. EMPLOYMENT TRACK

Session 41: Mental Illness and Adolescents – Unique Challenges • Byron Wright, Kenosha Human Development Services, Inc. • Mr. Wright will discuss some of the innovative programs his agency is using to address adolescents with mental illness, what unique challenges they face and how KHDS is providing services. SPECIAL INTEREST TRACK

Session 42: Substance Abuse and Co-Existing Disabilities • Michael Olson, MS - PESI • Most likely you are working with people with substance abuse and dependency issues more often than you realize. Improve employability and job retention when you are better able to identify, refer, and work in concert with substance abuse treatment providers. Discuss substance abuse issues specific to persons with disabilities and laugh a little as well. MENTAL HEALTH TRACK

Session 43: Ethics in Action • John Lui , CAGS, MB, CDMS, CRC, Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute; and Susie Eberhard, Ph.D., CRC, LPC, UW-Stout • Ethical dilemmas can make us feel as if we are on our own. Come join us to explore ways that colleagues, the application of an ethical code such as the CRC, and a good decision-making model, can connect you to resolutions! ETHICS TRACK

Session 44: Creativity R Us • Sharon Mylrea and Claudia Orvis, 24C Coaching and Consulting • When was the last time you exercised your creativity? How can you maximize your team's creative abilities to meet today's (and tomorrow's) changes and challenges? In this interactive workshop, we'll explore methods to help you see situations from a different perspective, discuss how to establish a "creative environment," demonstrate some tools to help find creative solutions to common problems, and we'll consider how to get your creative ideas and solutions implemented. MANAGEMENT TRACK

Session 45: Voice Recognition • Joe Mielczarek and Scot Gabel, Northcentral Technical College • Voice Recognition software can make the difference regarding success in education and employment for students with input and output difficulties. Explanation of how this software works and its accuracy and power will be demonstrated. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TRACK

Noon – 1:30 PM CLOSING SESSION

Photo of LeDerick HorneSpeaker: LeDerick Horne. LeDerick spent most of his time in school believing he didn't have much of a future. A severe learning disability, combined with low self-esteem, led him to doubt he would be able to go to college or have a meaningful career. But, through a learning disabilities resource program, he was able to succeed, and graduate from college with honors. LeDerick has devoted himself to inspiring and advocating for people with disabilities. Find out more about LeDerick, visit him online at http://www.horneonline.com/poet/.

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