Session 1: 11:00 AM- Noon
1. OPWDD Budget Update
· Kevin Valenchis, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Enterprise Solutions, OPWDD
Specific provisions of the OPWDD 2016-2017 budget and the impact on the state office, people with developmental disabilities and the network of provider agencies will be highlighted during this presentation. Ample time with be provided for questions and answers. (Executive) Bellvue
2. TBD
Nirvana
3. I am “Almost Disabled” Stuck in Limbo…
· Danielle Wellington (), Life’s WORC
This multimedia presentation will offer insight into the struggles that those we support and their families encounter while securing the appropriate services. Families and individuals can at times find themselves caught in a web of bureaucratic limbo that defines and lumps unique people who have their own needs, experiences, and circumstances into homogenous groups. The outcome can either deny support or afford an inappropriate structure for such. Traditional services may not always best meet the needs of those we support; particularly those who are "not disabled enough", even while espousing more person centered models. Typical services often label these same individuals as "too disabled" while considering them a liability to the service. This presentation will chronical the story of a young boy and his family going through this struggle daily. (Children’s Services/Supports) Wapanak
4. Using Technology Innovation in Job Development
· Michael Janosch () Goodwill Industries
· Dara Dotson ()
Technology is an important part of the business world today. This presentation will show how Job Development can utilize technology and social media to open new avenues of development and keep pace with employers. Topics covered will include multimedia visual resume presentations for individuals, LinkedIn, Web based platforms, and Google Drive among other. Presenters will demonstrate how multimedia visual resume presentations can be used to highlight the strengths and skills sets of Individuals who may not shine in traditional interview settings. The focus will be on incorporating video and audio clips to more effectively showcase what Individuals can offer employers and preparing presentations in email or web based formats. Presenters will also discuss how LinkedIn can be used to market Individual's skills sets, discover job opportunities, and how Job Developers can use it to make professional networks more visible. (Technology) Dollar East-Hotel
5. Guiding Star
· Casheif Belvin (), Leake and Watts
· Ruth Tokarczyk (), Leake and Watts
Staff will learn how to support the people with I/DD to obtain their outcomes in a creative, fun and motivating way. The presenters will discuss how to facilitate a positive relationship between the DSP and the person supported. This will improve the retention of staff by ensuring that both the DSP and the person supported feel mutually respected. By using the Guiding Star, staff will help the person they support identify "what they want, where they are now and how to reach where they want to be”. Staff will facilitate the person's growth through education, exposing them to different options and helping them experience different opportunities in order to obtain their outcomes. The Guiding Star will help the staff to get involved with each person and learn what matters most to them. It will also help to establish a trusting relationship between the person supported and the DSP which aligns with the Core Competencies. (Person Centered) Dollar West-Hotel
6. Training Direct Support Professionals to Work in Forensically-Based Homes
· Erin Rion (), New Hope Community, Inc.
This training will outline the best-practice procedures for hiring and training Direct Support Staff working in programs supporting individuals with forensic histories. I will be drawing from New Hope Community's training policies and procedures for forensically-based homes, and sharing stories of our successes and challenges in the areas of hiring staff, training staff, observing staff, and retaining staff. New Hope community currently has two successful forensically-based homes, with some of the lowest turnover rates in any of our programs. My experiences as the Coordinator of Clinical Services will be helpful to other agencies that are just starting out building forensically-based programs. (Forensics/Complex Population) Diamond Island-Hotel
7. Changing the Landscape of Residential Living Through Residential Council Committees
· Beth Ann Silvestri (), AHRC NYC
· Dana Sustick , Council Member
· Felicia Scott, Council Member
· Brinda Blythe (), AHRC NYC
AHRCNYC provides Residential support to over 563 people, employs 650 people, operates 146 homes and is one of the largest Residential providers in the state. Given the size of the Residential Department within the organization, it was essential that a vessel be developed in order to give people who reside and work in AHRCNYC homes a VOICE. In July 2012, AHRCNYC's Residential Department developed the "Residential Council Committees." These (7) regional / borough based groups were formed in an effort to provide men and women who live in AHRC operated homes a voice as well as to those who work in the homes. The goal was to re- invest in employees, gain feedback from those who work and live in AHRC homes regarding policies and procedures, inquire as to what is important to people and promote a sense of shared responsibility for the Department and Agency at large. Presenters will discuss the process that took place to develop the council as well as the twists and turns that came about. This council has been extremely impactful and we’d love to share our experience beyond AHRC NYC. (Mergers/Collaboration, Executive) Triuna
8. Talintel, an Innovative Approach to Recruiting Direct Support Professionals
· Matinah Drew (), Richmond Community Services
· Linda Petrini (), Talintel
· Paca Lipovac (), Richmond Community Services
Learn about Talintel and Richmond Community Services experience with the web-based assessment tool designed specifically for screening Direct Support Professional candidates. Richmond Community Services incorporation of this technology into its strategic plan for recruitment has supported the organization in improving selection of viable candidates. (Workforce) Evelly
9. What’s New in Agency Workforce Management
· Cate Deane (), MITC
Join our session to explore how workforce management can be used to manage community-based services, bid and win on supported employment service contracts, control payroll costs in group homes, and improve employee retention. (Administrative/Executive/Finance) Empire-Hotel
Session II: 1:15 pm- 2:30 pm
10. Listen Up- Without Sound
· Patricia Gormley (), Mill Neck Services
· Christine Oddo (), Mill Neck Services
· Marta Reeger (), Mill Neck Services
· Loretta Murray (), Mill Neck Services
Providing services for people who are Deaf and DD/ID requires a unique cultural skill set that has Service Coordinators and Direct Service Professionals listening with their eyes, minds and heart to understand the needs/desires of the people they serve. Learn about providing services to people who are Deaf in a variety of settings--from employment to day services. Understand the cultural competencies one is required to know to adequately serve Deaf DD/ID individuals. (Community Options) Bellvue
11. From Institution to the Community- in Less Than A Year.. How 2 Agencies Accomplished Transitioning 28 Individuals From an Institution to Various Living Arrangements in the Community. (Part 1) (Administration/Executive/Community Option/Person Centered) Nirvana
· Scott Barkin (), Block Institute
· Ray DeNatale (), IRI
12. R-E-S-P-E-C-T Find out What it Means
· Linda Moller, COARC
· Cindy Mowris, COARC
· Michael Payeur, Devereux Foundations
· Janet Dykman, Cardinal Hayes
· Amanda-Beth Crowley, Abilities First
· Tom McCluskey, New Horizons
· Mike Wheatley, New Horizons
· Adrian Goldson, PARC
The Community Players will present a series of live skits as a means to elicit thoughtful, poignant, lively and provocative discussion surrounding the topic of respect. Using this word as an acronym for the following themes will help us all get a better understanding of this important concept during this thought provoking and interactive session. R: RESPONSIVE Respond positively to each other's needs, E: EMPOWERING Value the freedom that comes from an improved quality of life, S: SUPPORTING Believe safety and security is our responsibility and a shared priority, P: PERSONAL SOLUTIONS Understand that no one size fits all and we embrace this individuality, E: ENRICHING Ensure everyone's personal and shared environments are comfortable, nurturing and positive places to be, C:COMMUNICATING Create open communication channels to build strong and mutually respectful relationships and T: TOGETHERNESS Through team work we actively support each other's shared goals and respect each other's individual journeys. (Other) Wapanak
13. “All the New Stuff We Gotta Do Made Simple”
· Dianne Henk, Director for Workforce Transformation, OPWDD
· Kathleen Brown, Director of Professional Development & Human Rights, F.R.E.E.
· Regis Obijiski, Consultant to RCWT. OPWDD
· Kirsten Sanchirico, Project Director, NYSACRA
POMs, Comps, Code, HCBS, PCP, LMNOP…. They’re killing us! If you feel you’ll never make it to the other side of this busy street, we will show you a CROSSWALK to get you there. The Regional Centers for Workforce Transformation (RCWT) created this graphic tool to take the edge off providers by demonstrating how all this new stuff actually works together. Many agencies have found this helpful. We hope you will too. (Administration/Executive) Dollar East-Hotel
14. Succession Planning: How to Ensure Quality in Future Leaders
· Christine Reinhard (), RCALD
· Nancy Shea (), YAI
· Vera Halpenny (), YAI
YAI, like so many other agencies, faces major transitions as long standing leaders look to retire in the next several years. A process was developed to identify talent within the ranks of our staff and provide them with a structured program that would enhance their skill sets in order for them to advance to senior management positions within the next few years. The goal was to maintain organizational stability, sustain organizational culture and promote innovation. YAI looked to the diversity of our workforce and the people we support to identify future leaders that represented differing experience, ethnicity, life style, gender and thinking styles. The program includes internal and external trainers that challenge the group to think more strategically and develop projects that will enhance the agency's flexibility, readiness and innovation. Attend to learn the successes of this program. (Administration/Executive) Dollar West-Hotel
15. Community Services for the Developmentally Disabled
· Marcie Gruttadauria (), Community Services for the Developmentally Disabled
· Nicole Costner (), Community Services for the Developmentally Disabled
· Harpreet Saran-Rokicki (), People, Inc.
· Stacia Paluszynski (), Aspire of WNY
Presenters will discuss how to collaborate and network within and across agencies as well as within communities to assist the people we serve with identifying their circle of support, and developing and implementing their life goals. Presenters will also speak about adhering to their personalized budget to help achieve their life dreams. We will include how to build a person’s social capital, hiring the people they choose to support them, and building partnerships to maximize their natural supports. (Self Direction) Diamond Island-Hotel
16. Accountability: Why Doesn’t Everybody Just do What They are Supposed to do?
· Peter Smergut (), Smergut Consulting
The challenge of organizational accountability continues to become a more significant issue as agencies face an ever expanding complex operational environment. Organizational success requires congruence between people and systems. Both need to be aligned towards the organization’s vision and goals. A lack of accountability not only promotes negative outcomes but it also poisons the organizational culture. This workshop will explore strategies for addressing and improving both organizational and individual accountability. It will provide the participants with a step-by-step recipe for enhancing alignment, promoting accountability and strengthening organizational outcomes. (Administration/Executive) Triuna
17. Empowering Employment by Improving Employee Retention and Productivity
· Nathan Mandsager (), Schenectady ARC
In 2013 a group of Schenectady County based employers joined together, pooling resources to find ways to support and strengthen their workforce. Identifying that many employees had life barriers and outside stressors that impacted their ability to attend to their job duties, the Employer Resource Network (ERN) was formed with the ultimate goal of providing assistance to employees while improving employee retention and productivity for the business. The original foundation of the ERN was based on the principles of Ruby Payne's book, "Bridges Out of Poverty." (Published by aha! Process, Inc.) The ERN focuses on helping men and women who are coming out of poverty and working to achieve sustainability. The top three barriers to job retention among this population are transportation, child care, and domestic violence. Oftentimes, people need assistance, beyond the traditional Employee Assistance Programs, in order to build the life skills and resources necessary to maintain employment. Join us to discover more about the network and the successes we’ve had with this program. (Administrative) Evelly
18. Immersion Training: An Organic Approach to Developing Competent DSPs
· George Suess (), Delaware ARC
· Molly Little (), Delaware ARC
Meeting OPWDD's expectations regarding DSP competencies can be viewed as one more endless project in a never ending wave of higher demands. Or they can be addressed in a much more routine fashion as the by-products of an organic approach to orientation and training. In this session attendees will learn about Delaware ARC’s unique 10 day orientation and training program which results in staff achieving many of those competencies within the first 2 weeks of employment. (Workforce) Empire-Hotel
Session III: 2:45 pm -4:00 pm
19. Igniting Employee Commitment
· Peg Gould (), UCP of NYC
· Evelyn Alvarez () , HeartShare
Without the right staff, which live the mission, and are committed to achieving high outcomes, quality will never emerge. As a field, recruiting strong staff and keeping the best and brightest will become increasingly difficult. Unemployment is at the lowest point in 8 years. Competition for direct support staff is increasing daily, and the pay issue will continue to plague us. So, how do we build commitment and promote long term career retention? This session will highlight innovative recruitment strategies, discuss development strategies to bolster staff skills, and focus on creative retention strategies. We will also highlight the efforts of 4 downstate organizations that have developed a training collaborative that enables agencies to work together effectively and efficiently. The time to focus on staff recruitment and retention is now. This session will offer concrete ides and recommendations that can be easily implemented. (Administration/Workforce) Bellvue