10 West Edge Drive
Suite 101
Durham, NH 03824

Phone: 603.862.4320
Fax: 603.862.0555

E-mail

Employment for All

Supporting the Career Goals of Individuals with Disabilities

Description

Series Overview:
This four-part skill-building workshop series provides employment service personnel and others with practical, "how-to" information on assisting individuals with disabilities in reaching their career goals.

Who Should Attend:
This series of workshops is appropriate for job developers, job coaches, employment staff, day program staff, and other administrative staff who are interested in hiring, training, and supporting employees with disabilities.

Sessions:

Building Employer Relationships
Date: Thursday, March 13, 2008
Location: Dion Center Reception Room
Maximizing employment opportunities for consumers requires effective working relationships with community businesses. This workshop explores the process of job development from the initial contact through negotiating job offers and planning for job supports. Topics include using multiple sources of job leads, approaches that promote employer receptivity, analyzing positions to make successful job matches, and how to avoid the two most common job developer mistakes.

Network-Based Job Development
Date: Thursday, April 17, 2008
Location: Dion Center Reception Room
Most employees with and without disabilities obtain their jobs through networking. This workshop presents a step-by-step process for incorporating networking as a central component of job development. Topics include gaining access to the "hidden job market," developing job leads from network contacts, career planning strategies that turn employment barriers into job specifications, and when and how to use references and job try-outs.

Carving, Creating, and Customizing Jobs
Date: Thursday, May 8, 2008
Location: Demoulas Room, Education Center
Having access to only pre-defined employer job openings can be a serious employment barrier for job seekers with significant disabilities. This workshop explores job carving, job creation, and other customized employment alternatives that meet the needs of both the company and the worker. Topics include employer contact methods that uncover customization possibilities, understanding the difference between carving and creating jobs, analyzing a work flow to develop customization proposals, and incorporating assistive technology into job designs.

Natural Supports in the Workplace
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2008
Location: Demoulas Room, Education Center
This workshop presents a series of employment support options that develop and maximize an employer's own resources, allow employment staff to provide support more indirectly and spend less time directly "job coaching," and results in greater employee independence and inclusion in the workplace. Topics include analyzing workplace cultures, using a support planning process with multiple support options, and building the capacity of supervisors and coworkers at a work site.

Co-sponsored by the Nashua Employment for All Project

Series Instructor: David Hagner, Ph.D.

David Hagner, Ph.D., is a certified rehabilitation counselor and Research Professor at the University of New Hampshire. He has over 25 years experience as a trainer and consultant in employment services for individuals with disabilities, with an emphasis on supported employment, developing natural supports and including individuals with significant disabilities in the workforce. Dr. Hagner has directed a number of research and demonstration projects, has authored five books and over 45 chapters, monographs, and journal articles related to vocational rehabilitation and community services, and is a frequent presenter at regional and national conferences. He is also an adjunct instructor at Assumption College in Worcester, MA.

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Methods, Models & Tools

For Facilitating Person-Centered Planning

Description

Methods, Models & Tools is an intensive five-day course, presented by the Institute on Disability and the Browne Center, designed to help develop the competencies needed to facilitate consumer and family-directed career, education and life planning. The course incorporates lecture, role-playing, action learning, and peer support to provide an interactive forum for participants to develop and practice effective group facilitation skills. The curriculum addresses theories of group development, offering experiential methods for process design, questioning and recording skills, and strategic planning. Models of situational leadership, team performance, conflict management and principled negotiation are translated to the context of person-centered futures planning.

Who Should Attend?
This course is appropriate for individuals who have a strong interest in developing the facilitation skills used to support increased or improved group collaboration.

Approved by the NH Chapter NASW for 30 Category I Continuing Education Units for social workers.

Workshop Instructors: Patty Cotton, M.Ed. & Pam McPhee, MSW

Patty Cotton, M.Ed., directs Innovation Facilitators (IF), a new service initiative offering educational programs, facilitation services and professional development related to creative planning, strategic visioning, and consumer and family-directed service designs. Patty works jointly with the Institute on Disability and the Browne Center for experiential learning at UNH to establish IF as a centralized resource for people with disabilities and families to hire an “independent” facilitator to guide them through person-centered planning. Since joining the Institute on Disability in 1989, Patty has coordinated numerous federally funded projects with a particular focus on model demonstration and system-change in adult services.  She has extensive background in process facilitation, service brokering, and the development of natural support strategies.  Patty has authored several publications on person-centered planning and natural supports, and provides training at both the state and national levels.

Pam McPhee, MSW, is a founder and the Director of the Browne Center and is on the faculty of the Outdoor Education Program at the University of New Hampshire. Pam has had a varied career working for Outward Bound, as a school social worker and as an organizational consultant. Her focus is on helping individuals and groups develop their own deliberate culture through inter and intra-personal skill development.

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Getting a Handle on Hoarding

Effective interventions to help individuals who hoard stay in their own homes

Description

Hoarding presents difficult and complex situations for service providers. Individuals who hoard are frequently at risk of losing their housing due to eviction. This interactive workshop will describe clinical disorders and cognitive traits associated with hoarding as well as recent research findings. In addition, the presenter will provide methods and tools for intervening in hoarding issues. Topics to be covered include:

• How to have a productive dialogue with someone about hoarding
• Identifying psychological triggers related to hoarding
• Understanding the psychology behind hoarding
• Practical strategies for working individuals to address the situation
• Case studies with discussion

*Approved by the NH Chapter NASW for 2.5 Category I Continuing Education Credits for Social Workers.

Workshop Instructor: Elizabeth Burden, LICSW, MPH

Elizabeth Burden is Senior Clinical Social Worker at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in Massachusetts. She provides training and supervision to social work staff, consultation to multi-disciplinary medical teams and discharge planning. She is a Clinical Instructor at Tufts Medical School, and she has presented workshops on hoarding, dementia, delirium, and elder suicide throughout New England.

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Powerful Tools for Caregivers: Class Leader Training

*First Time Offering of Nationally Recognized Program in New England*

Description

This 2-1/2 day training will give participants the knowledge, skills and tools to teach the course, Powerful Tools for Caregivers (PTC). This course, developed by Legacy Caregiver Services in Portland, OR, is a 6-week educational program to provide family caregivers with tools to increase their self-care and confidence. PTC is a nationally recognized train-the-trainer model program, with a scripted curriculum. There are trained PTC Class Leaders in over 20 states and the program has reached 15,000 caregivers nationwide. PTC Class Leaders work in pairs.

Research studies find high rates of depression and anxiety among caregivers and increased vulnerability to health problems. Caregivers frequently cite restriction of personal activities and social life as problems. They often feel they have no control over events, and that feeling of powerlessness has a significant negative impact on caregivers' physical and emotional health.

In the years since the PTC program was conceived a great deal of research, evaluation and revision has been done to ensure its continued value and success. The 6-week PTC class has been shown to have a positive impact on caregiver health for a diverse group of caregivers including rural, ethnic minorities, adult children of aging parents, well-spouses/partners, caregivers at differing stages in their caregiving role, living situations, financial, and educational backgrounds. Data from class participant evaluations indicates:

• Significant improvement in behaviors: increased exercise, use of relaxation techniques, and health self-care
• Improved emotions, including reduced anger, guilt, and depression
• Increased self-confidence in coping with caregiving demands
• Increased use of community services

Who Should Attend:

• Social workers, case managers, and other practitioners who provide support and education programs for family caregivers.
• Educators interested in utilizing an evidence-based program with positive outcomes for caregiver health and self care.
• Staff interested in a nationally recognized train the trainer program complete with scripted curriculum and program materials.
• Health care educators/practitioners who want to enhance their group facilitation skills and offer a program that has reached 15,000 caregivers nationwide.

Accommodations are available at the E.F. Lane Hotel. Please mention that you are with the UNH Institute on Disability and you will receive an overnight rate of $99.00 plus tax. Rooms and rate available until May 23, 2008.

Sponsored by the Administration on Aging, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services, and the Institute on Disability / UCED.

Workshop Instructors: Legacy Caregiver Services, Portland, OR

Legacy Caregiver Services

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Second Annual Assistive Technology Summer Institute

A fun summer workshop series with hands-on Assistive Technology (AT) learning

Description

Monday, August 4: Adaptive Golf Clinic
Instructor: Tom Carr, CTRS
Following one hour of classroom training, receive hands-on instruction on the latest adaptive golf equipment and techniques on the driving range and putting green.

Tuesday, August 5: It’s Summer, Let’s Play! Using Play to Increase Augmentative and Alternative Communication Success
Instructor: Dr. Phyllis Watson, CCC-SLP
Play is an integral part of living life to its fullest. Learn how to creatively integrate augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices into play activities.

Wednesday, August 6: The Latest and Greatest Technology for Trainers and Teachers
Instructors: Dr. Therese Willkomm & Dan Herlihy
This workshop will train trainers and educators on how to use state-of-the-art technologies, software, and assistive technology to increase the success of all learners. Laptops are required for this session. A limited number of loaner laptops are available.

Thursday, August 7: Jammin’ with Dave and Dan – Adaptive Music for All
Instructors: Dan Herlihy & David Kontak
Learn how to select and adapt music so that all individuals, including people with disabilities, can actively engage in creating, learning, and enjoying music.

Friday, August 8: IntelliTools Training Classroom Suite 4
Instructor: Dan Herlihy
Learn how to creatively use the new version of IntelliTools Classroom Suite 4 to achieve educational success across the curriculum. Laptops are required for this session. A limited number of loaner laptops are available. Limited to 25 participants. Sponsored by the Strafford Learning Center.

Presented by ATinNH.org in cooperation with Northeast Passage and Crotched Mountain.

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The 10th Annual Autism Summer Institute

Emotion, Behavior, and Belonging: New Perspectives on Including Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Differences in Schools and Communities

Description

The goal of the Autism Summer Institute is to provide strength-based perspectives about students with Autism Spectrum Differences (ASD) to improve the quality of education in inclusive settings. Participants will gain skills and knowledge that will help support the full participation of students with ASD in their schools and communities. This Institute offers a unique combination of keynote presentations and work groups. The full Institute registration fee includes participation in all four days' activities, continental breakfast, lunch (Monday-Wednesday only), materials, and parking. A separate fee has been established for those interested in attending one or more keynote presentations only.

Who Should Attend:
The Autism Summer Institute is designed for, and will benefit, university students, individuals with ASD and their families, teachers, paraprofessionals, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, school administrators, guidance counselors, psychologists, school-family teams (group discount available), and others.

Professional Development and Course Credit:
All participants will receive a Certificate of Participation. The Autism Summer Institute qualifies for 25 Staff Development Credits/Hours. Participants may earn four (4) academic credits by attending the Autism Summer Institute and registering for the associated class in the Fall 2008 semester. Please contact the course instructor, Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph.D., at cheryl.jorgensen@unh.edu for more information and permission to register.

Reserve your seat to take advantage or our early registration discount!

Keynote Presenters

Monday, August 11 - 9:00-10:30am - Amanda Baggs
Tuesday, August 12 - 9:00-10:30am - CarolAnn Edscorn
Wednesday, August 13 - 9:00-10:30am - Ros Blackburn

Presented by

The New Hampshire Resource Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders

In Cooperation With:
Advocates Building Lasting Equality in New Hampshire
Asperger's Association of New England
The Autism National Committee
The Autism Society of New Hampshire
New Hampshire Department of Education
New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Developmental Services
New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities Council
New Hampshire Parent Information Center

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Third Annual APEX II Summer Leadership Institute

Dropout Prevention: Reforming New Hampshire's High Schools with Leadership, Teamwork, and Data-based Decision-making

Description

This year's Institute will be open to teams from New Hampshire high schools that are interested in:

• School-wide reform to increase graduation rates and improve student outcomes
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
• Student leadership development
• Positive Classroom Management Strategies
• Student-led alternative learning systems and plans
• Data-based decision-making
• Creating multiple and individualized pathways to graduation
• Function-based assessment and interventions

Presenters

Keynote Presenters:

• Paul K. Leather, Director, NH Division of Career and Technical education, NH Department of Education.
• LeDerick R. Horne, a nationally recognized speaker and advocate for people with disabilities and director of a number of state initiatives to increase the leadership skills of youth with disabilities.

Guest Presenters:

• Hank Bohanon, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director, Center for School Evaluation, Intervention and Training (CSEIT) at Loyola University of Chicago. Dr. Bohanon has worked on PBIS implementation at middle and high schools in the Kansas and Chicago areas, and is a nationally recognized expert in positive classroom management.
• Larry Kortering, Ph.D., Project Co-Principal Investigator at the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center and Professor at Appalachian State University. Dr. Kortering has extensive experience with secondary special education programs, school dropout issues, and transition.
• Howard Muscott, Ed.D., Director of the NH Center for Effective Behavioral Interventions and Supports. Dr. Muscott has extensive experience in the development of, and is a nationally recognized expert in, the development and implementation of Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports in schools.

Notes

APEX II is a Dropout Prevention Project of the NH Department of Education, funded by the U.S. Department of Education. APEX II partnership agencies include the Institute on Disability at UNH, the Alliance for Community Supports, Inc., Main Street Academix, Inc., and 10 high schools throughout the state.

Questions? Contact McKenzie Harrington at MHarrington@ed.state.nh.us or 603-271-3937

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