Vermont Autism Task Force "Workshop Day" Registration

Saturday, November 5, 2016 at 9:00am - 3:15pm EDT

19 S. Seminary Street Barre, VT 05641 (Free parking on site)

Vermont Autism Task Force Workshop Day
Practical Strategies and Nitty-Gritty Tips for Living with Autism

Saturday, November 5, 2016
9:00 am Registration
10:15 am - 3:15 pm Workshops
First Presbyterian Church
19 S. Seminary Street, Barre, VT (Free parking on site)

REGISTRATION INFO

Workshop Sessions begin at 10:15 am and end at 3:15 pm. Six workshops available - attendees can select up to three. 1/2 hour lunch break in-between programs. (Lunch not provided.)

FEE INFO
Use this form to prepay your registration by Friday, November 4. The Advanced General Registration Fee is $25 when paid online ($30 at the door); the online and at-the-door registration fee for self-advocates is $15. Registration paid at the door may be made by cash or check; again, seating is limited. 

This event is a fundraising effort of the Vermont Autism Task Force. We are unable to offer refunds or scholarships.

10:15 am - 11:50 pm WORKSHOPS

1A: Using Mobile Technology for Life in the 21st Century

Workshop Description: This presentation will provide a basic overview of the different ways that the iPad and related technologies can support independence in daily life, literacy skill development, effective communication and social connection for both school aged individuals and adults.  The accessibility features of the iPad and examples of apps in the areas of internet access, reading, writing, communication, recreation and time management will be demonstrated.
Presenter: Pascal Cheng
Bio: Pascal has a M. Ed. and C.A.S. in Special Education from the University of Vermont and has worked for over 30 years with children and adults with developmental disabilities in school and community settings. He currently is an educational and communication specialist for HowardCenter Developmental Services in Burlington, Vermont, providing training and consultation in the areas of communication, assistive technology and literacy for children and adults. He serves as a member of the Vermont Communication Task Force, a group that works to improve communication supports and services for individuals with developmental disabilities in the state of Vermont.

1B: 9 Things to Consider as your Special Needs Child Transitions to Adulthood
Workshop Description: The workshop will focus on 9 important topics to consider as a special needs child shifts into adulthood. Topics will include Supplemental Security Income, Guardianship, School Transition, Documents and Record Keeping, Childhood Disability Benefits, Letters of Intent and Special Needs Trusts.
Presenter: Claudia Inés Pringles
Bio: Claudia is a Vermont licensed attorney with a focus area of estate planning and special needs law. She is a parent of two children, including a teenage daughter with autism. Her website is www.specialneedslawattorney.com.

12:30 pm to 1:45 pm WORKSHOPS

2A: The Ins and Outs of the Special Education Process
Workshop Description: We will review the basics steps in the special education and the 504 processes, cover some basic rules and regulations and have time for questions, discussion, and to share specific parent issues.
Presenter: Philip Eller
Bio: Philip has 15 years providing Educational Advocacy and special education workshops for the Special Needs Support Center. He has total of almost 50 years in the fields of education, social work, psychology.

2B: Transitioning My Son to Adulthood: Strategies for Continued Learning and Managing Problem Behaviors
Workshop Description: This past January, Aaron Kieselstein, an intermediate learner on the autism spectrum, turned 23.  Aaron then came face-to-face with the questions that will soon confront thousands of others on the autism spectrum in their teens and early twenties for whom concepts like "independence", "inclusion" and "community" are often little more than lip service. Now that formal schooling has ended when he still has so much to learn, what should Aaron learn next and how should he learn it?  How to develop volunteer jobs that relate to Aaron's learning targets, build upon his strengths, and enable him to further his passions?  If the program his family wants for Aaron doesn't exist, how can they create and manage it themselves?  And now that Aaron is no longer little, how can they  manage the problem behaviors that sometimes arise?  In this workshop, Aaron's dad will share the strategies that he and his family are currently using to help Aaron cross the bridge to adulthood.
Presenter: Steve Kieselstein
Bio: Steve is a single father who, along with his late wife, has run an ABA/Verbal Behavior program for their 22-year-old son Aaron, an intermediate learner on the autism spectrum, since 1998. Aaron graduated from high school in June 2014. Steve and Aaron live together in Upstate New York, but are in the process of relocating to Vermont.

2:00 pm - 3:15 pm WORKSHOPS

3A: Disability 101
Workshop Description: Disability 101 workshop will give you a snapshot of working using best practices of working with cross disabilities. Come learn about Disability Culture, disability history, etiquette, laws, do’s and don’ts, and most of all, going beyond “please” and “thank you.”
Presenter: Ericka Reil
Bio: Ericka is not only someone who is living with a disability, but also has worked 13 years for the Vermont Center for Independent Living, a disability rights organization. She serves as the chair of several boards dealing with protections and advocacy for people with disabilities. She travels around the state and country training on disability rights and culture. Currently she lives in Barre, Vermont with husband, Joe and son, Will.

3B: Safety First: Tips for Supporting Safety and Independence
Workshop Description: This workshop is designed to provide family caregivers with practical steps they can take to prevent unnecessary – and potentially tragic – situations. A range of ages and abilities will be discussed, with an emphasis on maximizing independence.
Presenter: Kirsten M. Murphy
Bio: Kirsten is the Executive Director of Senior Policy Analyst for the Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council (VTDDC). She raised her family, including two sons with ASD, in neighboring NH, where she also worked as an advocate and family support provider. Kirsten is a graduate of the Leadership Education in Neuro-Developmental Disorders (LEND) Program.  At VTDDC, she provides technical and/or financial support to a wide range of initiatives designed to improve the lives of Vermonters with developmental disabilities through systems change and advocacy. She has trained numerous First Responders, including Vermont State Police, over the past decade.

(You will have the opportunity to select workshops on the next page.)