APSE Winter Teletraining Series

Supported Employment Institute - Winter Teletraining Series

Session I: January 16, 2007 - 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. (Eastern Time)
"Organizational Leadership: Managing through the Axis of Inertia"
Presenter: Don Lavin

Session Description:

Despite the best of intentions, many community rehabilitation programs and adult habilitation centers serving adults with significant disabilities throughout the United States get bogged down in implementing their goals to extend job placement and integrated employment in the community workforce. The purpose of this presentation is to examine the core factors that contribute to the inertia and derail organizations from making meaningful and lasting changes. This presenter will focus on issues of organizational leadership, change, and implementing proven strategies to increase job placement performance and integrated employment outcomes in the community labor force. This training teleconference is suitable for both management and direct service practitioners of organizations serving a broad array of participants with disabilities.

Instructor Bio:

Don Lavin, Vice President, Rise, Incorporated, holds a Masters of Science Degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from Minnesota State University at Mankato. He served as rehabilitation counselor for three years prior to becoming a senior manager at Rise, Incorporated in 1976. In the last 30 years, he has provided leadership in the planning and implementation of customized and supported employment services for more than 1,400 individuals. Lavin manages customized and supported employment services leading to integrated employment in the workforce in support of adults with developmental disabilities, serious and persistent mental illnesses, traumatic brain injuries, deaf and hard of hearing, deaf-blind, challenging-to-employ welfare recipients, and youth in transition from school-to-careers. Many of Rise's programs have received national and state awards for program creativity and outcome excellence. Lavin has authored eight publications related to the delivery of job placement and supported employment services for youth and adults with significant disabilities. Also, he is a prolific writer and maintains a blog of commentaries and actual stories of people with disabilities who have entered the workforce through access to customized employment strategies. Lavin is a frequent presenter at national conferences and a member of the national CRP leadership network promoting job placement opportunities, customization of employment, and economic self-sufficiency of people with significant disabilities.
Session II: January 30, 2007 - 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. (Eastern Time)
"Supported Employment with People Who Have Traumatic Brain Injuries"
Presenter: Laura Owens

Session Description:
This presentation will discuss the practical applications of neuropsychological evaluations and their relationships to positive vocational outcomes for individuals with brain injury. The speaker will discuss strategies to incorporate a functional assessment approach and utilize information from neuropsychological evaluations. In addition, strategies to assist individuals with TBI obtain and maintain community employment will be discussed. The speakers will emphasize the need to "think outside the box" when developing and implementing vocational goals for individuals with TBI.

Instructor Bio:

Laura Owens, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the department of Exceptional Education. She is also the Director/Founder of Creative Employment Opportunities, Inc. (CEO), an employment agency for individuals with disabilities in the Milwaukee area. Laura prepares school and adult service personnel, provides training and technical assistance within Wisconsin and nationally, and conducts research related to transition, employment, and self-determination. She has had leadership roles in Wisconsin's transition and supported employment statewide systems change projects and is currently working with the Department of Public Instruction on the State Improvement Grant.

In addition to the above, Laura is on the board of the national APSE: The Network on Employment. She also consults with, and provides workshops to businesses on hiring and accommodating employees with disabilities. Fundamental to her work is helping businesses (and society at large) see beyond the "current reality" to what can be - to not set limits on themselves or individuals with diverse abilities.

Session III: February 13, 2007 - 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. (Eastern Time)
"Jump Starting a Small Enterprise: A Template for Youth and Adults with Disabilities"
Presenter: Cary Griffin, Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC

Session Description:
Many people are excited by the opportunity of starting their own business, but do not know where to begin. This session introduces the major steps required to establish and begin operations of a micro-enterprise owned and operated by an individual with a disability. Critical topics of concern include: Person/Business Match, Functional business feasibility testing, financing & work incentives, transition from school to work issues, support strategies, training, and business planning.

Instructor Bio:

Cary Griffin is Senior Partner at Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC (www.griffinhammis.com), and Co-Director of Technical Assistance (with Dave Hammis) for START-UP-USA (http://www.start-up-usa.biz) in Partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University (www.worksupport.com) funded by the Office of Disability & Employment Policy at the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

Session IV: February 27, 2007 - 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. (Eastern Time)
"Management Challenges and Supports for Adults with Mental Illness"
Presenter: Deborah S. Reed, ABD

Session Description:
Community programs and supports exist for people with mental illness, but how do they fare? This session focuses on the challenges associated with running a community support program for people with mental illness from the perspective of administration and management.

Instructor Bio:

Debbie Reed is currently the Executive Director of Grove House Supportive Services, an agency that provides supported employment and supported living for adults with disabilities. She is currently attending the University of North Florida as a doctoral student in Educational Leadership with a dissertation topic that focuses on Bipolar College students and transition.

Debbie has worked as an employment specialist, vocational rehab counselor, support coordinator, teacher and standards coach. She currently serves on the National Board of Directors and Florida Board of Directors for APSE, and the University of North Florida Rehabilitation Counseling Advisory Board.

REGISTRATION FORM
APSE SE TRAINING INSTITUTE
Winter, 2007

To register for one or more of the SE Teletraining Sessions, please complete the following and send to The APSE Network on Employment, 1627 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA 23220, or fax to Gracie Burwell, 804-278-9377, or email to Gracie Burwell at [log in to unmask]

NAME: ______________________________________________________

Check one: o - agency o - individual
APSE Membership Number, if applicable:___________________________

ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________

TELEPHONE NUMBER: ________________________________________

FAX NUMBER: ______________________________________________

E-MAIL: (essential in order to receive session visuals): ________________

o Check here if you plan to take the whole package for CRC credits.
___

Mark teleconference session/s you want to register for:
o The whole package
o January 16, Don Lavin, Overcoming the Axis of Inertia
o January 30, Laura Owens, Traumatic Brain Injury & Employment
o February 12, Cary Griffin, Self Employment & Micro Enterprise
o February 27, Debbie Reed, Supporting People with Mental Health Disabilities in Employment
Confirmation of registration, instructions for participation and power point presentation for each session will be sent to your e-mail address in advance of the scheduled date.