Wednesday, October 23

8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Networking and Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 a.m. General Session 2, Keynote

Keynote: Know Your Rights!

For the past four years, BPDD’s Living Well Project has worked to increase the health, safety, independence, and well-being of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by empowering them to understand and exercise their human and choice-making rights in all areas of their lives, including in the long-term care services
they receive. Hear from self-advocates about why knowing your rights is so important.

Know your rights, express yourself, and be heard!

Moderated by Priscilla Battle and Living Well Self-Advocate Leaders.

Session Materials

Session Video

Self-Advocate

Parent

Provider

Priscilla Battle is a Self-Advocate Leader with the Living Well Project and a Peer Mentoring Intern in Wisconsin’s pilot Peer Mentoring program. Priscilla lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she has taught others about their rights and presented across the state on the importance of rights education and her journey as a self-advocate.

Kristi Scheunemann is a Self-Advocate Leader with People First Wisconsin. Since 2020, Kristi has used her skills and experiences to train other people with disabilities about their rights and how to advocate for themselves to build the lives they want.

Nancy Gapinski is the Operations Manager at People First Wisconsin. Nancy has over 30 years of experience supporting people with disabilities. She is the proud parent of a neurodivergent emerging adult, a gratefulgraduate of Partners in Policymaking, and one of the founders of Save IRIS.

Bobbie Jo Kempson is the Community Day/Prevocational Manager at Opportunity Development Centers (ODC). She has been with ODC for almost 6 years and from the start, she has been very passionate about making sure that each person they support understands and exercises their rights.

10:00 - 10:45 a.m. Networking Break, Exhibitors, and Friendship Lounge

10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Really Good Learning Sessions

Advocating for Your Own Self-Care

Have you ever felt you are not in control of your own mental health? That sometimes the people who love you the most are not hearing what you are saying, what you like, or what you need to feel safe and strong? Well... no one knows "you" better than you. Join us to discuss how you feel when you are tired and need your battery recharged. We will discuss your right to feel safe when asking for what you need to feel healthy. How you bounce back should include you and your choices. Advocate for your own self-care! In this session you develop your own personal self-care plan.

Presenters: Ginny Domani, Kaylin Shampo, Stephanie Stringer

Session Materials

Choosing Your Seat at the Table: Self-directed Supports in Family Care and Partnership

Self-directing some of your long-term care supports in Family Care and Partnership is possible. This workshop will discuss the overall ‘Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? of self-directed support in Family Care and Partnership. The workshop will also discuss self-determination and self-advocacy and the role they play in your long-term care decisions. Everything from whether self-directed supports are right for you to what supports you may need and how to ask for help.

Presenters: Mary Clare Carlson and Duazong “Dee” Her

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Session Video

MCO - Ombudsman

This communication workshop will provide you with the opportunity to roll up your
sleeves and be prepared to identify the roles of the people at the table. How to
develop tools to talk about issues. How to prepare and focus on your priorities. Help
develop confidence and effective communication. This Session is for people who
use Managed Care.

Presenters: Kelly Gochenaur and Mary McKeown

Session Materials

Session Video

IRIS - Ombudsman

This communication workshop will provide you with the opportunity to roll up your sleeves and be prepared to identify the roles of the people at the table. How to develop tools to talk about issues. How to prepare and focus on your priorities. Help develop confidence and effective communication. This Session is for people who use IRIS.

Presenters: Kathi Miller and Kayla Smith

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Session Video

Let’s Get Connected: The National Center on Self Advocacy

Do you want to learn more about SARTAC (Self-Advocate Technical Assistance Center)? Meet Max, who works there. Discover how you can connect with him online. Find out how you can apply to become a SARTAC Fellow. Each year, SARTAC chooses 6 Self-Advocates and pays them $5,000 to work on a
Self-Advocacy project of their choice.

In this workshop, you’ll go on a scavenger hunt to learn how to find tools on our website. Win a prize by sharing ideas on how to make Self-Advocacy groups stronger.

Presenters: Max Barrows

Session Materials

Session Video

Explore the Possibility of Home Ownership

Homeownership leads to better health, greater educational achievements, increased security and safety, and helps generate wealth building and a pathway out of poverty Homebuyer education can help you navigate the challenges of purchasing your first home. Completing homebuyer education that meets the
National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education and Counseling is required to qualify for many down payment assistance programs. Movin’ Out offers a fully accessible online homebuyer education course that meets these standards. Movin’ Out Homebuyer Education is designed specifically to meet the needs of low-income first-time homebuyers in Wisconsin who are people with disabilities. Join us in this session to learn about this exciting new program.

Presenters: Kathryne Auerback

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Session Video

DHS Listening Sessions

The Department of Health Services (DHS) wants to hear from you about how you use long-term care services to live the life you want. What works well, and what could be better? There are four listening sessions scheduled. Pick the one that fits best with the other sessions you want to attend. They will all be set up the same so you only have to attend one of the four sessions.

Alicia Boehme and Christian Moran

Session Materials

12:00 - 1:15 p.m. Lunch and Networking Break

12:30 - 1:15 p.m. Friendship Lounge

1:15 - 2:30 p.m. Really Good Learning Sessions

Forty Years at the Table

Do you want to be more connected in your community? Come to this presentation to learn how Cindy Bentley put the supports in place, moved out of an institution forty years ago and built a meaningful life. An interactive activity will allow attendees to learn about and select the “tables” they want to be at as volunteers, friends, workers, leaders, advocates, faith community members, and travelers.

Presenters: Cindy Bentley and Felicia Clayborne

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Session Videos

Building Your Dream Team: How Collaboration
and Finding Your Voice Lead to Job Success

Find out how building a great support team and speaking up for yourself can lead to job success. Learn about the roles of Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), school transition coordinators, and long-term care. Hear real stories from participants, discover key team members, and get useful tips from our panel. Interactive activities will show how working together and advocating for yourself
can make a big difference in finding and keeping a job.

Presenters: Joy Crenshaw, Janine Gallo, Samina Grimes, Keila Ryan, and Matthew Truesdell

Session Materials

Session Video

Looking for Caregivers? Come and Find out How!

Are you looking to hire qualified caregivers? Come to this session to hear the latest about WisCaregiver Careers and WisCaregiver Connections. WisCaregiver Certified Direct Care Professional began in July 2023 with the goal of recruiting and training 10,000 caregivers. Learn how to search for qualified caregivers or how to upskill your current caregivers and help them receive bonuses. Hear about the new initiatives
including Spanish curriculum for individuals with limited English proficiency.

Presenters: Kevin Coughlin and Casey Kapalczynski

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Session Video

Seriously, Go Ahead and Laugh

Seriously, Go Ahead and Laugh opens with a look at why laughter is important and moves to a fast-paced presentation that uses fun, music, and movement embedded in a message of laughter and self-care. It is easy to get caught up in the “busyness” of work and life in general. We need to give ourselves permission
and the time to fill our own tanks. A list of simple, fun stress reducers and tank fillers is followed by a bit of self-reflection ending with a challenge: what would you do if you were brave? The program is interactive with a bit of lecture liberally sprinkled with reflection, fun, music, and movement.

Presenters: Ramsey Lee and Cori Marsh

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Session Video

Take a Place at the Self-Advocacy Table!

This workshop focuses on Self-Advocacy within Home and Community-Based Services. We will talk about the features of effective Self-Advocacy. We will review client rights, available template letters, and guides. These materials help self-advocates (and their allies) through the process of filing a grievance. Participants will leave the session with a filled out worksheet with 3-5 ideas to improve their Self-Advocacy skills. Participants can also fill out a template letter with support from the presenters and the group.

Presenters: Ellie Jarvie, Chad Sobieck, and Sydney Walker

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Session Video

DHS Listening Sessions

Alicia Boehme and Christian Moran

Session Materials

2:30 - 3:00 p.m. Closing & Wrap up Video, Really Good Door Prizes!