*Spanish interpreters will be available for the keynote and at workshops.
2023 Conference Keynote Address, May 11, 9:15 – 10:15 am
Not Your Mama’s Autism: How Past Lessons Learned Aided Me in My Parenting Today
Lola Dada-Olley, Writer, Mother, Attorney, Advocate and Lifetime Caregiver
Ms. Dada-Olley is in-house legal counsel at a global banking institution where she sits at the intersection of law, accessibility and technology. She legally advises business partners on matters associated with the Americans with Disabilities Act and related digital accessibility matters.
In 2020, Lola launched the Not Your Mama’s Autism Podcast. Part audio memoir/part interview style podcast, Lola weaves in personal narratives of her life as an older sibling to an autistic man with an intellectual disability and now, as a mother of two autistic children with interviews of various members of the global neurodivergent and disabled communities.
In 2021, she gave a TEDx talk, titled, “Your Path is Your Purpose”, where she explained how seemingly disjointed events led her to the life purpose she lives today. Last year, Lola also launched her monthly column on PsychCentral.com, titled “The Caregiver’s Chronicles”, where she uses the written word to speak on life lessons learned as a lifetime caregiver. She is also on the board of two non-profits dedicated to bettering health care, support, and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Lola has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from Eastern Illinois University, a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a law degree from Howard University. She currently lives in the Dallas, Texas metro area with her husband, two children and a Portuguese water dog.
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WORKSHOP SESSIONS
*List of workshops that will be live streamed and recorded
Session A – Thursday, May 11, 10:30 – 11:45
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A1 – Creating Self-Advocates by Leading Your Own IEP – Melissa Volz, Linnea Bertram
(Available on Zoom for Virtual Participants)
Students’ voices matter! Student-led IEPs are an empowering and engaging way to motivate students to understand and communicate their disability, skills, strengths, and how to self-advocate. This presentation will provide students, parents and educators with the tools and knowledge needed to implement student-led IEPs in their own schools.
A2 – High Expectations: from Birth to Beyond – Heidi Lehman, Carlene Chavez
(Available on Zoom for Virtual Participants)
One of the 5 beliefs of the College and Career Ready process is high expectations. Families and IEP teams know how high expectations influence academic achievement and post-secondary independence and explore a shared vision of high expectations for college, career, and community readiness. But high expectations shouldn’t start at age 18. It is important that families, IEP teams, and community partners recognize that high expectations should be present at an early age and transition planning CAN start at age 3.
A3 – Road to Success – Parent Panel on the Transition Journey – Beth Swedeen (moderator)
A panel of parents and their adult children will explore their experiences traveling the journey from childhood to adult life – what has been most important, what resources were most helpful and what would they have done differently.
A4 – Your Voice Matters – Becoming A Family Leader – Danielle Tolzmann
You already advocate for your own child; learn how you can take the next step and become an advocate for your community and impact programs and services for all children. We’ll talk about ways families can make a difference, including supporting another parent, serving on advisory groups, and communicating with policymakers.
A5 – Supported Decision Making – A Young Adult Perspective – Jenny Neugart
There are many benefits of Supported Decision Making. This session will explain what Supported Decision Making is, how to make the most of it, and help you think through your options with a unique perspective of a young adult. Young adults will share why choice-making is important to them and what kind of support they need to successfully make their own decisions without losing their rights.
A6 – Family Networks: A Powerful Way to Build Community – Shanice Baquet
Join us to learn how families can grow their own network of supports. Hear examples of how families have started community support groups to connect with others socially and for empowerment. Get ideas for what you can do to get the support you need. When you bring people together into community, amazing things happen.
Session B – Thursday, May 11, 1:30 – 2:45
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B7 – Financial Literacy session #1: What You Need to Know about Long-Term Supports & Services
(Available on Zoom for Virtual Participants)
Representatives from a variety of agencies, including an Aging and Disability Resource Center, an IRIS Consultant agency, Family Care MCO, and CLTS waiver agency will help participants understand the role of programs and services available in Wisconsin for children and adults with disabilities.
B8 – How to Hire, Train, and Retain Respite Providers – Val Madsen
(Available on Zoom for Virtual Participants)
Caregivers in Wisconsin are often responsible for finding their own respite providers and don’t know where to start. In this interactive session, learn about places to look for a respite worker, the interview process, and the available training, along with tips to keep workers longer.
B9 – Did You Know? Now You Know! – Brigit Frank
If you have questions about Medicaid, this session is for you. You’ll learn how Medicaid works for children with disabilities. We explain everything from benefits to eligibility to how services are received in an easy-to-understand format.
B10 – Housing and Residential Options Panel – Sally Flashberger (facilitator)
This panel of parents and self-advocates, led by staff from the Board for People with Developmental Disabilities, will explore the options for adults with disabilities who choose to move out of their family home. We’ll cover how to start the process, special considerations and how to find the right housing situation for your family member.
B11 – Making Adaptations to Meet the Needs of Children in Early Care and Early Learning Settings – Jason Rahn, Department of Children and Families
This presentation will focus on considerations before making adaptations and how to develop the most appropriate adaptations for children in early care and early education setting. Tips and examples for adapting the environment, toys, materials, and more will be provided.
B12 – The Transition IEP Checklist – Ann Zielke and Nathaly Silva
*This session will be held in both Spanish and English*
During the presentation, we will be highlighting WI FACETS’ new brochure The Transition IEP Checklist. This resource was developed to expand upon the transition section of our IEP checklist resource and is intended to be a guide for both parents and youth during the transition process and before, during, and after transition IEP meetings.
Session C – Thursday, May 11, 3:15 – 4:30
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C13 – Financial Literacy session #2: The Myths of Public Benefits
(Available on Zoom for Virtual Participants)
Presenters will help dispel the myths that are associated with public benefits and how public benefits relate when applying for long-term supports and services.
C14 – Mental Health: Children and Youth Programs through NAMI Wisconsin – Megan McLachlan
(Available on Zoom for Virtual Participants)
Please join us as we give an overview of mental health programs available through both NAMI Wisconsin and NAMI National, for children, youth, and parents.
C15 – Maintaining Health Coverage for Your Child with “Health Benefits Check-ups” – – Mana Kleiser, Melissa Havermann
This interactive session will share and display tips and skills to help families obtain, maintain, and properly use health care coverage, especially across transitions and fluctuations.
C16 – Planning for Employment- It’s Never Too Early to Start – Beth Wroblewski
We will share everyday activities that parents and caregivers can do to support and promote skills for independence and employment.
C17 – How to Make Long-Lasting Friendships – Ashley Mathy, Cindy Bentley, Nathaniel Lenz
It’s hard to find healthy friendships and maintain those friendships for everyone, but it can be especially difficult for people with disabilities. That is why Self Advocates from People First, Ashley Mathy, Cindy Bentley and Nathaniel Lenz would like to share their journey on discovering how to find and be a good friend. They will share tips and tools and help you build a game plan for maintaining friendships. TMG will support this presentation by also providing community resource ideas.
C18 – Construya Su Puente – Build Your Bridge – Aracely Portillo, Beth Guthrie Moss
The presentation is in Spanish and provides an overview and introduction to Spanish-speaking families of the transition process from pediatrics to the adult healthcare world. It is for families who have a child with a medical condition ages 12-21. Families will receive a workbook to fill out during the presentation to take with them and update as needed.
Session D – Friday, May 12, 9:00 – 10:15
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D19 – Financial Literacy session #3: What you need to know about Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts – Heather A Wilson
(Available on Zoom for Virtual Participants)
The presentation will explain and explore Special Needs Trusts and ABLE accounts and help families understand Special Needs Trust options and the difference between Special Needs Trusts and ABLE accounts.
D20 – Introduction to the Birth to 3 Program, the Children’s Long-Term Support Waiver Program, and other Bureau of Children’s Services Programs – Lori Wittmann, Rachel Lettner
(Available on Zoom for Virtual Participants)
Families will learn about each of the programs, who is eligible for each program, and how a family would access each program that the Bureau of Children’s Services operates. The programs that will be presented on include: Birth to 3 Program, Children’s Long-Term Support Waivers, Children’s Community Options Program, Care 4 Kids, Wraparound Milwaukee, Children with Medical Complexities, and Katie Beckett Medicaid.
D21 – Introduction to Mindful Self-Compassion: An Essential Skill for Parents and Caregivers of Children Living with Disabilities – Jamie Lynn Tatera and Barbara Moser
As parents and caregivers of children living with disabilities, self-compassion is an essential skill that allows us to show up day after day with sustained compassion for our kids. Additionally, our self-compassionate example can help our children begin to develop their own inner compassionate voice. In this presentation, discover how self-compassion can help support you in your caregiving role, and leave with some practical skills you can immediately begin to use in your daily life.
D22 – Community-Based Funding Options – Dua Vang-Ramirez and other panel members
A panel of representatives from community-based and non-profit organizations (non-governmental) will share sources of funding for families who have children with disabilities. Staff from Variety, A Children’s Charity, will moderate the session and share resources and funding ideas.
D23 – Plain Language: How It Impacts You and Me – Molly Cooney, Shanice Baquet, Sydney Badeau
What is plain language? Why is it important? Come to our session to hear both the family and organization perspectives about how plain language impacts people. We’ll also talk about what you can do to advocate for its use and what agencies can do to make their materials easier to understand and act on.
D24 – Moving Towards More Integrated Transition Supports for Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities – Beth Guthrie Moss, Aracely Portillo and a panel of family members
Participants will learn about theWisconsin Integrated Transition Planning Project (WITPP) and how to get involved. WITPP brings together self-advocates, family members, and people who work in education, employment, and healthcare to help people get information about all aspects of transition in a more family-friendly way.
Session E – Friday, May 12, 10:30 – 11:45
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E25 – Fearless Future Planning – Stephanie Primm
(Available on Zoom for Virtual Participants)
Start the conversation with your family on what happens when your primary caregiver is no longer able to care for you. Learn about the conversations that should be had and how to work with your family to create or strengthen your circle of support for future independence.
E26 – Care Collaboration: Family, School and Provider Relationships / Colaboración de Cuidado: Familia, Escuela y Relaciones entre Proveedores – Suzanne Juzwik, Olen Bowen Graham and Paulette Berthelon (session will be in both English and Spanish)
(Available on Zoom for Virtual Participants)
During this session, families will learn about how to improve collaboration between school and outside providers. The saying “it takes a village” still rings true. Often providers work in silos, separate from each other. As the parent and advocate for your child, you have the power to ask that providers and school collaborate and you can help lead that collaboration for better outcomes.
E27 – Financial Literacy session #4: “In Real Life” – Delores Sallis, Philip Temme, Megan Walch
Panel Members will share their stories about long term supports, housing, employment, higher ed, supported decision making and more
E28 – The Unique View of Dads – Hector Portillo and Tim Markle
Come share your wisdom as a dad with other dads. We will discuss some of the unique challenges and strengths of being a father of a child with special health care needs/disabilities.
E29 – Let’s Talk about Rights – Sally Flaschberger
The Living Well grant will present on their Let’s Talk about Rights Guide for Families, Self-Advocates and Agencies. This guide teaches about human rights and how to support the person with a disability how to make choices.
E30 – The “No Wrong Door”– Supporting Wisconsin families of children with special care needs to have easier ways to identify, navigate, and access needed resources. Jessica Holland, Debra Borquist-Conlon
Department of Health Services staff will share the new “No Wrong Door” APRA initiative that will support families of children with special needs to find the right next step for their family following initial diagnosis or the initial need for assistance. This will include one branded name and a statewide number for the CYSHCN Regional Centers, a website with DHS resources, and information for families, providers and professionals.