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Families & Youth With Disabilities
Registration opens on December 9th.
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Saturday, January 25
 

9:30am CST

Trauma Informed Teaching/Parenting Practices: Interventions to Increase the Feelings of Safety and Reduce the Frequency of Difficult Behaviors in Neurodivergent Individuals
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Trauma is, unfortunately, something that individuals with disabilities are more likely to experience due to the fact that they have a disability. Trauma can increase “problem behaviors” and make it harder for the individual to learn new behaviors. This presentation will teach you why trauma can lead to an increase in inappropriate behaviors, why some interventions we use inadvertently make the trauma worse, what interventions are going to be most effective when working with individuals with disabilities who have experienced trauma and strategies parents and teachers can use to help the individuals in their care feel safe again.
Speakers
avatar for Tricia Lund

Tricia Lund

Owner, Summit Behavior Consulting
Tricia Lund is Certified Special Education Teacher who has taught for over 10 years in self-contained middle and high school classrooms. Tricia is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in the state of Texas and has used this certification in clinics, schools, home and community settings... Read More →
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST

9:30am CST

Home & Community Based Waivers (HCS/TxHML) and Community First Choice
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST
The Harris Center for Mental Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities will share information about the Home & Community Based Waiver (HCS), Texas Home Living Waiver (TxHML), as well as Community First Choice (CFC) attendant care.  
Speakers
AC

Annie Cuba

Director of Service Coordination, The Harris Center for Mental Health & IDD Services
AM

Alejandra McKinney

Director of CFC and General Revenue Services, The Harris Center for Mental Health & IDD Services
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST

9:30am CST

Building Readers at Home: Tips, Activities, and Red Flags
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Discover fun, practical activities to nurture your child’s oral language and decoding skills at home! This session will equip families with easy-to-implement strategies that turn everyday moments into opportunities for literacy growth. Learn how to support your child’s reading journey, identify key milestones, and recognize potential warning signs that may require further support. Empower your family to build a strong foundation for lifelong reading success!
Speakers
avatar for Lara Speights

Lara Speights

Vice President of Family Support and Adult Literacy, Neuhaus Education Cetner
Lara Speights is a dedicated literacy advocate and researcher who is passionate about creating systems that connect individuals and families to evidence-based literacy experiences. Her expertise lies in dyslexia therapy, with a particular focus on working with emerging bilinguals... Read More →
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST

9:30am CST

Dyslexia Handbook Overview
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST
To help parents understand the Texas Dyslexia Handbook 2024, how it supports children with dyslexia, and how they can use the information to support their child.
Speakers
avatar for Natalie Pruitt

Natalie Pruitt

Education Specialist I, Region 4 ESC
My educational journey, evolving from my early years as a Special Education Teacher to my leadership roles, reflects a commitment to implementing and overseeing impactful programs. With a robust educational background and a steadfast dedication to professional development, my mission... Read More →
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST

9:30am CST

Tech Talk with BridgingApps: Apps, Transition to Adulthood, and More!
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST
BridgingApps is a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston that provides resources, education, and information
on apps and mobile devices to help people with disabilities target, improve skills, and reach their highest levels of
physical, social, and cognitive development. This presentation will include how to find apps that are beneficial for
all ages and abilities in our app database, as well as an overview TexasYouth2Adult.org, an easy to use platform
designed to help empower families, including youth, to begin planning early, ask the right questions and find
information to successfully make the transition into adulthood.
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST

9:30am CST

Government Benefits 101 - Understanding SSI and Medicaid, SSDI and Medicare as well as Childhood Disability Benefits
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST
In this session, we will review SSI & Medicaid, SSDI & Medicare, and Childhood Disability Benefits. We will review when and how to apply, how to be prepared for your appointment, and how to maintain eligibility going forward. You will learn how to maximize benefits for your family. Many of our children with disabilities do not qualify for SSI & Medicaid as minors. The landscape changes when they turn 18. Whether you are already getting benefits and aren't sure if your benefits are maximized or you need guidance on how to get started, this session is for you. Join us as we explain how to successfully plan for your future.
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST

9:30am CST

Post Secondary Indicators of Success
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Neurodiverse individuals often struggle to successfully transition into young adulthood. The social, cognitive, and organizational requirements of college, employment, and independent living can be challenging for these adolescents as they strive to adapt to new environments. Their diversity presents unique abilities to see the world differently which impact their significance in the world. The neurodiversity movement suggests a disability is not a defect, but comes from the interaction between a neurodiverse individual and an unaccommodating environment (Chapman, 2020; Leadbitter et al., 2021). This movement calls for improving the quality of life and mental health of neurodiverse individuals. Charged with improving the quality of life for these individuals, I did a study to determine predictors of success as students move into young adulthood by exploring relationships between independent variables, drawn from elements of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, the Social Thinking- Social Communication Profile , their diagnosis, and the dependent variables of college participation, employment, and independent living.
 
Learning Objective 1 *
Identify Key Indicators for Success in Young Adulthood
Learning Objective 2 *
Present Programming Structure that Supports Growth in Key Areas
Learning Objective 3 *
Cite Findings From Studies Specific to Postsecondary Success
Learning Objective 4 *
Discuss Practical Application for Improving Success
Saturday January 25, 2025 9:30am - 10:30am CST

11:00am CST

Systems That Stick: Positive Routines for Lifelong Success
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST
This presentation explores how structured routines and sustainable behavior systems empower young adults with Autism to thrive in various settings. Attendees will learn practical strategies to create routines that promote independence, reduce stress, and build skills essential for long-term success at home, work, and beyond. 
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Stefanie Rodriguez

Dr. Stefanie Rodriguez

Site Manager, Social Motion Skills
Dr. Stefanie Rodriguez, brings over 20 years of experience in special education. As a former teacher, administrator, district behavior specialist, and program specialist for students with Autism, Intellectual Disabilities, and Emotional Disorders, she combines professional expertise... Read More →
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST

11:00am CST

Protecting Your Child With A Disability
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST
Learn the 10 steps you need to take to help you plan for the future care of your child with a disability and build a fortress of protection.
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST

11:00am CST

El tratamiento de Autismo Usando La Terapia de PRT basado en ABA.
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST
Spanish:
El tratamiento de respuesta fundamental, o PRT, es un tratamiento conductual para el autismo. Esta terapia se basa en el juego y la inicia el niño. El PRT se basa en los principios del análisis conductual aplicado (ABA).


Los objetivos de este enfoque incluyen:


  1. Desarrollo de las habilidades de comunicación y lenguaje
  2. Aumento de las conductas sociales positivas
  3. Control de las conductas autoestimulantes disruptivas
El terapeuta PRT se centra en las áreas "fundamentales" del desarrollo de un niño en lugar de trabajar en una conducta específica. Al centrarse en las áreas fundamentales, el PRT produce mejoras en otras áreas de las habilidades sociales, la comunicación, la conducta y el aprendizaje.
--   ---  ---  ---  ---  ---  -- 
English:
Pivotal Response Treatment, or PRT, is a behavioral treatment for autism. This therapy is play-based and initiated by the child. PRT is based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).


Goals of this approach include:


  1. Development of communication and language skills
  2. Increasing positive social behaviors
  3. Relief from disruptive self-stimulatory behaviors
The PRT therapist targets “pivotal” areas of a child’s development instead of working on one specific behavior. By focusing on pivotal areas, PRT produces improvements across other areas of social skills, communication, behavior and learning.
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST

11:00am CST

Real Talk About Relationships, Sexuality, and Safety
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST
People with IDD are up to 9 times more likely than others to experience sexual abuse/assault. Most people are harmed by people they know and most abuse is not reported. SES has spent five years researching this issue. We learned that this epidemic thrives in silence and darkness. So we created “Seen and Heard: IDD Community.” This social-media based video series shares the views and experiences of self-advocates. They talk about flirting, false friends, relationships, and more. We have also created toolkits for professionals, self-advocates, and family members. They tie together videos with discussion guides, role-plays, and other tools. We can prevent sexual assault and abuse together with real talk and open hearts. Join us to learn how!
Speakers
avatar for James Meadours

James Meadours

Advocacy & Outreach Lead, Strategic Education Solutions
James Meadours is a leading advocate for the rights of people with IDD. He has served as President of People First of Oklahoma, Chair of Self Advocates Becoming Empowered, and President of Texas Advocates. He is also a recipient of The Arc’s Catalyst award and serves on both the... Read More →
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST

11:00am CST

The Self-Advocate Network: For Self-Advocates, by Self-Advocates
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST
Self-advocates have unique skills and experiences. Yet they are often excluded from projects about their lives. Most project staff want to work with people with IDD. But finding each other and working well together is hard. This session describes our new Self-Advocate Network. It is based on our participatory action research funded by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities. We teach people with IDD, researchers, and project staff to work well together. We will share our training, tools, and resources. Attendees will leave our session ready to work together to do amazing things!
Speakers
avatar for Cynthia Burrow

Cynthia Burrow

President, Strategic Education Solutions
Cynthia Burrow owns Strategic Education Solutions (SES). SES creates learning programs, does research, and evaluates projects that support people with IDD. Her projects, funded by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, include The Virtual Job Coach for career planning... Read More →
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST

11:00am CST

Another cliff?!!! Health Care Transition for young adults with a disability/chronic medical condition.
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST
Your child is approaching adulthood (as defined by the age of 18). You already know there are transitions ahead. The school bus won't be coming anymore. Your young adult might continue receiving school services, or he/she might be graduating and figuring out the next steps. We call those transitions "the cliff" since so many of us are not totally prepared and the reality of no longer qualifying for state/federally mandated supports.  But...there is another CLIFF most of us don't see coming!  The Health Care Transition Cliff!  And health care goals can be built into an IEP.  Start preparing here.
Saturday January 25, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST

12:30pm CST

Preparing for Change: Coping with 2025 and Beyond
Saturday January 25, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CST
Thinking about change and what the future might bring can produce anxiety symptoms including, but not limited to physical complaints and illness, sleep disturbances, irritability, and depression. To combat negative outcomes, there are research driven ways to plan, act, and remain flexible to change. Come join the discussion on how to cope, focusing on the positives when the world experiences rapid change.
Saturday January 25, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CST

12:30pm CST

What might your child's behavior be telling you?
Saturday January 25, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CST
Trauma.  We don't usually think of ourselves/our child/our families as experiencing a lot of trauma but let's redefine "trauma" as it applies to children/adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities.  Many of our kids experience what we call a "trauma response" and it might demonstrate itself in some form of behavior...which most professionals want to address with efforts to change, eliminate, or punish the behavior.  Instead let's look at the concepts of trauma, trauma-informed care, and appropriate responses to a possible trauma response.
Saturday January 25, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CST

12:30pm CST

Introduction to Postsecondary Transition Planning
Saturday January 25, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CST
This presentation will review, not only the changes to the current Graduation options but the new requirement by Texas to have postsecondary transition plans in place before the student's 14th birthday. A brief overview of the transition services in Texas for students with an IEP will be reviewed.
Speakers
DT

Dr. Theresa Cortney

Education Specialist II - Transition, Educational Service Center Region 4
Dr. Theresa Cortney has over 25 years of educational experience working with students with disabilities in the area of post-secondary transition planning. Dr. Cortney's expertise in vocational programming and job development opportunities for students based on student postsecondary... Read More →
Saturday January 25, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CST
 
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