SCHEDULE FOR CONFERENCE
WITH SPEAKERS
Still in formation and subject to change
Friday, November 15, 2019
8 am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
All Day
Networking Expo
Meet individuals and organizations that can assist you with the Self-Determination Program, such as Financial Management Services, Independent Facilitators, service providers, advocates, and others
Scavenger Hunt
Participate in a fun and interesting scavenger hunt to meet others at the conference who can help you with the Self-Determination Program and win you a prize!
9:00 am
Welcome
Judy Mark,
President, Disability Voices United
Kim Sinclair,
Executive Director, Autism Society of Los Angeles
9:20 am
Opening Remarks
Nancy Bargmann
, Director, California Department of Developmental Services
9:35 am
Panel: Just the Facts: How the Self-Determination Program Really Works
Knowledgeable self-advocates; family members; and leaders from DDS, regional centers, and national self-determination organizations will provide accurate information and answer all of your questions about the Self-Determination Program
- Catherine Blakemore, Disability Rights California
- Liz Harrell, Department of Developmental Services
- Tim Jin, Self-Advocate, Disability Voices United
- Mollie Murphy, Applied Self-Direction
- Amy Westling, Association of Regional Center Agencies
- Rick Wood, Parent of SD Pilot Participant, Kern Regional Center
11 am
Break
11:15 am
Experience the Principles of Self-Determination Breakouts
FREEDOM!
The freedom to exercise the same rights as all citizens: to establish, with freely chosen supporters, family and friends, where they want to live, with whom they want to live, how their time will be occupied, and who supports them.
- Witness a live Person-Centered Plan conducted by Sally Burton-Hoyle, PhD in English or a live Person-Centered Plan conducted in Spanish.
- Or choose to hear from participants who have already completed their plans and hear how they went about it.
- Plan for Howard McBroom facilitated by Sonni Bendetson Charness
- Plan for Tina Ewing facilitated by Doug Pascover
- The final breakout will present a skit showing the right way and wrong way to conduct a Person-Centered Plan and will show you how to expand your circles of support through a fun Bingo game
12:30 pm
Lunch Buffet
Lunch networking options:
- Self-Advocates
- Families of Younger Children
- Families of Transition Youth
- Families of Older Adults
1:30 pm Experience the Principles of Self-Determination Breakouts
AUTHORITY!
The ability to control a certain sum of dollars in order to purchase services and supports of their choosing.
Adding It All Up: Creating a Spending Plan
Hear from Financial Management Services and Independent Facilitators who
will walk you through the process
- Sonni Bendetson Charness, Independent Facilitator
- Tim Jin, Self-Advocate, Disability Voices United
- Rob Lewis, GT Independence
- Christine Sheppard, Community Interface Services
- Rick Wood, Parent of Pilot Participant, Kern RC
Unmet Need and Change in Circumstances: Changing Your Individual Budget Amount
Learn how you can advocate for a change in your individual budget
- Fernando Gomez, Parent, Disability Voices United
- Bebo Saab, Disability Rights California
The Budget Tool: What Is It and How Do We Use It?
Regional centers will use a budget calculator to help figure out your individual
budget amount. Speakers will be experts on the tool and will walk you
through it so that everyone can understand it
- Liz Harrell, Department of Developmental Services
- Gabriella Ohmstede, San Diego Regional Center
Creating a Spending Plan and Changing Your Budget en Español
This Spanish-language session will cover how to create a spending plan, how to change your individual budget, and how to use the budget tool.
- Patty Adams, Community Interface Services
- Cesar Garcia, Westside Regional Center
- Elizabeth Gomez, Parent, Integrated Community Collaborative
- Kelly Kulzer-Reyes, Parent, Disability Voices United
- Alma Morales, Premier Healthcare
You Can Do It! A Plain Language Explanation of the Individual Budget and Spending Plan
Does all this seem really hard to understand? This session will help you and
answer all of your questions
- Richard Dier, Parent, NLACRC Advisory Committee
- Victor Lira, Premier Healthcare
- Maria Marquez, Self-Advocate, State Council on Developmental Disabilities
- Doug Pascover, Imagine SLS, Pilot Independent Facilitator
- Willie West, Self-Advocate, Pilot Participant, Redwood Coast RC
3 pm
Break and Networking Expo
3:30 pm
Experience the Principles of Self-Determination Breakouts
SUPPORT!
Ability to arrange resources and personnel, both formal and informal, that will assist a person with a disability to live a life in his or her community that is rich in community participation and contributions.
Game Show: Can You Do That in Self-Determination?
Learn together about whether the SDP can fund different services in a fun
way. If the SDP can’t fund it, brainstorm on where else it can be funded.
Game Show Host: Andrew Hain, Self-Advocate
Panel of Experts:
- Liz Harrell, Department of Developmental Services
- Megan Mendes, Westside Regional Center
- Christine Sheppard, Community Interface Services
Everyone Can Make Choices: Making the SDP Work for Participants Who Are Non- or Minimally Speaking
Hear from non-speaking individuals, family members, and experts about how
to ensure everyone gets to authentically participate in the Self-Determination
Program
- Tami Barmache, Parent of Non-Speaking Person with Autism
- Sally Burton-Hoyle, Eastern Michigan University
- Darlene Hanson, REACH Services
- Gaby Valner, Self-Advocate
I’m the Boss: Hiring and Managing Your Workers and Service Providers
Get tips for managing your staff from expert self-advocates and others, and
learn how to get help to do it. This session will include role plays to practice
managing workers and advice on how to set boundaries.
- Tim Jin, Self-Advocate, SD Local Advisory Committee, RC of Orange County
- Scott Shepard, Avenues Supported Living Services
- Carolyn Tellalian, Parent, SD Local Advisory Committee, Central Valley RC
- Willie West, SD Pilot Participant, Redwood Coast RC
Building Trust: Cultural Issues with Hiring Workers en Español
Not everyone is comfortable hiring non-family members to take care of them
or their loved ones. This discussion will talk honestly about how the SDP can
help support all participants
- Sandra Aldana, Self-Advocate, State Council on Developmental Disabilities
- Fernando Gomez, Parent, Integrated Community Collaborative
- Alma Morales, Premier Healthcare
Which Model Is Right for Me? The FMS that Will Support Me Best
Find out about the different models of FMS and which one fits your life
- Harvey Lapin, Parent, Disability Voices United
- Rob Lewis, GT Independence
- Victor Lira, Premier Healthcare
- Mollie Murphy, Applied Self-Direction
5:00 pm
Reception and Celebration
6:00 pm
Performance of Identity: The Musical
A musical about self-determination featuring music and rap written by the participants of
The Miracle Project,
an inclusive theater program for individuals of all abilities
7:30 pm
SILENT DISCO!
Have a blast and be self-determined at this dance party where everyone will use headsets and listen to different channels of music selected by self-advocate "DJs."
Saturday, November 16, 2019
8 – 9 am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
All Day
Self-Advocate Micro-Enterprise Fair
Self-advocates will promote their small businesses and conference attendees will have the opportunity to purchase products, such as books, baked goods, jewelry, art, and other goods and services
Networking Expo
Meet individuals and organizations that can assist you with the Self-Determination Program, such as Financial Management Services, Independent Facilitators, service providers, advocates, and others
Scavenger Hunt
Participate in a fun and interesting scavenger hunt to meet others at the conference who can help you with the Self-Determination Program and win you a prize!
9 am
Experience the Principles of Self-Determination Breakouts
RESPONSIBILITY!
This includes the ability of participants to take responsibility for decisions in their own lives and to be accountable for the use of public dollars, and to accept a valued role in their community through, for example, competitive employment, organizational affiliations, spiritual development, and general caring of others in their community.
Self-Determination Assisting with Transitions
Explore how the SDP can assist with transitions out of school and into adulthood, out of developmental centers and congregate settings, and into life as an older adult
- Killian Hynes, Self-Advocate
- Connie Lapin, Parent, Disability Voices United
- Will Sanford, Sanford Creative and Consulting Services
- Moderator: Katie Hornberger, Disability Rights California
Employment, Micro-Enterprises
Learn about how the SDP can help find unique employment opportunities or help you start a business
- Sandra Aldana, Self-Advocate, SCDD
- Stephen Hinkle, Self-Advocate and PhD Student, Chapman University
- Amy Ostrowski, Sibling, Strategic Employment Solutions
Making the World a Better Place: Volunteerism, Worship, Voting, and Community Participation
This session will feature self-determination participants and family members who understand the importance of using the SDP to become full community members and enjoy a full life
- Diana Pastora Carson, Sibling, Disability Voices United
- Howard McBroom, Self-Advocate, SD Local Advisory Committee Lanterman RC
- Kishan Sreedhar, Family Member, PRAGNYA
- Mulugeta Tadele, Parent, Ethiopian Parents Support Group
All Together Now! The Rules Requiring Integration in the Self-Determination Program
The SDP requires that all services allow full access to the community. Find out
what this means and how the SDP can facilitate inclusion from experts and self-
advocates
- Jim Knight, Department of Developmental Services
- Kelly Kulzer-Reyes, Parent, California Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition
- Gabriella Ohmstede, San Diego Regional Center
- Lori Shepard, Avenues Supported Living Services
- Diana Ugalde-Lara, Self-Advocate, SD Local Advisory Committee SCLARC
Supported Decision-Making
–
For parents of teenagers or young adults who are not conserved
This session is limited to 15 parents who will participate in a focus group on supported decision-making. Parents will receive a gift card for their participation. Advance registration required and coming soon
10:30 am
Preparing for the Self-Determination Program: Self-Determination Stations
Get a “passport” stamped at each station as you learn techniques to be
active and healthy citizens, manage workers, and make sure staff
understand how you want to be supported. The stations include:
- One-Page Profiles
- Supported Decision-Making Documents
- Communication Dictionary
- My Expectations for My Support Staff
- Circles of Support
- Voter registration
- Creating Healthy menus
- Keep moving and staying healthy
- Video modeling
Supported Decision-Making Session En Español - for parents of
teenagers or young adults who are not conserved
This session is limited to 15 parents (native Spanish speakers only) who will participate in a focus group on supported decision-making. Parents will receive a gift card for their participation. Advance registration required and coming soon.
Networking Sessions
- Regional Center Self-Determination Local Advisory Committees
- Independent Facilitators and Service Coordinators
- Self-Advocates
12:00 pm
Buffet Lunch
1:00 pm
Experience the Principles of Self-Determination Breakouts
CONFIRMATION!
This includes the critical role of participants and their families in making decisions in their own lives and designing and operating the system on which they rely.
It’s About Us: Models of Self-Advocate Leadership
Amazing self-advocate leaders will present how they are leading others
and contributing to making their own lives and others’ better
- Stephen Hinkle, Self-Advocate, PhD Student, Chapman University
- Nikita Wang, Self-Advocate, Self-Advocacy Board of LA County
- Dillan Barmache, Self-Advocate, Student at Cal Lutheran University
Reducing the Risk of Abuse and Ensuring Safety in the SDP
Experts on reducing the risk abuse of people with developmental disabilities will
present the measures that can be put in place to protect participants in the SDP
- Nora Baladerian, PhD, Disability and Abuse Project
Can the SDP Help to Reduce Racial, Ethnic, and Geographic Disparities?
(With Spanish interpretation)
Since individual budgets are based on previous expenses and people of color
experience significant disparities in the amount of services received, how can
we ensure that these disparities are not perpetuated in the SDP?
- Maia Pawooskar, Parent, SD Local Advisory Committee Inland RC
- Elizabeth Gomez, Parent, Integrated Community Collaborative
- Rosie Lasca, Parent, Autism Society of Los Angeles
Your Local Resource: The Self-Determination Local Advisory Committees
The ultimate part of the Confirmation principle is that self-advocates, with
support from families, design and operate the system on which they rely – and
that means the local advisory committees at every regional center. Hear from
the chairs of some of these committees about their oversight role.
- Michelle Smith, Central Valley RC Local Advisory Committee
- Kavita Sreedhar, San Andreas RC Local Advisory Committee
- Moderated by: Liz Harrell, Department of Developmental Services
Rethinking Conservatorship in the Context of Self-Determination: Supported Decision-Making in the SDP
Conservatorship and self-determination can sometimes contradict one another,
as the person’s choices should be paramount. Learn about an alternative to
conservatorship called Supported Decision-Making and how you can make it
work.
- Suzanne Bennett Francisco, Parent, Exceptional Rights Advocacy
- Ann Bui, Sibling, California Foundation for Independent Living Centers
- Ryan Easterly, WITH Foundation
- Joshua Erenmark, Self-Advocate who uses supported decision-making
- Dohn Hoyle, Arc of Michigan
- Dr. Clarissa Kripke, UCSF Office of Developmental Primary Care
2:30 pm
Making Sure Self-Determination Is Working: Oversight and Evaluation
The final panel includes individuals who are leaders in legislative and statewide organizations who are responsible for oversight and evaluation of the self-determination program to ensure it is implemented correctly
- Jim Knight, Department of Developmental Services
- Aaron Carruthers, State Council on Developmental Disabilities
- Sonja Petek, California Legislative Analyst Office
- Alison Morantz, Stanford I/DD Law and Policy Project
- Amy Westling, Association of Regional Center Agencies
- Joe Parra, California Senate Republican Policy Office
4:00 pm
Conference ends
