Welcome to the official website for the 2024 TASH Conference!
Each year, the TASH Conference brings together our constituents to share resources and success stories, learn about field-driven best practices, and network within a community engaged in shared values. The Conference is attended by passionate leaders, experts, and advocates from every corner of the disability community. Conference attendees are influential in their fields and communities, and play an important role in the provision of services and supports for individuals and organizations around the world; and include professors and researchers from leading institutions; those involved in local, state, and federal governments and public policy; special and general educators, and school administrators; self-advocates, adult service providers; students, family members, and many others. This year’s conference theme is Celebrate Together: Let the Good Times Roll!
Click on the "Registration and More" tab for additional information about our Conference location, registration, reserving a guest room, sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, and more! The full Conference schedule is now available for viewing. Registered attendees will receive an invitation to log in and create a personalized schedule.
Who is the leader you are looking for. In this session, we hope to turn that question on its head. “How do we encourage others to be courageous and embrace their leadership†As supportive leaders, we can nurture a culture of kindness and connectedness that creates a fertile ground for people to build relationships and step into their own leadership roles with confidence. Are there ways for us to build up others in ways that empower them to challenge the status quo? Is there way to build a culture where courage isn’t needed? Where people just do “the next right thing� How does privilege impact leadership? Have we set up a culture that allows for everyone to be able to bring issues to light? How do we make space for relationships that allow marginalized people to be able to grow and exercise leadership? Please join us for a very interactive session with lots of conversation and fun. We will explore what qualities of a leader are and define the kind of leaders we want and need.
Sheldon Schwitek has been supporting individuals with complex behavioural needs in the United Statesb and in Canada for over decades. He was introduced to the founding members of the Marsha Forest Center in 1990 and became a facilitator of the person-centered processes of MAPS, PATH... Read More →
After ten years of working in a segregated Mental Health setting as a Music Therapist at New Hampshire Hospital and serving as a member of the National Music Therapy Association’s Training Committee LyAnn found inspiration. She was inspired by KFI's mission to provide supports... Read More →
President Barack Obama signed the ABLE Act on December 19, 2014, as part of the Tax Extenders package. This law allows eligible individuals with disabilities to have a tax-advantaged saving account; modeled after 529 college plan accounts. Account funds can be used for a range of qualified expenses related to the disability of the individual.
SpecialCare is a program developed by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) since 2004 that provides access to information and resources to families with dependents who have a disability. Our mission is to help educate families and caregivers about the importance... Read More →
Friday December 6, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST
Celestin Ballroom: Celestin AHyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
This presentation delves into community-based instruction (CBI) training for direct support professionals engaged in home and community-based services (HCBS). It sheds light on developing and implementing a train-the-trainer (T/T) model designed to enhance the skills of HCBS providers, support compliance with the Settings Rule, and foster meaningful community involvement. Through a collaborative effort, project staff, HCBS providers, and family advocacy organizations have crafted a curriculum that addresses CBI's core needs and objectives. The presenters will discuss the systematic framework and the built-in fidelity measures of the T/T model, encompassing both trainer and learner competencies. Participants will leave with a comprehensive understanding of the projects foundation, its collaborative development process, and the impactful outcomes of the training initiative, thus paving the way for improved service delivery and community participation among HCBS providers.
Hi! I'm Aubrey Snyder. First and foremost, I am a twin sibling to a brother who has Down syndrome and hearing impairments. As a sister, I am incredibly passionate about working within the disability community to improve the services and supports, systems, and society that we work... Read More →
Director of Research and Training, Utah State University
Tim is the Director of the Research and Training Division at the Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice with an appointment as research associate professor in the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation at Utah State University. Tim has 30 years of experience... Read More →
We examined the social support networks of parents of adults with IDD, including members of their support networks, satisfaction with network members, and supports parents need to be effective caregivers for their adult son or daughter with IDD. Findings point to small social networks and the need for tangible support, social support, help navigating services, and future planning. Findings have important implications for research, practice, and policy.
Assistant Professor of Special Education, California State University Long Beach
Hello! My name is Kelli Sanderson. I am an Assistant Professor of Special Education at California State University, Long Beach. I am also coordinator of the Special Education graduate program and the Applied Disability Studies certificate. I am focused on advocacy and collaboration... Read More →
Friday December 6, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST
Foster 1Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
Although nearly all law enforcement officers (LEOs) report responding to calls with autistic individuals, as few as 9% of officers receive training specific to autism. To address this issue, in 2022, a multidisciplinary team (MDT) began designing Interaction with Neurodiverse Citizens: Training Effective Response And Communication (INTERAC), an autism-specific training, in collaboration with a local police lieutenant. Based on prior research on essential content for autism-specific training for LEOs and three rounds of feedback from the lieutenant, the team launched the training during shift debrief meetings for LEOs. INTERAC includes didactic presentation, body camera footage and scenarios, and resources, and was delivered by the MDT, which includes two Autistic adults. This presentation at TASH will share the process for the development and implementation of the training, the perspectives of all trainers, including the Autistic adults, and results and input from the LEOs.
State developmental disability systems provide critical supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. But, many people with autism and medically fragile children may not qualify for services. Hear how North Dakota is partnering with self-advocates and families to redefine their approach to supports through the lens of the All.
I'm a mom of two children with level 3 autism and also a poet. We live in Santa Cruz, California with their dad, and I'm their paid family caregiver. Recently I completed a chapbook of poetry entitled Wabe-sabe. Through these poems, I explore our lives and the impact that autism--and the people around us who observe but do not understand our family--have on us. My poems are through the lens of a mother, a caregiver, a Turkish-American Muslim, a guide to this world we live in. They are intended to invite you in and give you a glimpse of our experiences. In this TASH Talk, I will read a couple of my poems and invite audience questions.
We began to provide personalized community living supports in the early 1990's, when people were able to rent, lease, and/or obtain housing vouchers to access a home of their own with the supports they needed. Over the past ten years, opportunities for housing vouchers have become relatively non-existent in CA, rent prices no longer allow people who rely on SSI/SSDI benefits alone to afford rent. The only people able to move into a home of their own now must have a "silver spoon"; (funding from family, sustainable employment, or other secure financing). This creates a huge divide between the "haves' and the "have nots". Adults continue to live with their aging parents. Alternative community living options options have become more restrictive, reverting back to congregate, segregated options, which goes against our philosophy of full inclusion at TASH. We will facilitate a discussion on the FUTURE of Community Living and how we can get the good times rolling again!
Scott Shepard is the Executive Director of Avenues Supported Living Services, a non-profit agency which provides community living and personalized day supports to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in North Los Angeles County. With Avenues SLS, we had the opportunity... Read More →
Friday December 6, 2024 3:25pm - 4:20pm CST
Imperial 5CHyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
For 30 years a direct support workforce crisis has worsened over time. Long-term services and support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who receive or are waiting for services are threatened. State systems, providers, people who self-direct, & advocates scramble for solutions. Leaders from RI and MN will share evaluation results of their multi-level effort to reduce turnover and vacancy rates. Interventions and outcomes will be shared. Each entity has its unique motivation, responsibility, intervention, and targeted outcomes, and all are informed by multi-stakeholders (e.g., DSPs, people with IDD, families, state agencies, advocates, employers) who co-created a statewide plan to address DSP and supervisor retention. To date, they have collectively reduced statewide turnover to 16% and vacancy rates to 14% (below the national averages). Formative and summative evaluation findings show that efforts produced promising outcomes for sustainability and replication.
As the U.S. population rapidly ages, it is critical that systems are in place to meet the ever-diversifying needs of people receiving services. National Core Indicators—Aging and Disabilities™ (NCI-AD™) Adult Consumer Survey (ACS) illuminate health and service outcomes among people aging with disabilities. We will discuss the current state of healthcare access and prevalence of long-term health conditions that impact this group, as well as how outcomes differ by demographic characteristics. In particular, we will delve into critical social determinants such as food insecurity, relationships, and community access that have unique and compounding effects on aging and disability. Information presented will enhance understanding of ways to support healthy aging and anticipate trends among those using long-term services and supports (LTSS) that are critical to build and maintain person-centered systems of supports.
Friday December 6, 2024 4:35pm - 5:30pm CST
Foster 1Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
This presentation will examine the HCBS Waiver Final Rule and the services and supports that people with disabilities can use to create a fully inclusive life. Concepts of Self-Determination will be discussed with an emphasis on how the theory translates into real life planning for full integration into the community.
I'd love to bring my dog everywhere with me! We'd love another pet; let's get a service dog! Does my dog need special training to be a service dog? Can I train my own dog to be a service dog? There are many misconceptions about service dogs and how to obtain one. A service dog trainer and user discuss factors involved in determining if a service dog is right for you. These factors include eligibility and knowledge of ADA; physical factors involved in handling a dog; and financial aspects such as veterinary care, food, medication, and grooming. Housing issues such as space and relief areas, and family issues involving allergies or acquiring a dog exclusively for one family member must be considered as well. Perspective service dog users must also understand the dog training industry and how to select a qualified trainer or organization, and dog training principles if self training a service dog.
In this presentation, we will describe a mixed-methods research study completed in collaboration with a Southern California Regional Center. First, we will briefly discuss a secondary analysis of Regional Center client data which revealed significant under-utilization of allocated services for school-aged clients. Then, we will report on a series of focus groups conducted with parents/caregivers of school-aged children (5-22 years) eligible for regional center services. Primary questions for this inquiry focused on barriers and facilitators for service use for families of children with disabilities and how the regional center could improve service delivery to ensure best outcomes.
Associate Professor of Early Childhood Special Education, California State University LA
My primary research interests focus on supporting families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related Developmental Disabilities in two ways; through Parent to Parent social support and through parent-mediated interventions for social communication. Additionally... Read More →
Friday December 6, 2024 5:45pm - 7:15pm CST
Storyville HallHyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
A&M partnered with South Dakota to assess the Family Support 360 waiver and the Shared Living component of the CHOICES waiver, and to issue recommendations to maximize impact of these programs in helping to support South Dakotans with I/DD in the most interdependent settings possible. We worked with South Dakota Department of Human services to create a trajectory for the vision for developmental disabilities services. We used the Charting the LifeCourse trajectory tool to map out what was important for both people and their families, and the system. We started with the end in mind: the vision for DD services in South Dakota. Then, we partnered together to identify steps along the path to realizing the vision, including pitfalls to avoid.
Friday December 6, 2024 5:45pm - 7:15pm CST
Storyville HallHyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
The direct support workforce continues to be in crisis, struggling with high retention rates and resulting in an unstable system of support for people with disabilities. Many employers and states nationwide are trying innovative techniques to keep their workers and stabilize the workforce. During this presentation, we will explore the vital role of a stable and well-trained direct support workforce in supporting the lives of individuals and give some techniques and tips for stabilizing your workforce. We will discuss the importance of a well-trained, retained workforce and the status of the workforce nationwide. You will learn of recruitment, selection, training, and retention techniques to build committed and well-trained direct support professionals and hear from an organization that has implemented these strategies with success. Join us to reflect on your current workforce and make a plan to continue to engage your workforce to result in highly skilled, highly retained workers.
How do we know the services we are providing are what people really want? How do we know people are getting not just what they need but what they want? TLC has embarked on a quest to answer these questions. We have invited an independent team to come and spend a week with the people receiving services investigating these questions. Using a mixture of mediums (art, observation, story telling, group chats and 1:1 discussions), the team will "interview" people. TLC is interested in truly understanding how effective we are in supporting people to live the lives they need and want. This information, along with surveys of staff and families will be a part of our planning for the future of the agency. We are excited to share our process, how it went and what we learned. Representatives from TLC and the independent team will share their experiences.
Our presentation will explore developing and using realistic job previews (RJPs) as a critical selection tool when hiring direct support professionals. Unclear job expectations are why most employees leave within the first six months, accounting for 41% of turnover and an average cost of $5,000 per employee. A well-designed RJP, illustrating both positive and negative aspects of the job, can reduce early turnover and enhance new employee commitment by enabling them to make an informed decision.
Despite the 1999 Olmstead v. L. C. decision upholding the right to community integration and community living, the state of Illinois continues to operate seven state operated institutions for some Illinois residents with IDD. Going Home Coalition (GHC), formed in 2010, is an advocacy coalition comprised of a diverse statewide network of mostly self-advocates along with families, community providers, and allies whose mission is to advocate for systems change to transition away from institutional living and increase community supports. GHC’s broadest accomplishment to effect systems change is through their civic engagement and collective action of bringing conversations into the public discourse. The purpose of this study is to understand how and to what extent members of the Coalition engage in civic engagement activities. In addition, we sought to understand the barriers and facilitators members with disability have in civic engagement.
Kim Fisher is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at Illinois State University. She studies how social networks and social capital promote community participation and social inclusion for adolescents and young adults with IDD and the role access to information... Read More →
Saturday December 7, 2024 11:15am - 12:15pm CST
Celestin Ballroom: Celestin BHyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
Parents who barrier-busted obstacles to ensure full inclusion throughout their now adult daughter's lifespan, discuss John’s recent admission to Kathy about his lack of faith in their ability to break down those barriers. He never shared this before because he wanted to be supportive of her vision and efforts. This presentation shows how our own attitudinal barriers can be as impactful as the systemic barriers that face people who have disabilities. His thoughts eventually evolved into a paradigm shift as successes accumulated. Barrier-elimination became the norm. Alexa benefited by attending regular classes in schools, accessing needed technology, a wheelchair lift on the regular bus, skating in her chair at the ice rink, using a power beach chair, being a statistician of a girls' ice hockey team, attending college, becoming employed, owning a vehicle a home of her own, and more. Stories, steps taken, lessons learned, and how other families can do the same will be shared.
This presentation sheds light on the pervasive disparities faced specifically by womxn with disabilities in accessing sexual and reproductive health care services. Despite advancements in medical technology and healthcare policies, significant barriers persist, hindering their ability to receive essential screenings and treatments. Drawing from personal experiences and community insights, this presentation will examine the multifaceted challenges encountered by people with disabilities when seeking proactive health screenings, such as mammograms, ultrasounds, or pap smears. Key barriers include physical obstacles, such as inaccessible exam tables and weight scales, which prevent individuals from undergoing necessary screenings. Moreover, systemic ableism perpetuates discriminatory attitudes among healthcare providers, leading to the dismissal of preventive medicine as a viable option for people with disabilities.
Nonspeaking and minimally-speaking learners are among the most marginalized students in school settings. Historically, students without spoken communication have been segregated to self-contained learning environments that offer students little to no choice in their education. While families and advocates still routinely have to fight for access, inclusion, and equity in schools, communities like ours have come together to build learning environments that meet the expressed needs of our nonspeaking and minimally-speaking students. By listening to and learning from these individuals, Reach Every Voice has designed multiple learning environments that our students describe as “a space created with disability celebrated [that] feels like a friend’s hug folding me in its warmth.†This presentation explores how communities around the nation have successfully designed learning environments driven by the voiced desires of their nonspeaking and minimally-speaking students.
Lisa Mihalich Quinn, M.A / M.Ed. is a licensed special educator with more than 15 years of experience making academic content accessible for neurodiverse students and learners who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). She is a former Public Schools teacher and the... Read More →
Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST
Foster 2Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
Home ownership is often overlooked as a viable option for people with intellectual disabilities. This personal story will reflect the realities of home ownership including the challenges faced but also the positive outcomes including stability (both geographically and financially), opportunities for community connection and relationships, and real self-determination.
After ten years of working in a segregated Mental Health setting as a Music Therapist at New Hampshire Hospital and serving as a member of the National Music Therapy Association’s Training Committee LyAnn found inspiration. She was inspired by KFI's mission to provide supports... Read More →
Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST
Imperial 10Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
