After each monthly webinar, a copy of the presentation as well as any additional resources will be posted here. Please note that the information presented was accurate and up to date at the time it was presented. We have archived past webinars for informational purposes but cannot guarantee accuracy of webinar information after the presentation date.
August 11, 2020 – Successful Collaboration Between Disability Advocates and Police in Western Suburbs
Speakers include Jennifer Hillgoth of the Aurora Police Department, Special Needs Aurora Police Program (SNAPP) and Jim Pacetti of the Naperville Police Department Caring Hands Emergency Response Program.
Officers Hillgoth and Pacetti will describe the programs created at both suburban police departments aimed at helping keep people with disabilities safe, and enlightening police officers.
-How the idea for SNAPP and Caring Hands came to the police departments
-The goals of SNAPP and Caring Hands
-How the programs work
-The responsibility of the consumer
-The geographical limits, department sharing, and more!
Click here for Presentation Handout: Contact Information
July 21, 2020 – La Administración del Seguro Social – Entendiendo sus Beneficios
Presentado por: La Srta Josephine Mueller Especialista en Asuntos Públicos con La Administracion del Seguridad Social (SSA).
Los programas del Seguro Social como parte de su camino de la vida. Esta presentación proporcionará información sobre los beneficios y programas del Seguro Social que incluyen:
• ¿Qué significa FICA?
• ¿Qué es el programa de incapacidad – SSDI?
• ¿Qué es el programa de incapacidad – SSI? • Qué hay de nuevo en 2020
Click here for webinar presentation slides: July 2020 SSA Webinar
July 14, 2020 – Social Security – Understanding the Benefits, Presented by Josephine Mueller, Public Affairs Specialist, Social Security Administration.
Social Security is with you through life’s journey. This presentation will provide information on Social Security benefits and programs including:
What is FICA
What is SSDI
What is SSI
What’s New in 2020
Josephine Mueller is a Spanish Bilingual Public Affairs Specialist for the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the Chicagoland area. Josephine has embraced her critical role for informing the public about Social Security programs and benefits. Her passion for sharing information has provided her a platform on Chicago Access Live Television Network for several years and you can find her on you tube. This platform has given her the opportunity to promote Social Security Programs throughout Chicagoland and Nationwide.
Her many interests include community engagement, education, and motivating younger generations to exceed in their educational and professional careers. She has a passion for diversity and public speaking. Josephine Mueller earned a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in International Business from Governors State University. She has a passion for diversity and public speaking.
Click here for presentation slides: July 14 Presentation
Click here for additional resources: Additional Resources
June 9, 2020 – Let’s Learn About The Alliance and Self-Advocacy! Presented by Adam Cooper and Krescene Beck, IL Self Advocacy Alliance, Inc.
The Illinois Self-Advocacy Alliance, Inc. (The Alliance) is a statewide network of self-advocates and self-advocacy groups who work together to make life better in our communities and work to make services better for people with disabilities in our state.
Let’s learn together about
- The Alliance as a resource
- What Self-Advocacy is and why it matters
- The pieces of the Self-Advocacy puzzle
- Advocacy at school or at an agency, at home, and in the community
Presenters for this webinar are Adam Cooper and Krescene Beck. Adam is a long-time self-advocate from Edwardsville, Illinois. He is a graduate of The Alliance’s Ambassador Leadership Training Program as well as the Illinois Partners in Policymaking program. Adam has served in many leadership capacities including Alliance Board of Directors, ICDD Board of Directors, and the Edwardsville Community Unit #7 School District Equity Task Force.
Krescene Beck is an ally from Glen Carbon, Illinois, and a co-director with Blue Tower Solutions, Inc. She has supported self-advocates for more than 30 years. As the Organizational Director for The Alliance as well as working on two statewide grants focused on supporting people with disabilities and Deaf people who experience violence, Krescene enjoys learning from self-advocates and creating opportunities for them to speak up and speak out.
Click here for webinar recording: The Alliance and Self-Advocacy
Click here for webinar presentation slides: Let’s Learn About The Alliance and Self-Advocacy – 6.9.2020 – Final (3)
Click here for handouts:
Pieces of the Self-Advocacy Puzzle
Culture of Self-Advocacy – An Illinois Voices Environmental Checklist – January 2020
May 12, 2020 – An Overview of Illinois Assistive Technology Program (IATP), Presented by Lynette Strode, Special Programs Coordinator for IATP
Learn about the services IATP offers and how to use them!
This webinar was presented by Lynette Strode. Lynette is the Special Program Coordinator for IATP and has worked for 16 years in various programs including Device Loan, Demonstration Center, trainings, information and referral, as well as outreach to support groups, other agencies and educational organizations. Lynette has presented on topics including “What is AT?”, “Intro to AT” “AT and Autism. Lynette is married with 2 children and has lived all over the world. She enjoys her job and putting people in touch with assistive technologies that can help them maintain their independence.
Click here for webinar recording: IATP Webinar Recording
Click here for webinar presentation: IATP Webinar Presentation
Click here to complete webinar survey: IATP Webinar Survey
April 14, 2020 – TAP: An Overview of Illinois Autism Services, Presented by Shannon Dyson, Quality Coordinator and Mary Kelly, Statewide Coordinator for TAP.
Attendees will learn about The Autism Program of Illinois, (TAP) and about the various autism services offered by the 15 TAP service centers throughout the state of Illinois. Attendees will also learn about autism research being conducted by TAP university partners. Participants will get a sneak peek into our newly redesigned website and we’ll introduce you to our new service referral portal coming soon! Finally, we will have time for questions from webinar attendees.
Shannon Dyson is a graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in psychology. She obtained her doctorate degree in School Psychology from the University of Iowa. Over her career, Shannon has worked in a variety of settings including inpatient, outpatient, home, school, residential facility and detention centers. During her graduate training she worked primarily with children and adolescents with autism who engaged in severe problem behavior. She completed her predoctoral internship at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, Georgia where she provided services in skill acquisition, intensive feeding, intensive toilet training and problem behavior reduction. Most recently, she managed day treatment services for the Complex Behavior Program at the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to overseeing clinical services, she collaborated with professionals and other community members in order to coordinate funding and community supports for clients.
Mary Kelly is the Statewide Coordinator for The Autism Program (TAP) of Illinois. In that role, she works with TAP’s partner agencies throughout the state to ensure the very best in evidence-based autism services are provided to Illinois’ children per the state grant.
Her professional career includes work for various grant-funded projects, including the IMLS-funded Targeting Autism grant project at the Illinois State Library. In that role, Mary developed and conducted autism sensitivity training for librarians, presented at statewide and regional conferences, planned and facilitated annual national forums and provided consultation statewide to Illinois librarians and staff. Working with grant partners, Dominican University and Syracuse University, she also facilitated two-day Train-the-Trainer autism workshops and provided subject content for autism training modules through the Project E.N.A.B.L.E online training platform.
Also active in state and local community engagement, Mary serves as Secretary on the board of directors for The Arc of Illinois, the state’s largest advocacy organization for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, and serves on the Board of Directors of Autism Support of Central Illinois, a local non-profit that provides resources, support and monthly sensory-friendly programming for families in central Illinois.
Mary holds a B.A. in Psychology and a M.S. in Management and Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University. She is the mother of four children, one diagnosed with autism. She resides in Springfield with her husband, children and her dog, Sweetie.
Click here for webinar recording: An Overview of TAP in IL
Click here for webinar presentation: TAP PPT for Arc Webinar
Click here to complete webinar follow up survey: April 2020 Survey
March 10, 2020 – Fundamentals of Respite, Presented by Tina Yurik, Director, Illinois Respite Coalition
The Illinois Respite Coalition (IRC) provides statewide information and referral to individuals across the lifespan. The IRC also has a DHS-funded in-home respite grant that serves 16 counties. When funded, the IRC also has a statewide emergency respite program. The IRC is built upon statewide partnerships.
This webinar covered the following related to Respite Care:
- What is respite care?
- Why use respite care services?
- What are the different kinds of respite?
- How to choose/ select the respite that is right for you
- Overcoming concerns
- Preparing the care recipient for respite
- Evaluating your respite care
- Things to consider
- Quick Tips
About the Presenter: Before becoming the Director of the IRC, Tina volunteered with for ten years, six of which she served as board president. Previously, Tina worked as the Director of Clearbrook’s Take a Break programs for 18 years. Through her position, she supported children with special needs from birth to five years of age in Cook, Lake, DuPage and McHenry counties by working with trained volunteers, an idea which this program was the first to utilize in the Midwest. She has taught trainings on special education issues related to IDEA and ADA both regionally and nationally through the Family Resource Center on Disabilities, as the Assistant Director. Prior to working in the nonprofit industry, she worked 15 years in Advertising, Retail & Catalog industry as a Human Resources Manager. In addition, Tina is an active committee member for the Special Recreation Services of Northern Lake County, Head Start Health Advisory Committee member, and for over eight years she has been an Illinois educational surrogate parent through ISBE. She regularly attends the National Respite Coalition Conferences each year.
Click here for webinar recording: Fundamentals of Respite Recording
Click here for presentation slides: The Fundamentals of Respite Care Final -yurik
Click the title below for handouts from the webinar:
IRC Respite Guide Handout
Caregiver Self-Assessment
Respite Providers FY2020 Jan2020 Update (002)
February 11th, 2020 -The PATH to Real Person-Centered Solutions, presented by Kish Pisani, IAMC
This webinar provided information on the PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope) process for individuals with IDD and why person-centered planning is at the heart of a self-directed quality of life. PATH is a visual, supportive process that provides individuals with disabilities and their circle of support, a rich, future-based plan based on the individuals’ gifts and talents, preferences, and needs. This session not only helps you understand the steps of the process but how it has impacted lives and organizations. If you’re already familiar with PATH and MAPS, this session will include updates and new tools.
This webinar includes:
- *Start with Circles of Support
- *What is a PATH and the different steps of the process
- *How a PATH is used for authentic person-centered, self-directed solutions including Microboards, Cooperatives, Customized Employment, Creative Housing, Supported Decision Making, Sibling Support, and the importance for long-term and estate planning.
- *What is the IAMC and what we do
- *How you can become a PATH facilitator
About the Presenter: Kish Pisani is Executive Director of the Illinois Association of Microboards and Cooperatives (IAMC), a position she’s held since April 2019. Kish brings over 30 years of marketing, public relations, grant writing, advocacy, and non-profit management experience to this position. Kish is also a graduate of the Partners in Policymaking program. Her most important job remains a mom to her 22-year old son who lives with IDD and says Live Streaming what other families are going through in Illinois makes this job all the more authentic. Kish and her family have established a micro-enterprise, Logs by Lou, for their son to achieve long-term financial independence, created an organization for athletes with disabilities in suburban Chicago, and are active with Special Olympics Illinois. They are passionate about Unified Sports and authentic community inclusion opportunities for individuals with IDD — and just as important — their families and support circles.
Click here for webinar recording: Real Person Centered Planning Webinar
Click here for webinar presentation slides: Arc PATH to Real Person Centered Solutions
Click HERE for webinar follow up survey: Survey
Click documents linked below for handouts:
PUNS Flowchart
PATH Training-Schaumburg Township info 2-6
January 14th, 2020 – Parent Training and Information Centers – Helping Families of Children and Youth with Disabilities, presented by Nancy Mader, Family Matters Parent Training & Information Center
The webinar covered:
- Why do Parent Centers exist?
- What types of services are offered?
- What do services look like in Illinois?
- How do parents access services?
Nancy Mader was the presenter for this webinar. Nancy is the Project Coordinator for Family Matters Parent Training and Information Center. She has been with Family Matters for 30 years and her educational background is in Business Management. She works on finances and coordinates the activities of the staff, including the Information Specialists who work directly with parents whose children receive, or are in need of, special education instruction and supports. She works with organizations to collaborate on providing workshops for parents in their communities and in setting up online parent training opportunities.
Please click here for webinar recording: PTICs, Helping Families of Children and Youth with Disabilities
Please click here for webinar presentation: PTICs – Helping Families
Please click here for webinar follow-up survey: FMPTIC Webinar Follow-up Survey
Additional Handouts:
Family Matters Brochure 2018
Parent Centers in Action
Programs of The Arc of IL Flyer 9.6.19