Supported Decision-Making: Listening to People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to Create a More Inclusive, Self-Determined, Respectful World

Supported-decision making is essential to building an inclusive world where everyone's rights are respected. This presentation team will weave together personal stories and research findings to highlight ways to harness the power of supported decision making to advance self-determination. The audience will be engaged in identifying barriers and solutions. The goal will be to collective identify actions to take to build a more inclusive and respectful world.

Building the Capacity of Community Rehabilitation Providers to Provide Employment Supports to People with Disabilities

Most state rehabilitation agencies work with community rehabilitation providers (CRPs) to offer job placement and support services like supported employment (SE) and customized employment (CE). Despite these efforts, competitive integrated employment (CIE) rates for individuals with significant disabilities remain low. This presentation reviews SE and CE outcomes and discusses one state's approach to developing competency-based technical assistance for job coaches.

Can We Apply FQoL Measures in a Developing Rural Community? Lessons Learned to Address Measurement Gaps

Measuring Family Quality of Life (FQoL) is recognized as key to support families of children with disabilities. However, how useful are FQoL instruments to rural communities in developing countries when most existing instruments were built in developed nations? We conducted two studies to explore the equivalence of using existing FQoL instruments in the context of a rural community in the highlands of Peru, obtaining several lessons to address measurement gaps.

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A Collaborative Approach to Effective Autism Training for First Responders

This interactive session will explore the roadmap one program followed in establishing an award-winning interdisciplinary autism training for first responders. Session participants, including people with disabilities, agency leaders, first responders, and other interested community members, will learn about different states' first responder training models. Presenters will lead a robust discussion on how these models align with best practices in adult learning and neurodiversity-affirming approaches to discussing disability.

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Applying Anti-Ableist Principles to Physical Activity Promotion in Physical Therapy Practice to Support Individuals with Disabilities

Physical activity (PA) is holistically beneficial, yet many individuals with disabilities have decreased opportunities to be active. Physical therapists are positioned to support the disability community in advocating for and facilitating increased opportunities to be active in their community, however this is not being done consistently. This session will synergize anti-ableist and PA promotion principles to increase physical therapy professionals' ability to promote PA for individuals with disabilities.

Improving Title X Services for People with Disabilities in Rural Communities Through Community Based Participatory Research

This session will discuss how a community based participatory research project explored the rates at which people with disabilities (PWD) utilize Title X (family planning and reproductive health services) in Wyoming. Strategies to increase service utilization for PWD will be discussed. This session is relevant to healthcare professionals, disability advocates, and attendees interested in increasing positive health outcomes, service utilization for individuals with disabilities, and community based participatory research.

Engaging Minoritized IDD Communities Through Inclusive Research Strategies

This panel highlights research projects (three institutions, two UCEDDs/LENDs), that used innovative, inclusive strategies for racially/ethnically minoritized communities. We begin with a qualitative study focused on the recruitment and engagement of African American children with IDD and their caregivers. Next, we discuss the use of accelerometers with Latino children with IDD and their caregivers. We conclude with adaptations for inclusive participation of transition-age youth with IDD from racially/ethnically minoritized communities.

Public Policy Transition from Pediatric Health to Adulthood

The healthcare transition from pediatric to adult services of youngsters with complex special needs has been recognized as a priority (Antosh et al., 2013). As part of an effort to improve transition, the Institute on Developmental Disabilities carried out a study with the objective of examining the barriers and describing the current legislation for these transitional services in Puerto Rico. Findings will be discussed in this presentation.

Integrating Comprehensive Special Education Retention Planning Through a Multi-Tiered System of Supports

Advancing the rights and opportunities for students with disabilities in schools requires recruiting and retaining highly qualified special education teachers. This presentation will focus on how a large school district aligned special education teacher retention efforts within a Multi-Tiered System of Support by developing comprehensive teacher retention plans (CRP) to implement and evaluate retention strategies based on teachers' individual needs identified through local data sources.

Top 10 Disability News Stories of the Year: Impacts and Insights

Join us for a lively session where we unveil the top 10 disability news stories of the year, chosen by the community. We'll dive into these stories, discuss their impact on our work, and explore how they shape the future of disability inclusion. This session is perfect for professionals and trainees in psychology, social work, public health, education, and disability advocacy.

Self-Determination in a State Developmental Service System: Evaluating the Experiences and Perspectives of Stakeholders in California

This panel presents findings and lessons learned from a large scale and multi-phase program evaluation of California's Self-Determination Program, a self-directed waiver option operated by the state developmental service system. The panel is relevant to all who seek to advance systems that support the self-determination of people with IDD, especially university and federal partners in a position to collaborate and drive change through program evaluation.

Impact of the HCBS Rule and COVID-19 on Long-Term Supports for People with IDD Based on Three National Longitudinal Studies

National longitudinal studies of residential supports, employment supports and expenditures will be used to describe changes in long-term supports (LTSS) for people with IDD associated with implementation of the 2014 HCBS rule and the 2020 COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Trends in the size and type of places people live, or work, and in public expenditures for services will be examined. Relevant for public policy advocates interested in Medicaid funded supports.

State/County Government and Health-Service Collaboration to Improve Access to Home/Community-Based Services for Those with Intellectual Disability and Autism

During 2023-2024, providers within PA's Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders (LEND) Programs collaborated with PA's Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) for interdisciplinary summits. The goal was to increase knowledge about home/community-based services (HBCS), consider changes to reduce roadblocks in eligibility determination, and increase access for those with intellectual disability and autism. This offering is relevant to health service disciplines, advocates, and families.

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