Thank you for attending the 2024 Community Support Network Transition Institute, our annual conference on post-secondary transition covering topics ranging from employment options, social and recreational programs, systems navigation, self-advocacy, housing options and more.

• Please view session videos and other presenter materials below.
• Please also check out the video showcase on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/showcase/10984460

Save the dates for next year’s conference: January 29-January 31, 2025

Please note, these sessions were presented at the CSN Transition Institute, January 31-Febrary 2, 2024 and are available for viewing only. They are the sole property of CSN Transition Institute at Westchester Institute for Human Development and should not be replicated or shared without express permission from the owner.

Note:  You can search for sessions by topics of interest or you can use the Ctrl F (“control/command F”) keys to enter a specific word (i.e. Employment) to find sessions that relate to a specific topic.

Presentation Skills Curriculum: Teaching self-advocates to share their lived experience.

Presenter: Mariela Adams, Nichole Hastings
Session Description: The Westchester Institute for Human Development has established a Speaker’s Network comprising young adults with disabilities. They leverage their lived experiences to educate organizations on disability issues, providing a valuable perspective at the leadership table. To gain a genuine understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities, it is imperative to actively involve self-advocates in the conversation. By listening to their perspectives, we can truly comprehend what it means to navigate the world with a disability. Upholding the principle of “nothing about us without us,” organizations must recognize that excluding the lived experiences and viewpoints of self-advocates leads to inadequate solutions.
The development of our Presentation Skills Curriculum has been a collaborative endeavor between professionals and self-advocates. We acknowledge the significance of an individualized approach, which begins by recognizing the self-advocate’s expertise and their desired impact within the disability space. Our speakers have delivered captivating presentations on diverse topics such as Quality of Care in Medical settings, Self-directed services, independent living, and Higher education supports. Our methodology involves understanding the self-advocate’s interests and tailoring a professional presentation specific to their expertise in the disability field.

A New Paradigm for NYS: Supported Decision-Making (SDM) and the SDMNY Project

Presenter: Joan Cornachio, Janine Belfast
Session Description: Supported decision-making (SDM) is a process in which people with intellectual and developmental disabilities build their own decision-making skills and develop a structure of support of trusted persons in their lives while retaining all their legal and civil rights. It is increasingly becoming recognized as a preferable and less-restrictive alternative to guardianship here in NYS, nationally, and even internationally. In the summer of 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed New York’s Supported Decision-Making Agreement Act, built upon Principles developed by SDMNY. This civil rights legislation recognizes SDM as an alternative to guardianship and prohibits discrimination against decisions made by people with Intellectual and developmental disabilities with an agreement developed through SDMNY’s facilitation process. New York Courts are increasingly deciding that as a less-restrictive alternative, SDM can be used to avoid the necessity for guardianship in the first place, or as a means to restore the rights to persons already under guardianship. Currently, SDMNY is operating under a 3-year contract with OPWDD to develop a statewide service delivery infrastructure, with the NY Alliance as a continuing collaborator. This session will provide an overview of SDM as a legal and less restricted alternative to guardianship, information about the SDMNY project goals and implementation, and how to sign up to participate in SDMNY’s Facilitation process.

Healthcare Transition of Youths with Special Needs to the Adult Medical World

Presenter: Lynn Davidson
Session Description: The process of transferring youth with special health care needs to the adult medical practices can cause anxiety and stress to both youth and their parents. During this presentation we will discuss strategies for preparation (transition) and provide tools to use to make it a smoother process.

Planning for the Transition to 2 & 4-Year Colleges

Presenter: Joyce Hawk
Session Description: This session will offer tips on what students with disabilities need to know if they want to access accommodations in higher education programs to support their attainment of a college degree. By understanding the major differences from high school, expectations, disability documentation and processes involved, a student’s confidence can be improved. Ideas for transition activities that can be provided to better prepare young adults with the skills they need for a successful college experience, will be offered.

Introduction to: Medicaid Waiver, Self-Direction, and Independent Housing

Presenter: Donna Maxon
Session Description: This session will offer an introduction to Medicaid Waiver benefits through OPWDD, basic components of Self-Direction, and the connection between Self Direction and strong independent housing plans that build bright futures. Topics to be explored include: 1. Medicaid Waiver and OPWDD: Basics of the HCBS Waiver program and how to obtain eligibility 2. Self-Direction: Fundamentals of Self Direction and Steps to Take 3. Independent Housing Plans: Tips and Tools for Success 4. Questions and Answers

KeyNote Presentation: Beyond Graduation and Disability

Presenter: Keith Jones
Session Description: The speaking event discusses how issues of gender, culture and ethnicity in America play out for youth, young adults and their families in the disability community. This session will also take a look at the barriers and challenges that are literal as well a figurative before and after graduation. Also, the presentation discusses the importance of the role Family plays in the attaining and sustaining self-defined independence through education, employment, and community inclusion for people with disabilities. Mr. Jones will discuss how the continued lack of awareness and importance given to policies and practices that are barriers to true inclusion of people with disabilities.

My Disability Roadmap – Movie Screening and Filmmaker Discussion

Presenter: Dan Habib, Samuel Habib
Session Description: Samuel and Dan Habib will screen and discuss their Emmy Award winning short film, My Disability Roadmap, which was featured in the New York Times and seen around the world. The film follows Samuel, a young adult with complex disabilities, as he navigates the path to adulthood while seeking out wisdom from a diverse mix of remarkable disabled people across the country. For Samuel and millions of other young adults with disabilities, the path beyond public school and into adulthood is a precarious maze. It’s difficult to meet new people and impossible to get his 350-pound wheelchair inside his friends’ homes and cars. He can have a seizure at any moment and requires 24/7 support, yet he wants to get married and have children someday. How to even start dating? Samuel and Dan will discuss their work to build a culture of inclusion in their family, school district, and community.

My Employment Journey

Presenter: Brendan Klein
Session Description: Brendan will use his Employment Journey to speak about employment and share what he has learned about supporting others like him in their search for meaningful employment.

Keys to Employment

Presenter: Marilee Boylan
Session Description: Join me in learning key aspects in obtaining and maintaining employment, employment resources and why employment is an important option to consider for everyone, no matter the complexity of a persons’ disability or barriers to employment.

SDMNY: A Panel with Self-Advocate Decision-Makers

Presenter: Jenna Lamm
Session Description: What do YOU decide in your life? Hear from a panel of Self-Advocates from SDMNY who will talk about how Supported Decision-Making has helped them with decisions big and small! Featuring activities where you can join in, and a preview of the steps we all use to make decisions.

Turning 21 with Autism: Living with Friends

Presenter: Cindy Romanowski
Session Description: Marcus moved out of his family home with friends at age 21. He is going on year 5 of independent living utilizing self direction supports- and enjoys an amazing social life! The family capitalized on Marcus’s strengths to create a safe community for him despite his very limited verbal skills. This dynamic, engaging presentation will review budgeting tips, staffing, and safety plans. This fiscally sustainable model is a great alternative to a restrictive supportive apartment model. It is NEVER too early to start planning for transition to adulthood. Even if your child is very young, you will take away very important independent living tips you will need for the future.

The tenets of Self-Advocacy

Presenter: Nichole Hastings
Session Description: Nichole has used her lived experience to develop powerful lessons on self-advocacy. She is a true believer on the capacity of every self-advocate to develop skills that allow them to live the life they want for themselves and help other do the same. The presentation will cover her journey and what she thinks are the most important tenets of Self-Advocacy.

Building a Financial Plan for a Lifetime

Presenter: James Traylor
Session Description: The presentation will guide participants through the steps of designing a sustainable life for their child during and after their life. Topics will include maximizing benefits, solving for the cost of care, creating the team/legal structure, considerations for retirement and how to position resources most effectively to fund a trust.

Transition Planning and Interagency Collaboration before Graduation

Presenter: Jennifer Havrilla
Session Description: For transition planning to be successful, multiple individuals and agencies have to work together to address the transition needs of students with disabilities. Developing these relationships early on with the help of a transition coordinator can aid in coordinating services and prepare students and their families for the processes related to obtaining services after high school. This promotes efficient, continuous, service delivery once the student leaves school. Interagency collaboration brings together educational professionals, provider agencies, and local and state government agencies and resources to improve the post-secondary success of students with disabilities. Community Based Services, Inc. is offering free transition planning support to students and their families with personal assistance from a dedicated transition coordinator.

What Does Transition Look Like?

Presenter: Rick Healy, Judy Harrington, Lynn Giles-Harris, Mary Ellen Urinyi
Session Description: What does transition look like starting with the end in mind? How do you get there?

Moving Forward with Self Direction

Presenter: Janet Longo
Session Description: To provide current Self Direction caregivers the tools to using their budget to its maximum potential and making it user friendly. Moving forward through all of your child’s growth using Self Direction to its fullest.

Life After High School: Moving Out and Making IT

Presenter: Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo, Christy Chandler
Session Description: A practical workshop led by our adults and parents at Chapel Haven Schleifer Center with strategies on how to prepare for a successful transition into independence after high school. This workshop will include:
• Practical ways that families can build independence, especially in the high school years.
• Tips on how to work with your school district team on planning a successful transition
• A review of the range of programs available in the postsecondary years

Assistive Technology Considerations in the Transition Planning Process

Presenter: Joyce Hawk
Session Description: In this session, participants will be provided with a basic overview of what Assistive Technology (AT) tools are, how a student’s need for AT must be considered during the development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) during Committee on Special Education (CSE) meetings as well as additional strategies and resources to ensure access to needed assistive technologies as students prepare for the transition from school to a community environment including employment and post-secondary education settings such as college.

Innovative Ways to Create Employment Opportunities through Collaboration and Networking

Presenter: Ken Reedy, Kim Kaczmerek
Session Description: This session will share examples of collaborations that expand innovative opportunities in the workspace, which result in unique types of jobs, entrepreneurialism and career paths for young adults. Come learn how different types of programs can successfully network and help each other to develop productive employment options for transitioning youth with disabilities.

Selecting a Day Habilitation Program to and Skill-building Services

Presenter: Farrah Deidrick (Richmond Community Services), Noreen O’Connor (Cardninal McClosky), Ron Scaccia (Living Resources), Jeremy Scalchunes (The Nicholas Center), Betty Rivadeneira (Community Based Services)
Session Description: Day habilitation programs can assist people to acquire, retain or improve their self-help, socialization and adaptive skills, including communication, travel and other areas. Programs are designed to foster the development of skills and appropriate behavior, greater independence, community inclusion, relationship building, self-advocacy and informed choice. In this session, regional provider agencies will offer brief overviews of their day habilitation program and provide participants with the information they need to make thoughtful decisions when selecting a program that can provide specific services to meet the needs of young adults with disabilities.

Transition for Students with High Support or Behavioral Needs

Presenter: Denise Green
Session Description: What Happens When the School Bus Stops Coming? Transition for Students with High Needs and or Behaviors who Age out of School. Join us for a discussion about this topic with expert, Denise Green

Panel Discussion: Employment and Vocational Service Options

Presenter: Jacie Feuer (Westchester ARC), Shari Lewitt (Westchester ARC), Dwayne Moore (Ability Beyond), Tamara Salmon (Jawanio), Ronald Ruphuy (Another Step)
Session Description: Young adults, parents, school faculty, professionals and others engaged in the transition planning process, are invited to join representatives from regional provider agencies that offer employment and other vocational services through OPWDD. Participants will receive information that will guide you in understanding the various options available and the process to access employment/vocational services. Whether you are a young adult preparing to get a job when you exit school or someone supporting an individual preparing for employment, this presentation is for you!

Self- Advocates: Are you ready to be a leader?

Presenter: Patti Colombo, Brendan Klein
Session Description: Volunteer New York! and WIHD are collaborating to offer a 10-month in-person leadership development program for young adults ages 21-35 with developmental disabilities held in Westchester County. The program provides accommodations for various learning needs in a small group cohort and requires participants to apply and be accepted into the program. Highlights include interactive leadership topics in goal setting, self-awareness, social awareness, self- management, communication, and teamwork. Brendan Klein, WIHD Coordinator of Self Advocacy & Community Engagement and Patti Colombo Manger of the RISE Integrated Volunteer Program co-facilitating the leadership program that runs September 2023- June 2024. Come listen to a panel from the current class to hear why they enrolled and how they are growing confidence in their leadership by participating in the program. Ask questions to see if this is the right opportunity for you. Applications open in the spring for Sept 2023- June 2025 class.

What’s at stake? A Q&A with Attorneys on SDM and Guardianship

Presenter: Matthew “Hezzy” Smith, Esq., Haldan Michael Blecher, Janine Belfast
Session Description: NYS legislation now recognizes SDM as a viable and less restrictive alternative to guardianship, which strips a person of their legal and civil rights. The paradigm shift away from guardianship to Supported Decision-Making brings up many questions, especially from parents and providers, on how SDMAs can provide holistic support that includes health and safety as well as opportunities for individuals to live their most productive, self-determined lives. This session, with experts in the legal community, will address some of the hard questions and concerns on peoples’ minds.

Housing: the sooner the better

Presenter: Allison Kleinman, Laurie Cameron
Session Description: Guidance on how to navigate the highly complicated issue of housing. How to prepare yourself, your loved one, family and support team. This conversation will break down the process step by step to provide a blueprint for getting started. You’ll hear about one personal journey from a mom who set up a house for her son seven years ago through self-direction while simultaneously launching The Extended Family. You’ll also hear from the Founder/CEO of Future Centered Care, who founded FCC specifically to work with, and support, families like yours who are embarking on helping their loved ones step out into the world as independently as possible.

Empowering Futures for High School Students with I/DD through Career -Specific Vocational Training and Internships through the Employment Training Program

Presenter: Stacey Kantrowitz, Courtney Burnham
Session Description: Join a discussion with Jawonio’s Director of Community Employment, to learn about an exciting new targeted training initiative that helps individuals to develop marketable skills in Retail to meet the demands of today’s employers and create pathways to success and fulfilling careers. Information will also be shared about paid “Trainee-ships” and internships for students in high school through the Employment Training Program (ETP), which offers work experiences that match an individual’s abilities and interests to the needs of a business.

Making and Keeping friends: best practices for Young Adults and Matchmaking for the Socially Challenged

Presenter: Michelle Gorenstein, Kimberly Miller, Jill Leichter Schieber
Session Description: Clinical psychologist, Michelle Gorenstein, Psy.D. , will share best practices for teaching and supporting social skills in adolescents and adults. She will include research on evidence based social skills curricula for this age group. Followed by Matchmaking for the Socially Challenged Founder Jill Schieber and Transition Specialist Kimberly Miller who will be sharing information about “Matching for the Socially Challenged”, a valuable resource for young adults and adults look to form meaningful social relationships.

Supporting The Family’s Journey Throughout The Residential Experience

Presenter: Mariela Adams, Heather Walters, Valerie Colavecchio-Dill
Session Description: The residential journey is often a challenging one for most families. It is often a process filled with mixed feelings. A family might feel grateful to have found a supportive environment for their loved one while also feeling fear and worry over the quality of the care that the individual will receive. Understanding how one can be still the parent while relying on others for the daily care is a difficult balancing act. This presentation will speak about the family’s experience and how to support caregivers in understanding this new role in their life journey. The presentation will also highlight the work of Parent to Parent of NYS in supporting families through this process.

Working While on Benefits

Presenter: Michael Beloff
Session Description: With the increase in emphasis on paid employment for individuals with disabilities, navigating how earned income will effect the benefits and services these individuals rely on can be extremely challenging. This workshop goes into detail on how earned income effects government benefits such as SSI, Medicaid, SNAP, SSDI and Medicare, as well as strategies to mitigate the effects. For each of these benefits examples will be given on how earned income may affect that benefit.

A Reimagined Future of Employment for ALL

Presenter: Allison Berkley
Session Description: At Invictus, we believe that with the right adaptations, anything is possible. We presume competence and know that non-speaking is not the same as non-thinking. People with DD/IDD are woefully underestimated and underemployed. At Invictus we are changing that – we are dedicated to training, employing and empowering an untapped, super-talented workforce. In this presentation we will inspire you with the profound and positive impact inclusive hiring has on the broader community. We will cover our training philosophy, our HIRE ME Employment Initiative and how we are seeking to obliterate the staggering 85% unemployment rate that exists within our community.

Five Important Things Parents Need to Know About Transition

Presenter: Laurie Levine, Debbie Goddard
Session Description: The Five Most Important Things a Parent Needs to Know about the Transition Process
Presenter will share with the participants what she has learned as a Transition Specialist working with parents of students with disabilities. During her presentation she will focus on these five important points that help ensure a successful transition.
1. How parents can help their children/young adults develop self advocacy skills. Helping their child understand their own transition goals – Student Directed IEP Process
2. How can parents take a proactive role in driving the transition process.
3. How to develop successful partnerships with schools. How to work effectively with school personnel- school’s responsibilities, importance of point person
4.How parents can realistically determine what their goals are for their child-
5. How to navigate adult service systems – OPWDD, ACCES, SSI, Medicaid – What are different roles of professionals.

Balancing protection and empowerment: Alternatives to Guardianship and strategies to foster self-determination in transition-aged youth

Presenter: Joan Cornachio, Kim Weisbeck, Esq.
Session Description: This session will provide an overview of guardianship in New York State from an individual rights perspective and explore available alternatives including Supported Decision-making, and will provide strategies for fostering empowerment and autonomy as individuals prepare for transition to adulthood.

A Transition Program School to Work Possibilities and Expectations and Planting Seeds of Success: Work-Based Experiences for Neurodiverse Learners

Presenter: Robin Davies-Small, Darlene Schubert, Haley Shibble, Halenur Kosmul
Session Description: Yes She Can’s mission is to help individuals with autism and other learning differences to develop transferable job skills and appropriate socials skills to enable them to join the competitive workforce and achieve greater independence.
Tech Kids Unlimited: In this presentation, we’ll discuss the profound benefits of work-based learning experiences and how technology can be a catalyst for empowering young neurodiverse learners.

Transition Planning for Students with Mental Health Conditions

Presenter: Joyce Hawk
Session Description: Mental health disorders are common and have become more prevalent among our students. This session will provide considerations regarding mental health education, career development and transition services that focus on the needs of transition-age youth who have an emotional disability. Providing ongoing support is critical, particularly during times of transition, in order to foster better outcomes. Resources will be shared to raise awareness of available services for families and adult service systems that can support individuals in a variety of post-school settings.