Hopes & Dreams Schedule
Si necesita asistencia para registrarse en español, por favor, contacte a Annia Knight. (803) 995 1568
Thursday, April 7
Exhibitors • 8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Welcome and Announcements • 9:00 a.m
Keynote • 9:30 a.m.
The Science of Happiness Through the Art of Gratitude
Suzanne Wingard,
Director of Training, Family Connection of SC
Zoe Wingard,
8th grade student, Orangeburg Preparatory School
(Approved for EI Credentialing Credit)
Through this interactive workshop, we will look at the science behind happiness and how the art of gratitude can combat fear and anxiety. Participants will learn how adopting the practice of gratitude daily can reduce stressors and anxiety in students, families, and professionals to improve social and emotional health for educational success. During the workshop, participants will be able to experiment with some of the strategies given and discuss application within different settings.
Attendees will also hear directly from a youth with mosaic Down syndrome and how increased anxiety and fears over the past several years have affected her life. She will also discuss how embracing gratitude has improved decision-making and her own life and educational experiences.
Session 1 • 11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Rocking Chair moments...connecting from behind the screen
Linda Kunz,
Regional Director of Case Management, Bright Start
Bonnie Shaw,
Regional Directors of Case Management, Bright Start
(Approved for EI Credentialing Credit)
Presenters will introduce the idea of what a Rocking Chair moment is. They will share techniques of how to connect personally in a virtual manner. They will discuss how to create the right visual environment, how to use the camera effectively and how to ask questions in a way that is clear and direct.
Participants will:
• Find ways to connect with their provider across the virtual platform.
• Learn how to create a virtual environment that will maximize the opportunity for connection.
• Explore how to deliver their message concisely so that they can maximize the virtual platform.
Asthma Basics: The Big 5
Traci Hardin, MPH, AE-C
(Approved for EI Credentialing Credit)
Join me as I walk you through what it takes to keep your child’s asthma under control. We will discuss what happens in an asthma episode; how to identify and reduce asthma triggers; what medications are needed to control asthma; how to monitor your child’s asthma; and how to practice good communication with your child’s doctor.
Participants will:
• Be able to state what happens during an asthma episode.
• Be able to identify five major asthma triggers and ways to eliminate/reduce/avoid exposure.
• Be able to recognize the two main groups of asthma medications.
• Be able to describe what is considered good asthma control and explain why a written asthma action plan is important.
• Be able to define a medical home and the importance of having one.
LGBTQ+ and Disability: Identity, Intersectionality, and Understanding
Renee Shaw
Elizabeth M. Allen, LMSW,
Education Support Specialist, Family Connection of SC
An examination of LGBT+ and Disability communities under the lense of theories such as Identity Formation and Intersectionality.
Participants will:
Explore relevant LGBT+ terminology, testimony, and research-based perspectives supporting biological understanding, medical recognition, and encouraging gender- and sexuality-affirming healthcare access among LGBT+ & Disabled communities.
School to Work Transition: The Role of SCVRD, SCCB & CAP
Pete Cantrell, Attorney at Law,
Disability Rights South Carolina
Mary Stevenson, LMSW,
Community Integration Team Advocate Coordinator, Disability Rights South Carolina
This presentation will explain the roles of SCVRD, SCCB & CAP in helping students transition from school to work.
Participants will:
Learn about the roles of SCVRD, SCCB & CAP in the school to work transition process.
Experience Stories & Social Stories: Learning through Doing!
Minnie Lambert,
Education Support Specialist, Family Connection of SC
Sharon Stelzer,
Lead Teacher, Perkins School for the Blind- DeafBlind Program, Watertown MA
(Approved for EI Credentialing Credit)
We will discuss what what are experience and social stories and why they are critical tools for our children and students. We will also speak on how these tools can be a benefit to ALL students and children. We will also offer suggestions on how to make and show examples of different types of stories.
Participants will:
• Learn What Are Experience Stories and Social Stories.
• Learn how to make and create stories.
• Learn the Benefits of using Experience Stories and Social Stories with students/children.
Break for Lunch and View Exhibitors • 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Session 2 • 1:30 - 2:45 p.m.
Pyramid PIECES: Statewide Partnerships to Support Young Children’s Social & Emotional Development
Kerri Kannengieser,
Program Director, South Carolina Partnerships for Inclusion
Carrie Trivedi,
Lead Behavior Specialist, Mix-EC: Multi-Systems Inclusion Expansion for Early Childhood
Madalina Tudora,
Education Associate, Assistive Technology, SCDE Office of Special Education Services
Bethany Reilly,
Early Childhood Special Education Coach for Lexington-Richland Five
(Approved for EI Credentialing Credit)
Social & emotional development not only impacts all other areas of growth and development, it is the foundation for all other learning. Social & emotional development is critical as it sets the playing field for school readiness and lifelong success. Join us to learn about the Pyramid Model framework and how its evidence-based practices promote young children’s healthy social and emotional development. A panel of state leaders from early care and education initiatives across South Carolina will discuss how they are involved in statewide Pyramid Model activities and will share free resources & supports in our state to help you implement Pyramid Model practices within your program.
Participants will:
• Explain the relationship between challenging behavior & social emotional development
• Describe the Pyramid Model framework and how it supports young children’s healthy social & emotional development
• Identify supports available across the state to help your program implement Pyramid Model practices
Refresh & Reclaim: A Boundaries & Self-Care Workshop
Amanda Phillips,
Refresh & Reclaim Project Director for NAMI SC's Youth-Centered Awareness and Education department
(Approved for EI Credentialing Credit)
Refresh & Reclaim: A Boundaries & Self-Care Workshop is a 60-minute interactive and introspective workshop that examines the importance of the relationship between values-based healthy boundaries and a comprehensive self care regimen.
Participants will identify specific barriers in their personal and/or professional lives that prevent healthy boundaries and self care, discuss how to confront those barriers, and learn communication tips and maintenance strategies to use in times of challenge or opposition. By the end of the session, attendees will identify at least one concept or strategy to immediately apply in order to improve their mental health. A device with an internet connection is required for interactive participation.
Participants will:
• Understand the importance behind designing healthy boundaries based on personal values.
• Understand how values-based boundaries provide infrastructure for both prophylactic and restorative self-care.
• Discern how to confront obstacles, whether internal or external, to maintaining a system of healthy boundaries and necessary self-care.
How to Advocate for Services & Supports in South Carolina
Danni Bloom,
Director of Outreach & Policy, The Arc of South Carolina
We would like to present information on how to advocate for disability services and supports in South Carolina. Knowing how to contact, when to act and how to craft your message is critical to success in advocacy.
Participants will:
• Get to know their lawmakers/legislators
• Learn what to say and when to say it
• Find out how to reach out to their legislators
Mental Health, Relationships & Boundaries for Teens & Adults with Disabilities: How it all works together
Michele Mattox, LCSW, LISW-CP,
owner and lead therapist of No Limits Counseling
This presentation will discuss common areas of focus when providing mental health counseling to individuals with I/DD. Attendees will be provided with tools and resources to assist individuals with disabilities in developing the skills to live a mentally healthy life. The presentation will also include an overview of the Relationships & Boundaries Group and Dating Workshop offered by No Limits Counseling, and how these groups are tied into living a mentally healthy life.
Participants will:
• Come away with an understanding of mental health skills that can be practiced in the home;
• Learn about key lessons and concepts in developing healthy relationships and boundaries;
• Be provided with a list of resources for further research and visual aids to use in the home to reinforce these skills.
Education Law During COVID: the loss of taste, smell and common sense
Bronte M. Anelli,
Lead Special Education Attorney, South Carolina Legal Services
Jennifer Rainville,
Education Policy Attorney, SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center
Presentation is aimed at discussing the top 10 problems that students and parents are experiencing with school districts as a result of Covid-19 along with possible strategies that parents, and advocates can use to address these problems. Topics covered will include removals to virtual placements as punishment, learning gaps, compensatory education, staff shortages, masking, and more.
Participants will:
• Discuss common current problems facing children in the classroom during the pandemic.
• Learn guidance on education law that applies to these situations.
• Gain knowledge about resources available to help parents
Session 3 • 3:00 - 4:15 p.m.
Applying a Developmental Lens to Trauma in Infancy and Early Childhood
Mackenzie Soniak, PsyD, IMH-E®,
Infant Mental Health Specialist, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Capacity Building Director, SC Infant Mental Health Association
(Approved for EI Credentialing Credit)
This training will explore early childhood trauma and its impact on our most vulnerable population. Participants will learn about the various types of stressors children can experience, the short- and long-term impacts of these stressors, and the resilience they can demonstrate in spite of these early challenges.
Participants will:
• Define early childhood trauma and understand the terms “positive stress,” “tolerable stress,” and “toxic stress.”
• Identify the long-term effects of toxic stress on health and development and emphasizes the importance of a secure and supportive relationship to buffer the effects of stress.
• Apply a development lens to understanding the impact of trauma and stressors in early childhood.
The Palmetto ABLE Savings Program: Saving for the Future
Karen Crider,
Program Manager with Palmetto ABLE Savings Program, State Treasurer’s Office
This session on the Palmetto ABLE Savings Program will help attendees understand the role of the Palmetto ABLE Savings Program when planning for the future of a loved one with a disability. Palmetto ABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings and investment accounts that allow individuals with disabilities to save money without jeopardizing their eligibility for important benefits, such as SSI and Medicaid. Even if a child does not receive benefits now, they may in the future. Learn how a Palmetto ABLE account can help you protect your child’s benefits eligibility and still save money.
Participants will:
• To help people with disabilities and the families that care for them understand the importance and benefits of Palmetto ABLE savings accounts.
• To discuss the eligibility requirements for Palmetto ABLE account ownership and who to open an account.
• To discuss how Palmetto ABLE accounts are managed, including making contributions, withdrawals, and how funds in these accounts should be spent.
Understanding the dynamics and challenges of Intimate Partner Violence in the Virtual home Visiting Session
Valerie R. Ekue, Ed.D.,
Director of Member Support and Community Justice, South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
(Approved for EI Credentialing Credit)
This presentation will examine the dynamics and challenges of Intimate Partner Violence in the virtual home visiting session amidst Covid-19. Participants will also explore ways to meet the diverse and intersecting needs of survivors utilizing a collaborative approach.
Participants will:
• Explore statistical data related to interpersonal violence in South Carolina and nationally;
• Examine the dynamics and challenges of Intimate Partner Violence in the virtual home visiting setting.
• Identify strategies to reduce interpersonal violence in SC;
• Examine intersectionality as a framework for serving marginalized communities;
• Understand the larger impact COVID-19 have on survivors and ways to build collaborative efforts.
TBA
The Basics of the Individual Education Program (IEP)
Dr. Susan Thomas
(Approved for EI Credentialing Credit)
This training is for you if you want to learn the basics of developing a well written IEP. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that students who are eligible and need special education services have a written statement called the IEP.
Participants will:
• Understand the purpose of the IEP,
• Identify the required components to design and develop the IEP,
• Identify quality indicators of a well written IEP, and
• Understand the documentation to measure the success of the IEP.
Exhibitors • 4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Si necesita asistencia para registrarse en español, por favor, contacte a Annia Knight. (803) 995 1568
Continuing Education Units
All workshops approved by SC Department of Social Services for recertification hours. Please submit the certificate to your licensing worker.
FOSTER CARE CREDITS: All workshops are approved by SC Department of Social Services for recertification hours. Please submit the certificate to your licensing worker.
EARLY INTERVENTION: Approved for Early Intervention Credentials – see titles in agenda on our conference webpage for specific approved trainings. For any BabyNet service providers or service coordinators (EIs) that want to receive training hours (EI credential) for the conference need to notify Suzanne Wingard. Suzanne will provide us, the Team for Early Childhood Solutions, with the list of people that indicated that they want training hours for the conference and we will add an evaluation to each person’s SCEILS account. The person will need to log into SCEILS and complete the evaluation. The evaluation will ask for the names of the workshops that the person attended and how these workshops will impact his/her work within BabyNet.
AHEC: This program is approved for 0.1 CEU’s (10.0 clock hours) of continuing education by Mid-Carolina AHEC, Inc. and meets the SC AHEC Continuing Education Best Practice Standards. Participants must attend 90% of the program to receive a certificate of attendance. No partial credit will be given.
COUNSELORS & THERAPISTS: This program has been pre-approved for 10.0 hours of continuing education by SC AHEC under its accreditation by the SC Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists and Psycho-Educational Specialists.
NURSING: Mid-Carolina AHEC is an approved provider of nursing professional development by South Carolina Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. This nursing continuing education activity approval # 2110-022PR-088 has been approved for 10.0 hours.
SOCIAL WORKERS: This program has been approved by the SC Board of Social Work Examiners for 7.5 clock hours of social work and 2.5 clock hours of NON – social work continuing education.
CERTIFIED ADOPTION INVESTIGATORS: All workshops (except for Overview of Medicaid and TEFRA Eligibility) are approved by SC Department of Social Services for recertification hours.