RE:CON 2025
PRESENTATIONS
Sessions for this year’s re:con
Creative Approaches to Youth Transition Services! Pathway to Success!
PRESENTED BY: Rene Dell
1 Hour
This presentation is designed to take a deeper look at Youth Transition Services. We are going to explore the definition and scope of services. We will look into best practices as well as the tools and methods used to place students on a path to success! We dig into the challenges that may arise and plan to counteract those challenges so that goals and outcomes can be achieved!
Introduction to Dementia in Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
PRESENTED BY: Kristi Davis, CTRS
1 Hour
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are living longer than ever, and with longer life comes an increased risk of dementia. Join us to learn the risk of dementia for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities; the unique signs and symptoms of dementia in this population; and how to best modify support to meet changing abilities.
Self-Determination Affirming With College Students
PRESENTED BY: Lynn Boza, Ph.D., CRC, LPC
1 Hour
Students in transition from high school to college need to acquire and use self-determination skills. Key components of self-determination and the population for whom this material is relevant will be described in this presentation. Participants will also acquire a model affirmation exercise developed by presenter for customers/clientele.
The Communication Frequency
PRESENTED BY: Shonda Rushing
1 Hour
It is often said that it is not what you say, but how you say it. I would argue that what you say is just as important, if not more so. Before words have tone, they hold power. Words are as close to alchemy as we can get, and the spirit realm cannot distinguish between joking and seriousness. Therefore, the words we speak shape the reality we live in.
The incantation “abracadabra” is spoken by a magician before altering reality. It derives from a Hebrew phrase, “Ebri K’dabri,” which means “I create as I speak.” There is a direct connection between what you say and what you experience. If we want to change what we experience, we must first change what we speak.
Workforce 101: Removing Barriers For a Better Workforce
PRESENTED BY: Dr. Mike Strouse
2 Hour
Staffing is one of the greatest barriers to delivering consistent, high-quality care—and the root of many system-wide breakdowns. This session, grounded in GoodLife University’s innovative staffing and compensation strategies, explains why traditional workforce models are breaking down and how simple, strategic changes can produce immediate and lasting results. With over 30 years’ experience designing and implementing innovative labor solutions, Dr. Mike Strouse will share how in just six months, we’ve helped agencies raise wages by over $2/hour, drastically reduce overtime, increase full-time employment, and stabilize services—all without new funding. Attendees will receive impact data from numerous case studies where GoodLife U’s methodologies were analyzed, including GoodLife itself where 98% of our DSP positions are filled, showing what’s possible when you remove structural barriers and rethink workforce strategy.
Key takeaways include:
Diagnose the problem: Identify key drivers of workforce instability caused by outdated staffing and funding practices
Drive financial efficiency: Learn how to raise direct care wages, reduce overtime, and improve staff schedules—all within your current budget.
Implement immediately: Leave with tools and next steps to build a more dependable, empowered, and mission-aligned workforce.
If you’re done with temporary fixes, this session offers a direct path to long-term workforce stability.
