RE:CON 2025
PRESENTATIONS
Sessions for this year’s re:con
Advancing Technology First: Transforming Support for People with IDD in Michigan
PRESENTED BY: Lindsay Calcaterra, and Emily Betz
1 Hour
Michigan is undergoing a service transformation called Technology First, aimed at increasing self-efficacy and independence for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), while addressing the state’s ongoing direct care workforce crisis. Easterseals MORC, one of Michigan’s largest behavioral health providers, received funding from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund to lead a statewide task force. This group is developing a blueprint to streamline funding and expand access to enabling technology and remote support for Medicaid beneficiaries with IDD. MOKA, a nonprofit serving over 600 individuals with IDD in West Michigan, received an IMPART Alliance grant to pilot smart homes that integrate enabling technology into daily care and support. Together, these organizations, alongside families, advocates, and other stakeholders, are learning from 22 states that have already embraced Technology First, working to bring meaningful systems change to Michigan.
This presentation will:
• Introduce the Technology First framework and outline the work of the statewide task force.
• Share insights from MOKA’s smart home pilot, highlighting how technology can increase independence, improve quality of life, and reduce reliance on traditional staffed residential settings.
• Highlight practical strategies for providers and professionals to engage in the Technology First movement and support technology-enabled, person-centered care.
The session will demonstrate how enabling technology empowers individuals with IDD to live more independently and meaningfully in their communities while also helping to alleviate workforce challenges across the support system.
Advocating for MI DCWs
PRESENTED BY: Stephanie Van Koevering, Angela Martin, Jan Lampman
1 Hour
This session will explore the formation, evolution, and impact of the Michigan Direct Care Worker Wage Coalition—a grassroots alliance of advocacy organizations, labor groups, providers, and individuals united in the fight for fair wages and recognition for Michigan’s direct care workforce. Participants will learn how the Coalition mobilized diverse voices, influenced state budget decisions, and built bipartisan support for one of Michigan’s most undervalued workforces. Through real-world examples, data, and storytelling, attendees will gain insights into coalition-building strategies, policy advocacy tactics, and lessons learned in working toward systemic wage reform. This session is ideal for anyone interested in wage justice, coalition work, or effective legislative advocacy.
Artificial Intelligence in Behavioral Health: Opportunities, Risks, and Practical Steps
PRESENTED BY: Joe Torres
1 Hour
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming healthcare, with behavioral health emerging as an area of both promise and concern. This session provides an overview of the areas where healthcare organizations are investing in AI, highlighting where it is showing results and where future opportunities lie. We will also examine the challenges of adoption, including ethical, legal, and organizational considerations. Drawing on current trends and practical experience, the presentation will explore how leaders can balance innovation with responsibility, learn from real-world successes to cut through the hype, focus on where AI delivers genuine value, and prepare their organizations and workforce for a future shaped by intelligent technologies.
Amplifying Voices: Teaching Young Adults with Autism the Art of Podcasting and Self-Marketing
PRESENTED BY: Kari Thomas
1 Hour
In today’s media-rich world, podcasting offers a unique avenue for young adults with autism to share their perspectives, showcase their creativity, and develop communication skills in a flexible, supportive format. This session will explore practical, inclusive strategies for teaching podcast production and marketing to neurodiverse learners. Participants will learn how to scaffold technical skills (recording, editing, publishing) alongside essential self-promotion strategies, such as social media marketing, audience engagement, and content branding. The session will highlight adaptations for sensory sensitivities, executive functioning challenges, and varied communication styles. Attendees will leave with a replicable teaching framework, ready-to-use resources, and case study examples that demonstrate the transformative potential of combining creative media with entrepreneurial skill-building. This workshop aims to empower educators to help their students not only create compelling audio content but also to confidently share their content with the world.
Be Our Guest: Discovering the Intersection of Hospitality and Human Services
PRESENTED BY: Travis Atkinson, MS, LPC, ad Michael Christy MBA
1 Hour
“If hospitality is about making people feel seen, the best way to treat them is not like a commodity, but as a unique individual. Unreasonable hospitality means that one size fits one.”- Will Guidara
In this workshop, unlock the secrets of hospitality in service industries while discovering their relevance in human service settings. Learn how to put the elements of hospitality into practice while avoiding the pitfalls of an environment devoid of whole-hearted hospitality, growing from a culture of compliance to a culture of quality and care.
Break the Pain Cycle: Body-Based Tools for Stress Relief and Independence
PRESENTED BY: Patricia Marchal-Dumont
1 Hour
Chronic pain and physical tension are common barriers to independence, focus, and emotional well-being—especially for individuals with disabilities and those who care for them. In this hands-on session, participants will learn simple, effective, body-based tools to relieve pain and manage stress. Drawing from proven holistic methods including myotherapy, foot zoning, and fascial release, Patricia Marchal-Dumont guides attendees through practical techniques that support physical comfort, mental clarity, and renewed energy. Whether you’re a direct service provider, advocate, or someone living with chronic pain, this session offers empowering, accessible solutions to help break the pain cycle and promote greater independence and resilience.
Career Pathways in Action
PRESENTED BY: Sarah Velez, Jack Schaberg
1 Hour
At Peckham we have been working on making career pathways meaningful for our team members for years. We are now moving to create actionable development plans and steps that team members can take to take control over their own journey. We are building this system in a way that can be accessed easily, tracked, and reportable for later analysis. Come see how we support this process and provide the support team members need to be successful in their own career path journey. A continuation of our presentation from last year’s re:con.
Community-Based Pathways to Employment – Practical Tools for Linking Community-Based Skill Building to Employment Success
PRESENTED BY: Shannon Webb and Lisa Mills, PhD
1 Hour
Community-based skill building for employment goes beyond exploration and volunteerism activities – it’s about empowering individuals to shape their futures, ensuring staff have the competencies to guide the process, and using practical assessment and tracking strategies to show results. This session equips disability service providers with tools to map their communities for new opportunities, integrate empowerment and self-advocacy into skill-building plans, and implement straightforward methods to set goals and track progress. Participants will explore how individualized approaches can transform everyday community participation into meaningful employment pathways.
CMH Rate Restructuring to Support Employment Services and Outcomes: Results of Evaluation
PRESENTED BY: Lisa Mills, PhD
1 Hour
Join this session to hear about CMH Rate Restructuring to Advance Competitive Integrated Supported Employment including Customized Employment. This work with CMHs has been going on since 2015, involving 15 CMHs. Over the years, this work has been supported by the Michigan DD Council, InCompass, DHHS (ARPA funding) and the CMHA. Learn why rate restructuring is critical for supported employment providers, here about the history as well as the results of a recent evaluation.
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!
Disability Policy and Legislative Advocacy
PRESENTED BY: Todd Culver, Malcolm Kletke
1 Hour
POLITICS: General legislative priorities, including the state budget
2025 session recap, 2026 outloook
Legislative priorities on disability-specific issues
POLICY: Summary of current key issues
Advocacy and engagement strategies
Ethics, Boundaries and Critical Life Skills
PRESENTED BY: Rosanne Renauer
1 Hour
This session provides a foundation and explores the relationship between ethics, boundaries, self-esteem and self-preservation in the face of ongoing and unrelenting demands. As a helping professional and generally in life, you are expected to continually demonstrate mastery of good interpersonal communication and empathy. Ethical behavior requires maintaining healthy boundaries in client interactions, organizational dynamics and professional relationships. What happens when doing this requires all of your energy, leaving you depleted? What strategies exist to build up your reserves, preserve and build a positive self-image and develop resiliency stores so you can continue to support others? This session will offer tips for increasing mindfulness, building assertiveness skills and navigating boundaries and challenging times within an ethical framework.
Ethics Over Optics: Protecting Inclusivity in an Anti-DEI Era
PRESENTED BY: Carie Branch
1 Hour
In response to Executive Order 14151 (January 20, 2025), which eliminated federal DEI programs and suspended diversity clauses in federal contracting, as well as the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill (July 4, 2025) with sweeping cuts to Medicaid, student aid, and gender-affirming care, and the broader dismantling agenda in Project 2025, many professionals are left twisting in the wind: committed to equity, yet fearful to say it out loud.
Ethics Over Optics guides vocational rehab counselors, providers, and behavioral health professionals, through a strategic reframing of equity work into ethically anchored, policy safe language and practice structures. Rather than abandoning values, attendees will learn how to re-narrate and preserve DEI principles through the language of trauma informed care, client centered ethics, access, dignity, and professional codes of ethics. This session provides:
-An overview of recent policy shifts that affect DEI initiatives—E.O. 14151, the One Big Beautiful Bill, and Project 2025
-Ethical professional frameworks that affirm obligations to support marginalized communities
-Hands on reframing tools: trigger vs. values focused language (e.g., “equity” to “barrier-free access”)
-Practical scripts and strategies to protect inclusive practices within compliance boundaries
Participants will be encouraged to share reflections and experiences related to presentation topic to build internal resilience and collective courage in a safe space.
Attendees will leave ready to integrate ethics first frameworks into daily work, and continue serving marginalized clients, while navigating federal scrutiny with confidence and integrity.
From Surviving to Thriving: Supporting Entry Level Employees Through Integrated Career Coaching and Resource Navigation
PRESENTED BY: Chris Smith and Torry Gargano
1 Hour
Frontline workers often face multifaceted challenges that extend beyond the workplace, including economic instability, limited access to resources, and a lack of exposure to the unwritten rules of professional environments. This presentation explores a wholistic support model that integrates resource navigation, motivational interviewing, and career coaching to empower frontline employees. By addressing both personal and professional barriers, this approach helps workers from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds build confidence, navigate workplace norms, and pursue meaningful career pathways.
Additionally, emerging generations such as Gen Z and Millennials are reshaping expectations of the workplace. These cohorts seek employers who offer more than just a paycheck—they value purpose, growth, and support. By implementing wholistic support strategies, organizations can attract and retain younger talent while fostering inclusive environments that meet the needs of all employees.
Drawing from real-world implementation and evidence-based practices, we will share strategies for building trust, fostering resilience, and promoting career advancement among frontline staff.
Learning Objectives Participants will:
Understand the principles and impact of resource navigation in addressing barriers to employment and well-being.
Learn how motivational interviewing can be used to build rapport and support behavior change.
Explore career coaching techniques that promote long-term growth and self-efficacy.
How Technology First Will Revolutionize Longterm Services
PRESENTED BY: Susan Chaplin, Margaret Overton
1 Hour
Learn how technology can transform direct care services for Michigan’s highly vulnerable IDD population. From enabling technology to help you take your medication independently and reliably, to smart refrigerators, induction stove tops, fall detectors, communication tablets, emergency call buttons, transportation assistance, Ring doorbells, and motion sensors…technology makes everyone’s life easier; for people with disabilities, it makes life
possible. An independent life, but a safe life, fulfilling and more autonomous, self-directed and free of the constraints of hovering parents and caregivers. Speaking of caregivers — this may be the most obvious solution to the Direct Care Personnel crisis. Yes, more pay. Yes, more certification and respect. But even with those reforms, which are slow in coming, there simply aren’t enough DCPs today, let alone in 10 years! Two parents who single-handedly started this revolution in Michigan partnered with Easterseals MORC and MOKA, Inc. to start a Task Force earlier this year to make enabling technology and remote support acceptable, adoptable and Medicaid-covered in Michigan. Margaret Overton, retired MD, and Susan Chaplin, retired management consultant, are parents of individuals with IDD who are now grown adults. Searching for a housing solution led them to discover that states throughout the country – 40 of them – were already supporting individuals with IDD with creative technological solutions. But not Michigan! Overton and Chaplin became vocal
advocates – with MDHHS, with provider agencies, with legislators throughout the state. They wrote a white paper. They presented to the Disability Caucus, the Care Caucus, the Autism Caucus and the Michigan Developmental Disability Council. They interviewed the states where Tech First has been adopted, like Tennessee, Ohio, Missouri, Minnesota and Oklahoma. Now their task force, with leaders from throughout the state, is taking on the challenge of
creating a blueprint for how to make it happen in Michigan. Learn what we’re doing to make Tech First a reality in Michigan, how it was done in other
states, how it will affect your clients and you, why you should support it, and what you can do to help.
Participants will learn:
What Technology First means and how it will benefit Michigan IDD Medicaid recipients
How enabling technology differs from assistive technology
How remote support works
What several other states are doing to support IDD clients with technology
What the Technology First Task Force is doing in Michigan
The impact of Tech First on the Direct Care crisis
Which other Michigan populations will benefit from Tech First
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.
MiABLE- Saving without Sacrifice
PRESENTED BY: R Scott de Varona
1 Hour
Financial security shouldn’t come at the cost of essential benefits — and with MiABLE, it doesn’t have to! Join MiABLE Program Director Scott de Varona for a deeper dive into how MiABLE accounts empower people with disabilities to save money while
preserving critical benefits like SSI and Medicaid. MiABLE is a vital financial resource designed for individuals with disabilities,
who have historically faced barriers to saving money. Learn how MiABLE works, who qualifies and how you can help your clients
take advantage of this game-changing program. With real-life success stories, discussions, and you’ll be equipped to
further advocate for financial independence within the disability community! Help those you serve achieve financial success — without sacrifice.
“
Navigating First Jobs: A Qualitative Exploration of Self-Determination Among High School Students with Disabilities
PRESENTED BY: Rommel Johnson, Ph.D., LPC, CRC, CAADC, NCC, and Stephanie Picazo, M.S
2 Hour
This presentation is based on a recent qualitative study (Summer, 2025) that explored the lived experiences of high school students with disabilities in Southwest Michigan as they navigated their first jobs. It addresses the gap in research that often overlooks the nuanced, personal perspectives of these students during this critical transition period. The study aimed to understand their perceptions, emotional responses, perceived barriers, and supports related to initial work experiences. Furthermore, it investigated how autonomy, competence, and relatedness—central components of self-determination—affected these students as they enter the workforce. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, with a purposeful sample of 10-15 students. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and themes related to self-determination. The findings provide in-depth insights into the contextual and interpersonal factors that shape the transition to employment, informing the development of more tailored and practical supports to enhance successful workforce integration for students with disabilities.
Paralinguistic Creativity: Infusing Disability Identity in Career Development
PRESENTED BY: Robert Parsons, Jr., MA, CRC, CVRT, LLPC
1 Hour
Collaborating with people with disabilities to achieve their respective employment goals mandates an individualized, wholistic methodology that considers a plethora of information from a customer. This information can be acquired through methods like interviewing and observation, but when a mental health practitioner has a disability, it can increase the potential for intimidation or hesitation. Professional research suggests that a professional’s disability identity has tangible effects on observed and perceived professional efficacy. This educational session highlights potential sources of identity-based hesitation or intimidation for therapists with a disability, while offering examples of ways a counselor educator with blindness successfully incorporates their identity into their methodology or teaching pedagogy. Opportunity for experiential activity and collaboration are included.According to the 2020 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) statistics, 36.8% of Koreans reported experiencing depression or depressive symptoms, the highest rate among OECD countries. The prevalence of depression is particularly high among individuals in their teens and twenties, with people with disabilities showing higher rates and more frequent reports of depressive symptoms compared to their peers without disabilities. Depression adversely affects the academic and vocational activities of individuals with disabilities as well as their physical and psychological well-being, highlighting the need for proactive intervention.
This session presents findings from an analysis of adolescents with disabilities aged 10 to 20, using the Korean Disability and Life Dynamics Panel Data. The study examines whether disability acceptance and self-esteem mediate the relationship between family strength and depression in this population. Based on the results, the session will discuss the role of rehabilitation counselors, propose effective strategies for reducing depression, and compare the Korean rehabilitation system with that of the United States to identify areas for improvement.
Pathways to Reducing Depression in Korean Adolescents with Disabilities: The Role of Family Strength, Disability Acceptance, and Self-Esteem
PRESENTED BY: Seongeun Oh, Kyo-bin Jeon, Minju Lee, Jaeyoung Kim, and Gloria Lee
1 Hour
According to the 2020 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) statistics, 36.8% of Koreans reported experiencing depression or depressive symptoms, the highest rate among OECD countries. The prevalence of depression is particularly high among individuals in their teens and twenties, with people with disabilities showing higher rates and more frequent reports of depressive symptoms compared to their peers without disabilities. Depression adversely affects the academic and vocational activities of individuals with disabilities as well as their physical and psychological well-being, highlighting the need for proactive intervention.
This session presents findings from an analysis of adolescents with disabilities aged 10 to 20, using the Korean Disability and Life Dynamics Panel Data. The study examines whether disability acceptance and self-esteem mediate the relationship between family strength and depression in this population. Based on the results, the session will discuss the role of rehabilitation counselors, propose effective strategies for reducing depression, and compare the Korean rehabilitation system with that of the United States to identify areas for improvement.
Roots Before Wings: How Mentoring Changes Lives in Flint and Beyond
PRESENTED BY: Tadarius Lowe, Sarah Britton
1 Hour
Before young people can soar, they need roots—stability, connection, and someone who believes in them. In this powerful and heartfelt session, mentors and mentees from Flint, Michigan, share their personal journeys and the life-changing impact of mentorship. Through authentic storytelling, panelists will reveal how meaningful relationships have helped them overcome adversity, rediscover hope, and unlock new paths forward.
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.
Stategic GPS: From Why to How to Wow
PRESENTED BY: James Willis
1 Hour
Presentation description/abstract: In today’s rapidly shifting environment, organizations that lead with clear, authentic values have a distinct advantage—they make decisions with clarity, align teams with purpose, and measure success in ways that matter. This session will guide participants through a practical, values-driven approach to strategic and operational planning.
We will begin by exploring why values come first, uncovering the ways in which they influence culture, decision-making, and organizational resilience. For those without clearly defined values, we will introduce proven strategies for discovering them—drawing on stakeholder input, organizational history, and purpose-driven frameworks such as Simon Sinek’s Start With Why. Participants will learn how to transform values from words on paper into living principles that shape hiring, training, and recognition.
The session will then move from vision to action, introducing the One Page Strategic Plan as a tool for translating values into clear strategic priorities. We will examine how to develop an Operational Strategic Plan that makes those priorities real through defined initiatives, timelines, and accountability structures. Finally, we will explore how progress dashboards—built around value-driven metrics—can keep organizations on track, enable real-time adjustments, and sustain alignment over time.
By the conclusion, participants will have a practical framework for developing or refining their values, translating them into strategic and operational plans, and measuring results in ways that reinforce their organizational purpose. They will leave with templates, examples, and the confidence to create a strategy that not only drives results, but stays true to what matters most.
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.
The Necessity for Self-Care in Leadership
PRESENTED BY: Shonda Rushing
1 Hour
This presentation will discuss the importance of self-care in leadership. As a leader, you must not neglect your personal well-being and growth while guiding others. Being a leader does not exempt you from facing real-life challenges. You are in leadership not because you lack obstacles, but because you have successfully navigated the difficult journey of confronting your own mental and emotional conflicts. We will explore how to overcome the pain and disappointments that come with leadership, and how to develop the wisdom to stop the bleeding, allowing you to lead with humility and wholeness.
What Google Maps Doesn’t Show: The Missing Info That’s Keeping People from Applying
PRESENTED BY: Meegan Winters
1 Hour
In a world where first impressions are often digital, accessibility isn’t just a compliance issue — it’s a branding, hiring, and retention strategy. This session explores the often-overlooked link between physical accessibility, employment equity, and digital transparency. Attendees will learn practical steps employers can take to attract and retain disabled talent — starting with how their spaces are presented to the world BEFORE a person walks/rolls through the door.
Through real-world examples, inclusive hiring insights, and the story behind AbleVu — a platform bringing verified accessibility information to the forefront — this talk will challenge businesses to think beyond ramps and resumes. Whether you’re an HR leader, DEI advocate, or facilities manager, you’ll walk away with actionable tools to create truly inclusive workplaces, both online and off.
Who’s Not at the Table? Making Room for the Stories We’re Missing
PRESENTED BY: Wendy Ernzen
1 Hour
As the parent of a daughter with Level 3 autism and host of “Let’s Plant Houses” podcast, I’ve learned that the stories we don’t hear shape our work as much as the ones we do. This session digs into why certain disability narratives get amplified while others, especially those more complex, remain invisible. Through personal stories and podcast conversations I’ve had, we’ll talk about how these gaps can create blind spots. You’ll walk away with practical ideas for spotting whose voices might be missing from your own work and simple ways to make room for the stories that could change how your work.
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.
