Transition Age Youth Institute

Program and Registration Information

September 11 & 12, 2012 The Desmond Hotel & Conference Center

Albany, NY

Sch

edule

of Eve

nts

Plenary Session 1:00 - 2:00 Opening Remarks

Merryl H. Tisch, Chancellor, New York State Education Department (invited)

Transition Age Youth: Our Challenges, Our Vision

Ceylane Meyers-Ruff, Director of Employment and Meaningful Activities, NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities Donna Bradbury, M.A., Acting Deputy Commissioner, Division of Children and Family Services, NYS Office of Mental Health Sheila Poole, Associate Commissioner, NYS Office of Children and Family Services Kevin Smith, Deputy Commissioner, ACCES-VR (invited)

This session will offer perspective and information from the State agencies which fund and support children and students in their transition to adulthood. Listen to the visions, learn about initiatives and leave understanding the challenges we face as advocates for transition age youth and our direction for the future.

General Session 2:30 - 3:45 JobZone/CareerZone

Christopher Myers, PhD., Program Manager, NYS Department of Labor (invited) John Brooks, Unit Manager, NYS Department of Labor (invited)

This session will introduce you to the newest updates that CareerZone/JobZone have to offer job seekers. Learn how these tools integrate well with ongoing services offered to all, especially NYESS.

General Session 4:00 - 5:15 High Performing Leaders in Transition: Who are they, and how do I become one?

David Brewer, Senior Executive Associate, Employment and Disability Institute, ILR School, Cornell University

Cornell University's Employment and Disability Institute has been conducting research into effective practices in transition, and the thoughts and practices of high performing education leaders of these programs. Participants will understand how these programs are built, maintained and sustained through hands-on activities, group discussions and problem-solving.

Networking reception immediately following.

Registration 7:00 - 8:00 Welcome 9:00- 9:15

Jeff Wise, JD, President and CEO, NYSRA

General Session 9:15 - 10:15 Transition to Independence for Youth

Glenn Liebman, CEO, Mental Health Association in NYS Andrea Smyth, Executive Director, New York State Coalition for Children’s Mental Health Services

This session will highlight a collaborative between the New York State Coalition for Children’s Mental Health Services and the Mental Health Association in New York State for transitional age youth. This session will discuss the TIP system, highlight national best practice designs, research and transitional models for youth with disabilities. Time for questions and answers will be allotted.

Concurrent Sessions 10:30 - 11:45 Multiple Pathways to Graduation

Stephen Boese, Executive Director, LDA of NYS Panel TBA

Students in special education are increasingly faced with new and demanding course requirements, as are all students. "No Child Left Behind", "Race to the Top", adoption of "Common Core Standards", and new state policies in response to these initiatives make for a period of rapid change and much uncertainty. Yet nearly all pathways to high school graduation with a valid diploma rely on student success in passing five NYS Regents Exams. What happens to students who, by nature of their disability or otherwise, cannot demonstrate their knowledge and proficiency through high stakes tests? What is the state's responsibility and where is the state's accountability for these students? This session will explore these emerging policies and explore alternative pathways to a diploma that are NOT based on high stakes tests.

Young Adult Perspectives: Challenges and Opportunities

Stephanie Orlando, Director of YOUTH POWER!, Families Together in New York State Youth Representatives TBA

This session will address the challenges, opportunities and barriers to independence as young people transition to adulthood. Young adults will share their concerns, needs and some of the best practices that they have experienced during the transition process.

Time for questions and answers will be allotted.

September 12, 2012 Wednesday,

September 11, 2012 Tuesday,

Concurrent Sessions 11:45 - 12:45 Partnerships for Employment: Improving Transition-to-Work Outcomes for Youth with Developmental Disabilities

Julie J. Christensen, LMSW, Project Director, NYS Partnerships in Employment Systems Change, University of Rochester Medical Center

In 2011, the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities awarded Projects of National Significance: Partnerships in Employment Systems Change grants to six states, including New York, California, Wisconsin, Iowa, Mississippi, and Missouri. These efforts support increased collaboration and communication between state vocational rehabilitation and developmental disabilities agencies, special education, and the Developmental Disabilities Planning Councils. This presentation will provide an overview of the New York effort, including project priorities and key initiatives. Please come and share your experiences and ideas around how to better support students as they exit school and transition into employment. OMH Initiatives for Transitional Age Youth

Gary Hook, Division of Children and Families, NYS OMH Ellice Matza, LCSW-R, Coordinator, Case Management, NYS OMH Tom O’Clair, Recipient Affairs Specialist, Family Issues, NYS OMH Meredith Ray-LaBatt, Program Specialist, Division of Children and Families Services, NYS OMH Brian Lombrowski, Citywide Youth Peer Specialist, New York

City Field Office, NYS Office of Mental Health

Participant Registration Information Registration Process On-line Registration: All registrations will be submitted on-line by going to www.rrti.org. You will receive your confirmation upon completion of the registration process. Event registration fee(s) DOES NOT INCLUDE HOTEL COSTS. Lunch on September 12 is included with your registration fee. The Hotel Registration Form is part of this brochure and available on-line. It must be mailed or faxed (not both) to The Desmond Hotel and Conference Center. If you have any questions or need further instructions, contact RRTI at (518) 449-2976.

Registration fee is for:

Tuesday, September 11th and Wednesday, September 12th

$100

Cancellation Policy Registration Cancellations for The Transition Age Youth Institute received before or on August 24, 2012 entitle registrants to a full refund. NO REFUNDS will be issued for cancellations received after August 24,

2012. However, substitutions are allowed. Refunds WILL NOT be issued for no-shows.

This session will highlight initiatives and efforts by the NYS Office of Mental Health for families and youth to assist in keeping this population in the forefront and work to eliminate the stumbling blocks that prevent or hinder the youth of today and tomorrow from achieving their full potential. Discussion will include how as providers, youth, families and OMH, as partners, can facilitate their successful transition to adulthood by bridging the gap that so many have fallen through in the past.

Lunch 12:45 - 1:15

General Session 1:15 - 2:45 Innovative Partnerships for Transition Age Youth

Ruthanne Abramovich, VP of Vocational and Housing Services, MHA Westchester Carol Goldman, Program Director, Crossroads

Programs across New York State are offering innovative partnerships in their communities to address the needs of transition age youth. This presentation will discuss a providers partnership with the County, transition age youth/young adults and stakeholders in the community. Learn how you can be uniquely positioned to provide enhanced services for this population, including learning about employment initiatives, adapting to health system changes and promoting positive outcomes for the transition to adulthood.

Registration

Process

Sch

edule C

ontin

ued

Hot

el R

eser

vation

For

m

In order to receive the special conference rate, please mail or fax (not both) this form to the address below to place your reservation. No telephone reservations will be accepted.

*Please send reservations for shared rooms at the same time. Please submit one form for each individual when sharing a room.

The Desmond Hotel and Conference Center Reservations 660 Albany-Shaker Road

Albany, NY 12211 Fax: (518) 869-7659

Check-in time is 4:00pm. Guest room availability and check-in cannot be guaranteed before that time. Check-out time is 12:00pm. We will provide a room for luggage storage in the event that your group functions do not end prior to check-out.

We will make every effort to honor specific room requests based on availability.

In order to receive the identified conference rate, reservations must be made by August 24, 2012. After this date, all remaining rooms will be released and accommodations will be accepted on an availability basis only.

Reservations cannot be guaranteed by a purchase order or voucher. A credit card or deposit check is required to guarantee. Personal checks will be accepted 14 days prior to check-in to guarantee a reservation, but will not be accepted as your final method of payment.

This package price is tax exempt. Please bring your completed tax-exempt form and a municipal form of payment (i.e.: municipal credit card, municipal check or purchase orders). Your personal credit card may not be used as a valid method of payment with the municipal tax-exempt form. Tax will be added if form is not provided.

Group Reservation ID #11W3PV Name: __________________________________________________________________________

Roommate: ______________________________________________________________________

Organization: _____________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: ____________________________________________________________________

Phone: __________________________________________________________________________

Special Accommodations: ____________________________________________________________

TRANSITION AGE YOUTH PACKAGE: Arrival Tuesday, September 11 and departure Wednesday, September 12, 2012. Includes overnight room for 1 night plus applicable taxes. Lunch on September 12 is included with the event registration fee for the Transition Age Youth Institute.

_____ Single Occupancy $144.00 _____ *Double Occupancy $154.00

DEPOSIT/GUARANTEE: _____ Enclosed is my advanced deposit of $144.00 made payable to The Desmond Hotel and Conference

Center.

_____ Guarantee my reservation to the credit card below. I have authorized this charge with my signature.

Credit Card #: ____________________________________________________________________

Expiration Date: ___________ Signature: ____________________________________________________

Print Name: ______________________________________________________________________

CANCELLATION POLICY: You may cancel this reservation 72 hours prior to your check-in date without charge. Should you fail to arrive or cancel after 72 hours prior to the check-in date, you will be charged the entire package. In the event you need to leave or change your reservation once registered, the entire value of the package will be

charged.