Each year, the TASH Conference brings together our constituents to share resources and success stories, learn about field-driven best practices, and network within a community engaged in shared values. The Conference is attended by passionate leaders, experts, and advocates from every corner of the disability community. Conference attendees are influential in their fields and communities, and play an important role in the provision of services and supports for individuals and organizations around the world; and include professors and researchers from leading institutions; those involved in local, state, and federal governments and public policy; special and general educators, and school administrators; self-advocates, adult service providers; students, family members, and many others. This year’s conference theme is Together We Rise!

Does your office feel understaffed and overloaded? One of the most unique aspects of working in a disability resource office is that disability professionals engage with almost every facet of the campus community as we strive for greater institutional accessibility and inclusion. But the breadth of our reach can pose challenges, as the variety and sheer number of interactions can strain us mentally and emotionally. This session will explore practical strategies you can implement right away to reign in the work intensity through a straight-forward focus, greater internal efficiency, and effective campus outreach.

Join National Disability Institute (NDI) as we share tools and resources to assist in building capacity to serve taxpayers with disabilities. Data shows that 1 in 4 individuals with disabilities are more likely to be eligible for free tax preparation services like VITA Programs. This webinar will highlight tools and resources that organizations can implement to increase the impact of serving taxpayers with disabilities.

Planning for the future is a crucial process for individuals and families as they plan for secure and fulfilling futures for and with their loved one with a disability. While creating a future plan often seems inaccessible or challenging for families, it is possible and necessary to create a person-centered plan to document the wants, needs, and available resources for an individual with a disability. The post-secondary school transition process serves as a great example of a necessary student-centered future planning process. In this webinar, attendees will learn about how Special Education transition planning fits into the broader idea of future planning. Attendees will gain insight into approaches for effective transition planning for students with IEPs as well as considerations for families, educators, and support professionals as they collaborate with the student during the transition planning process. 

Drs. Lund and Ayers will discuss their recently published article about the four waves of disability discrimination during the Covid-19 pandemic. By reflecting on the experiences of the disability community during this time, we can prepare together for a more equitable and just future.

Presenters:
Emily M. Lund, PhD, University of Alabama
Kara Ayers, PhD, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

During this webinar participants will learn about dementia programs that focus on serving the needs of the Hispanic and LGBTQI+ communities, which historically have not received equitable care and support. Saul Juarez Aguilar will present information on various challenges to implementing new dementia initiatives in the Hispanic community and how collaboration continues to be an essential and powerful tool for promotion and sustainability. In addition, Sarah Bahnson will discuss some of the challenges experienced by LGBTQI+ people living with dementia, ways to improve services to this community and key features of the Visibility Matters program. 

This initiative addresses a health equity concern for people with IDD: the inequity impacting many people with IDD without access to information about healthy and unhealthy relationships.  Schools often do not offer this in curricula, and assume that family members/caregivers will provide this critical information to people with IDD. This webinar discusses family readiness and knowledge for this information, and teaching these skills to people with IDD.

This presentation will review literature on environmental factors, and gene-environment interactions, for autism and related traits and discuss gaps and needs for future research studies.

Topics will include:

• How do environmental factors contribute to Autism?
• Autism comes from both genetic and environmental factors, though few studies have examined them jointly.
• Future research needs to more frequently examine modifiable exposures and impacts on traits and disabilities associated with autism.