2018 Together for Choice Conference, 10/17 - 10/19

Together For Choice is a national non-profit organization formed "to protect and advance the right of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to live, work, and thrive in communities and settings of their choice." TGF is sponsoring a conference in Chicago, October 17 to 19, 2018. I regret that I will not be there, but I hope that others will attend and that there will be plenty to share with people who could not be there in person.

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Please join us October 17-19, 2018 on Misericordia's beautiful campus in Chicago.

Together for Choice is a national grassroots advocacy organization formally incorporated in 2017 with over 800 members in 47 states. Our mission is to protect and advance the right of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to live, work, and thrive in communities and settings of their choice. We work with national networks, self-advocates, families, and service providers to advance choice, quality, and increased resources for the I/DD population. Since our incorporation, we have been educating the public and governmental officials on the need for Medicaid funding of choice-based housing and employment/developmental training models, as well as increased resources at the federal and state levels to ensure quality services. Our continued focus is to develop policy reform initiatives addressing the myriad of I/DD community needs.

Agenda and Conference Schedule

The conference includes an impressive array of speakers:

David Axelrod, Keynote Address

Rodney Biggert, "The Trials and Unanswered Questions of the 14(c) Certificate"

Taylor Brose, "The DSP Workforce Crisis: Finding Solutions"

William Choslovsky, "Protecting the ICF Entitlement: the Real Meaning of Olmstead"

Sr. Rosemary Connelly, RSM, Conference Opening Statements

Michael Diaz, "Creating Sustainable Community Partners to Enhance Service Options"

Jill Escher, "The National Council on Severe Autism: What is an Essential Care Non-Profit?"

Melissa Harris, "HCBS Regulation and Implementation"

Rob Johnson, Keynote Address

Jim Kokoris, Keynote Address: "A Special Life"

Paul C. Landers, "The DSP Workforce Crisis: Finding Solutions"

Christopher B. Lowther, "CMS's Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Settings Regulations: How We Got Here and Where We're Headed"

Crystal Makowski, Ed.D., "Where Do We Go From Here? Best Practices!"

Patrick Mannix, "America’s Workforce: Empowering All – Updates from the Office of Disability Employment Policy"

Molly Nocon, Housing Model Discussion

Philip J. Peisch, "CMS's Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Settings Regulations: How We Got Here and Where We're Headed"