Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Webinars

Making the VR Connection!

Thursday, May 15, 2014, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm

The Youth Transitions Collaborative, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), will host an educational seminar, Making the VR Connection. This seminar is designed to inform youth with disabilities, their family members, practitioners, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) counselors, educators, public and private sector agencies, and other stakeholders about the importance of collaboration to ensure a smooth transition process for students with disabilities as they exit school and prepare for post-school activities. Please join us to learn more about interagency collaborative models, the VR process, transition practices, requirements, and more.

Featured Speakers include:

·        Jessie MacKinnon, Chief Operating Officer, National Youth Transitions Center

·        Sue Swenson, Deputy Assistant Secretary, OSERS

·        Janet LaBreck, Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration

·        Melody Musgrove, Director, Office of Special Education Programs

·        Carol Dobak, VR Unit Chief,  Rehabilitation Services Administration

·        Rogerio M. Pinto, Associate Professor, Columbia University

·        Andrea Guest, Director, Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

·        Alyssa Cowin, Delaware Division of Health and Social Services, Former Student

·        Ed Tos, Deputy Director, Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

·        Dale Matuesevich, Education Associate Transition, Delaware State Educational Agency.

To register for this webinar, go to: https://hschealthcaresystem.webex.com/hschealthcaresystem/j.php?MTID=m1e9710e284881621dd961bfbde319d60.  The webinar will be captioned, recorded and archived.

Meet Jim Jim grew up in poverty with parents who experienced addictions. He struggled in school because of learning disabilities and difficulties at home. Yet through his involvement with an organization called Boystown, Jim overcame his own struggles with substance use and years of incarceration to build a life of service. A college graduate, Jim is founder and executive director of Preparing Leaders of Tomorrow, an organization that supports young adults who are exiting the justice system. Meet Michelle Behavioral health challenges and substance use were part of Michelle's day-to-day reality through her teen years.  After the suicide of a close friend and with support from close allies, Michelle has become a strong advocate for herself and her peers. She is now a college student and certified peer support specialist. Michelle has also worked for the Utah Family Coalition, providing support to other young adults working to overcome behavioral health and substance use challenges by promoting the youth voice in Utah. Meet Qaiel  Qaiel knows what it is like to be a target of bullying and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender expression. Qaiel has used personal experience with the behavioral health challenges associated with these difficulties to connect with others in college and youth-serving organizations.  Supportive environments made up of other LGBTQ and other young adults with behavioral health challenges inspired Qaiel to become a community leader and help others find their voice. Meet Sean Since his teen years, Sean has worked to manage his own behavioral health challenges, including trauma, depression, and mood instability. At age 15, he demonstrated the power of early intervention with his willingness to participate in psychotherapy. Now an entrepreneur, filmmaker, and international public speaker, Sean works with schools and communities to develop advocacy programs for young adults with behavioral health challenges. National Launch on May 6! We hope you will join us for the National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day: Inspiring Resilience, Creating Hope (Awareness Day) 2014 national launch event on Tuesday, May 6, 2014! Launch activities include a general session and a workshop on "What Really Works for Young Adults" to be hosted in collaboration with the National Council for Behavioral Health during their national conference. Both launch activities are free of charge and the one-hour general session is being Webcast live. General Session & Workshop During the general session you will have the opportunity to meet Jim, Michelle, Qaiel, and Sean--four young adults who will share their experiences of resilience and providing peer support to young adults with behavioral health challenges. They will be featured onstage with senior Federal officials, including: Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius; SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D.; Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Robert Listenbee, Jr., J.D.; Executive Director of the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors Rob Morrison, who will be joined by his son Robert; and Others who will discuss services available for these young adults. In addition, 2014 Honorary Chairperson Chiara de Blasio will be recognized for sharing her story of hope and resilience. The general session will be followed by a "world cafe" style workshop where attendees will be able to speak in more detail with Jim, Michelle, Qaiel, and Sean about what young adults with behavioral health challenges need. 2014 Honorary Chairperson: Chiara de Blasio   SAMHSA is pleased to have Chiara de Blasio as the Awareness Day 2014 Honorary Chairperson. She will be joined by her parents, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius   Since taking office in 2009, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has led ambitious efforts to improve America's health and enhance the delivery of human services to some of the Nation's most vulnerable populations. Virtual Opportunities to Participate Not in the DC area? No problem! Many communities across the country are planning to use the national launch activities in their local Awareness Day events. Take part on May 6 by:

Emily Cepla, MPH

Program Manager, Child and Adolescent Action Center

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

3803 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100

Arlington, VA 22203

Direct Line: (703) 600-1107

ecepla@nami.org

www.nami.org

Statewide Family Network Technical Assistance Center

www.policyresearchinc.org/fcnhome