Regional Trainings on Employment Supports for Individuals with Complex Needs

Newsletter Guide

Spring Regional Training

• Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Complex Support Needs

Congratulations Foundations (ACRE) Graduates

• Up Coming Foundations (ACRE) Courses

April 28th Lunch & Learn

• The Intersection of Personality Disorders & I/DD

2023 Lunch & Learn Schedule

Individuals with complex support needs require employment specialists with advanced skills in discovery, job development, employer engagement and onsite inclusive supports. This four-hour training will provide evidence-based strategies and practical examples to strengthen employment specialists’ skills and confidence in supporting individuals with complex needs in competitive integrated employment.

Training Objectives:

Information Gathering and Job Development Strategies for Individuals with Complex Support Needs

• Explore employment services barriers and learn strategies to address these challenges

• Acquire information gathering strategies and build customer profiles

• Work through case study examples of job seekers with significant support needs

• Develop a strategy to support a job seeker

Employer Engagement and On-Site Support for Individuals with Complex Support Needs

• Acquire methods for buildings relationships and networking with employers

•  Learn job development strategies to represent job seekers with significant support needs

• Learn professional employment specialist competencies required to support both clients and employers

• Learn to incorporate strategies that go above and beyond traditional job development tactics

Facilitated by Dr. Whitney Ham

Our January Graduates

McKenzie Akridge |Valley Oaks

Samantha Bahler | Evansville Goodwill Industries

Sophie Bollman | Partners in Autism

Ann Chupp | Core Opportunities

Kay Craig | The Arc Noble County Foundations, Inc.

Sara Graddy | Aspire Indiana

Saliya Grant-Mack | Adult and Child Health

Trish Hutchison | ADEC Inc

Paige Jacobsen | Logan Community Services

Jim Kane | The Arc Noble County Foundations, Inc.

Rita Knott | CARS

Tara Lundquist | Logan Community Services

Brooklyn Nelson | Opportunities for Positive Growth

Lillian Rowe | Shares, Inc.

Amy Teverbaugh | Adult and Child Health

Kirstyn Wargel | Evansville Goodwill Industries

Upcoming Foundation (ACRE) Courses

Registration is open for the following courses:

• July 10th – September 29, 2023

• October 9 – December 29, 2023

• January 8 – March 29, 2024

• April 8 – June 28, 2024

A new Foundations cohort begins July 10th. This 12-week course is geared to employment specialists in their first or second year of working in the field. The content will provide foundational knowledge on Indiana-specific resources, opportunities, and information about the employment services model. Fundamental employment services content reviewed includes Supported Employment, Customized Employment, Discovery, Job Development, Workplace Supports, Job-site Training, Assistive Technology, Long-term Support.

After completing the Foundations course, employment specialists will receive a National Certificate in Employment Services from the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE).

Course Logistics:

• Forty-hour course separated into 6 lessons across 12 weeks

• Each lesson will be available for two weeks, allowing flexibility for the time and pace at which material is reviewed.

• Cost: $56.25

• Upon graduation, a National Certificate in Employment Services is received.

Friday, April 28th
11:00 am – 12:00 pm EST

In this webinar, participants will learn what a personality disorder is and the many kinds there are. Although each personality disorder is different, they all affect how a person thinks, behaves, and reacts. Participants will hear about the impact’s personality disorders can have on the lives of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, including the many ways employment can be affected.

Learn about:

• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder

• Borderline Personality Disorder

• Dependent Personality Disorder

2023 Lunch & Learn Schedule

Register in advance for this year’s Lunch & Learns. All sessions are from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (EST)

• The Intersection of Schizophrenia, Psychosis, & I/DD - May 19th

• A Trauma-Informed Accessibility Approach & How It Can Help Everyone - June 23rd

We welcome you to visit our website and sign up for future Lunch & Learns! The 2023 schedule and sign-up links can be found on our Sign-Up page.