Washington state informational and networking events for families with children with special health needs
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All sessions of the IECC will be held virtually via Zoom. There will not be any in-person sessions.
The IECC and its sponsors understand that this past year has been extremely difficult for providers and families. In an effort to ease some of this burden, the 2021 conference is being offered complimentary. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to attend all sessions LIVE. A huge thank you to all of the sponsors for their generous support of IECC and its participants.
Only participants who attend the live session via Zoom for the full scheduled length of the session will receive credit. If you are no longer able to attend, please plan to send someone in your place or notify IECC to cancel so that they may open the space for other attendees.
Conference Goals:
- Challenge thinking about diversity and disability;
- Increase family and provider effectiveness through new skills, strategies and ideas for providing high quality services;
- Enhance understanding of the unique strengths and needs of each family;
- Foster partnerships across families, disciplines, agencies and funders to provide coordinated services in local communities;
- Promote networking and coalition building around early childhood issues;
- Enhance the lives of families and their children through the use of information and technology; and
- Promote the mutual understanding of the contributions families and providers bring to the lives of young children.
Thousands of Pierce County residents take care of a friend or family member with a serious health condition. While being a caregiver can be a labor of love, it can also be very stressful. On top of normal stress, the isolation created by COVID-19 has resulted in incredible challenges for care takers and caregivers’ well-being and mental health.
To alleviate stress and offer support, Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources, in collaboration with the Health Care Providers Council, will present the 2021 Pierce County Caregiver Conference as a two-day virtual event on May 8 and 15. This free conference is open to both paid and unpaid family caregivers. Advanced registration is required, and participants can sign up using the link below:
• Register online: https://bit.ly/3mnCuN6 Join by Phone: 253-215-8782 or 888-788-0099 Webinar ID: 942 9840 2625
Both workshops will run from 9:30-11:45 a.m. and feature the following 30-minute workshops:
• Saturday, May 8 – Focus on the care recipient
o When a loved one resists care
o Using the gift of music
o Keeping families in touch using virtual connections
o Sharing purpose and responsibility
• Saturday, May 15 – Focus on the care giver
o Caregiver stress, frustration and guilt
o When to go to the emergency room and when not to
o Involving the whole family in caregiving
o Assembling legal and emergency resources
Handouts, workshop materials, caregiving tools and community resources will be available online before and after the conference. Paid, in-home caregivers may qualify for up to four hours of continuing education (CE) credits from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).
“Caregivers are the backbone of our health care system,” said Aaron Van Valkenburg, Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources manager. “Nearly 900,000 unpaid family caregivers in our state provide 80% of the services their loved ones need to remain in home for as long as possible. Often working tirelessly, alone and unrecognized, these caregivers need support to prolong their ongoing caregiver activities and to ensure their own mental and physical health stays intact while coping with related challenges.”
Participants can also live stream the event online at www.PierceCountyWA.gov/Caregiver. For more information about the presentations or to register by phone, call the Pierce County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at 253-798-4600 or 800-562-0332.
Join us monthly in our virtual community that provides an opportunity to talk with families who have similar experiences and learn from experts.
March 9th: Supporting Your Family Though COVID-19
April 13th: Finding Resources for Your Family
May 11th: Practicing Self-Care
June 8th: Graduation and Beyond
For more info, feedback, topic suggestions or trouble connecting, please contact:
Shawnda: shicks@wapave.org call/text (360) 999-6633
Cindy: cmyers@wapave.org call/text (253) 820-4713
*Join our new private Birth to One Facebook group by searching “Family to Family Health and Information Center Group” or www.facebook.com/groups/1439338032916517/
TELLING YOUR STORY WITH A PURPOSE WORKSHOP
Presented by: Louis Mendoza, WA State Fathers Network and Jeremy Kredlo, Custodial Grandfather
Do You Want to Make Your Voice Heard? Join us for this free 2-part virtual workshop on advocacy and leadership and learn to:
• Identify a policy or systems issue where you would like to make a difference
• Follow a process that can be used to develop a 2-3 minute presentation for delivery to decision makers
• Effectively advocate for change using your family’s experience as an example
Part 1: Learn the Telling Your Story with a Purpose process
Part 2: Attend Optional Part 2 after developing your story using the process from Part 1, if you want to
practice your presentation and receive feedback.
Part 1:
Date: Monday, March 15, 2021
Time: 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Part 2: Optional
Date: Monday, April 12, 2021
Time: 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Part 1:
Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Part 2: Optional
Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Events are Free, Registration is required, Space is limited.
Please register at https://fathersnetwork.org/telling-your-story-with-a-purpose-workshop
Shortly after registering you will be sent workshop materials
Train the Trainer – Building Resilience – Become a NEAR Sciences Presenter (NEAR: Neuroscience, Epigenetics, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resiliency)
Presented by Kitsap Strong, the intention of this four-day train-the-trainer is to build capacity of local agencies to provide NEAR sciences training within their organizations. As a NEAR sciences presenter you will be certified to facilitate the ACE Interface NEAR sciences curriculum. You will receive high quality materials proven to be effective with diverse audiences. Following completion of the training, you will participate in a one-year community of practice, supported by Kitsap Strong, to continue to learn and hone your presentation skills.
NOTE: This is a four-part training. Participation in ALL four trainings is required. Zoom links will be sent out prior to the trainings.
- Session 1, Thursday May 13th, 9a-12p
- Session 2, Friday May 14th, 9a-12p
- Session 3,Thursday May 20th, 9a-12p
- Session 4, Friday May 21st, 9a-12p
About ACE Interface NEAR sciences curriculum: Kitsap Strong has seen the immense value of providing scientifically accurate and consistent information throughout our communities. NEAR sciences provides a common language and framework for understanding the social challenges in our communities and the need for collective efforts to address these challenges.
Role and responsibilities for NEAR presenters:
- demonstrate understanding of core concepts of NEAR sciences curriculum
- deliver NEAR sciences curriculum within your organization and facilitate dialogues to deepen understanding
- commit to the fidelity of NEAR sciences curriculum
- participate in a community of practice for one year: monthly “lunch & learn” webinars, co-presentation support, technical assistance, and coordination of co-facilitation opportunities
To become a certified NEAR sciences presenter, participants must agree to the following:
- actively participate in the community of practice events (more info to come)
- prepare a simple self-video of presenting NEAR content and submit to Kitsap Strong for coaching purposes
- participate in quality assurance measures, including program evaluation processes and submission of provided evaluation forms for all presentations within the certification period
Audience: All partners and community members – 30 participants max and participants must live, learn, work, or play in the Olympic region
For implementation partners, attendance may be applied to the learning and convening element of the 2021 Payment Model.
Registration is limited to 2 people per organization.
Are you the parent or caregiver of a child with behavioral health concerns? So are we, and have traveled a road similar to yours. As we have worked towards recovery with our own kids, we have learned a lot about ourselves and have gained new skills.
This weekend will be filled with many topics such as:
- Anti-Bulling
- Not Your everyday Stress,
- Virtual School concerns
- De-escalation,
- LGBTQ+ Awareness
- Collaborative Problem Solving
- Stress Management in the age of COVID
This weekend is open to Dad’s grandparents, moms, other female or male caregivers, and anyone who has a special needs child in their family, or extended family.
About the SFN Dads Virtual Confrence –
Building on the success of past years conferences, the 21st Century Dads Foundation is thrilled to host the 2021 SFN Dads Virtual Conference. We’re budgeting for 400 dads, who are raising children with special needs. We have a host of first-class keynote speakers, plus four tracks, for dads to design their own custom experience from more than 20 concurrent sessions and we’ve built in plenty of time for breakout sessions for dads to network and get to know other dads.
Standard Registration (FREE) Thanks to our generous sponsors, all dads are entitled to a FREE Standard Registration.
Premium Registration (Only $25) allows attendees unlimited access to all the recorded keynote and concurrent sessions for six months.
VIP Registration ($100) allows attendees unlimited access to all the recorded keynote and concurrent sessions for six months and to attend the pre-conference VIP Meet & Greet on Friday evening.
As a special incentive we’re pleased to offer a FREE Premium Registration to all dads who have children 0-3 and all active duty military dads.
NEWS FLASH!!!!
The first 100 dads to register will receive a complimentary copy of the book: Another Kind of Courage, by Steve Bundy and Doug Maza, compliments of Joni & Friends (www.joniandfriends.org)
The SFN Dads Virtaul Conference is for dads raising children with special needs, interested in:
– developing their fathering skills,
– gathering resources for their child and family, and
– meeting and networking with like-minded dads
Most of the presenters are SFN Mentor Fathers and many of them have shared their personal stories as guests on the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast, which is produced weekly and now has more than 140 inspiring episodes.
Enhance your conference experience by downloading the Whova app on your smart phone.
Special thanks to the conference committee:
About the Special Fathers Network –
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 400+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who all are raising kids with special needs, have said: “I wish there was something like this when we first received our child’s diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through.”
Train the Trainer – Building Resilience – Become a NEAR Sciences Presenter (NEAR: Neuroscience, Epigenetics, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resiliency)
Presented by Kitsap Strong, the intention of this four-day train-the-trainer is to build capacity of local agencies to provide NEAR sciences training within their organizations. As a NEAR sciences presenter you will be certified to facilitate the ACE Interface NEAR sciences curriculum. You will receive high quality materials proven to be effective with diverse audiences. Following completion of the training, you will participate in a one-year community of practice, supported by Kitsap Strong, to continue to learn and hone your presentation skills.
NOTE: This is a four-part training. Participation in ALL four trainings is required. Zoom links will be sent out prior to the trainings.
- Session 1, Thursday May 13th, 9a-12p
- Session 2, Friday May 14th, 9a-12p
- Session 3,Thursday May 20th, 9a-12p
- Session 4, Friday May 21st, 9a-12p
About ACE Interface NEAR sciences curriculum: Kitsap Strong has seen the immense value of providing scientifically accurate and consistent information throughout our communities. NEAR sciences provides a common language and framework for understanding the social challenges in our communities and the need for collective efforts to address these challenges.
Role and responsibilities for NEAR presenters:
- demonstrate understanding of core concepts of NEAR sciences curriculum
- deliver NEAR sciences curriculum within your organization and facilitate dialogues to deepen understanding
- commit to the fidelity of NEAR sciences curriculum
- participate in a community of practice for one year: monthly “lunch & learn” webinars, co-presentation support, technical assistance, and coordination of co-facilitation opportunities
To become a certified NEAR sciences presenter, participants must agree to the following:
- actively participate in the community of practice events (more info to come)
- prepare a simple self-video of presenting NEAR content and submit to Kitsap Strong for coaching purposes
- participate in quality assurance measures, including program evaluation processes and submission of provided evaluation forms for all presentations within the certification period
Audience: All partners and community members – 30 participants max and participants must live, learn, work, or play in the Olympic region
For implementation partners, attendance may be applied to the learning and convening element of the 2021 Payment Model.
Registration is limited to 2 people per organization.
Thousands of Pierce County residents take care of a friend or family member with a serious health condition. While being a caregiver can be a labor of love, it can also be very stressful. On top of normal stress, the isolation created by COVID-19 has resulted in incredible challenges for care takers and caregivers’ well-being and mental health.
To alleviate stress and offer support, Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources, in collaboration with the Health Care Providers Council, will present the 2021 Pierce County Caregiver Conference as a two-day virtual event on May 8 and 15. This free conference is open to both paid and unpaid family caregivers. Advanced registration is required, and participants can sign up using the link below:
• Register online: https://bit.ly/3mnCuN6 Join by Phone: 253-215-8782 or 888-788-0099 Webinar ID: 942 9840 2625
Both workshops will run from 9:30-11:45 a.m. and feature the following 30-minute workshops:
• Saturday, May 8 – Focus on the care recipient
o When a loved one resists care
o Using the gift of music
o Keeping families in touch using virtual connections
o Sharing purpose and responsibility
• Saturday, May 15 – Focus on the care giver
o Caregiver stress, frustration and guilt
o When to go to the emergency room and when not to
o Involving the whole family in caregiving
o Assembling legal and emergency resources
Handouts, workshop materials, caregiving tools and community resources will be available online before and after the conference. Paid, in-home caregivers may qualify for up to four hours of continuing education (CE) credits from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).
“Caregivers are the backbone of our health care system,” said Aaron Van Valkenburg, Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources manager. “Nearly 900,000 unpaid family caregivers in our state provide 80% of the services their loved ones need to remain in home for as long as possible. Often working tirelessly, alone and unrecognized, these caregivers need support to prolong their ongoing caregiver activities and to ensure their own mental and physical health stays intact while coping with related challenges.”
Participants can also live stream the event online at www.PierceCountyWA.gov/Caregiver. For more information about the presentations or to register by phone, call the Pierce County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at 253-798-4600 or 800-562-0332.
