The Resource Center’s third annual Educational Summit took place November 2 and 3 at the Clarion Hotel, Marina and Conference Center in Dunkirk. Entitled “Embracing Our Differences Across the Lifespan,” the summit featured several area professionals in the human service field, as well as individuals with disabilities and their families.
The inaugural morning started with welcoming remarks from Michele Albaugh, TRC’s Assistant Director of Staff Training and Development, along with Virginia Vath, Assistant Executive Director for Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement, Staff Training and Development, and Compliance.
“The Resource Center views the Educational Summit as an opportunity for each of us to share our best practices and knowledge,” said Michele. “We believe that learning from each other strengthens our communities.”
This year, Michele and her team identified three topics to discuss: mental health, autism and traumatic brain injury. The two days of presentations were designed to cover those topics across the lifespan of individuals with those conditions.
Following the welcome, keynote speaker Dr. Al Condeluci, the Chief Executive Officer of UCP/CLASS of Pittsburgh, PA, gave his remarks. Al said UCP/CLASS, a family of corporations dedicated to the mission of working toward a community where each person belongs, has grown to become the third-largest disability-specific agency in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The title of Al’s address, “Why We Do What We Do: Bringing Back the Passion In Our Lives,” outlined the history of how people with disabilities have been treated and ways to rekindle the passion for inclusion and community.
“Men, women and children with disabilities represent a huge asset pool to our community, not only in terms of time and energy they can bring to community, but also the way they really help us begin to re-identify who we are as a community,” he said Dr. Condeluci. “Diversity has always been good for culture and community, so we’re very excited about this symposium in ways we can bring this message to community.”
Most of Al’s message centered on his cousin Carol, who has a disability, and how her family treated her on the family compound, known as Condeluci Hill, as opposed to how differently she was treated by the rest of the community.
He spent a great deal of time talking about the “Lifeworld” vs. “Systems” and how many people with disabling conditions are caught in the middle.
“Jobs, housing, transportation, and relationships are the four main components of the lifeworld,” said Al, “as opposed to systems, which are institutions, programs and organizations where community thinks those with disabilities should go instead. But I signed up to create a more just society.”
He went on to discuss ways to create strategies to build a better lifeworld and introduced the idea of social capital, which he defined as the value, benefits and resources made available and accessed throughout relationships and social networks.
“We need to stop thinking clinically and focus on community,” said Al.
As part of his address, Al provide statistical data outlining the differences between those with disabilities and those without, namely in the areas of homeownership and employment. He said 73 percent of people with disabling conditions are unemployed, and only 6.1 percent own a home.
“The most tragic data of all is in the area of relationships,” Al said. “The average person has 150 important people in their lives, as opposed to people with disabilities, who maybe have a handful. We don’t know, because we don’t have data to measure that; it’s not important enough to measure.”
After his address, Al was one of several presenters who conducted smaller, more intimate workshops. The sessions ran all afternoon on a number of different areas of the three main topics.
One of those nine smaller workshops of day one dealt with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Kathy Ralabate Doody presented the group with the history of the disorder and how it’s diagnosed. She also took time to discuss the early days and how children were ripped away from their parents because of the belief that parents somehow cause autism in the way they raise their children. Over the years, she said, research has shown that’s just not the case.
“Autism Spectrum Disorder is not associated with bad parenting,” said Kathy. “No one is going to take our kids away.”
She also shared her personal story of her child’s condition and their journey with the disorder. Part of her presentation also included possible causes and effective treatment options as well.
Once all the presentations of the day were over, people got ready for an evening performance by Flame, a group of musicians with disabilities from Fulton County, NY. Wanting to change the world through music, they are a phenomenon that inspires people and changes the way the general public views people with disabilities.
Flame is a hit with individuals with disabilities and staff at TRC, and this performance also attracted other members of the community who wanted to see what the band is all about. TRC has brought Flame to Chautauqua County several times, and the agency also hosts monthly dances with a DJ. Nancy Ingram, TRC’s Assistant Executive Director for Service Operations, said of Flame’s appearance at the 2010 Educational Summit, “It was our best dance ever.”
Day two of the Educational Summit featured sessions on personality disorders, living with TBI, caring for a family member with early-onset dementia, and using iPads to support individuals with autism. Following that, Michele gathered the group to deliver her closing remarks and thank everyone involved in making the Educational Summit a success.
The 2010 Educational Summit was sponsored by The Resource Center, TRC Foundation, the International Order of the King’s Daughters and Sons, and the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. The Summit was another in TRC’s continuing commitment to providing learning opportunities to area professionals, families and individuals with disabilities.