2024 Fall FASD Forum

“Accommodating For The Needs of Individuals With FASD in Our Communities”

October 4, 2024 ~ 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, CT

Download a copy of the event flyer to post in your office or give to your friends!

Download a copy of the program details / agenda.

Please email Jackie Wille at jwille@orchidsfasdservices.org for more information or if you have any questions.

PROGRAM FOR THE DAY

8:15 – 8:30	Sign in, coffee and tea (self service)
8:30	Welcome and Introductions
8:45 – 10:00	Diagnosis as a basis for Obtaining Accommodation and/or Supports Jackie Wille, MS, CRC, LPC – Orchids Board of Directors (See Jackie’s bio below) Self-Identifying as an individual with a disability – issues with disclosure Why do it? FASD as an “Invisible Disability” Barriers, Pros and Cons Benefits Programs for persons with disabilities WI ID – Invisible Disability Disclosure Form ADRC services and qualifying information Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Social Security Challenges to getting a diagnosis Diagnostic capacity in Wisconsin MD knowledge, attitudes, and barriers Qualifying for protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act Use of Diagnostic Terms and their contexts FASD, FAS, PDD, ASD, ADHD, Neurobehavioral Disorder, Neurodevelopmental Disorder, Neurodivergence, Brain Injury, Cognitive Delay, Dysmaturity
10:00 – 10:15	Break
10:15 – 12:00	KEYNOTE PRESENTATION AND Q&A on The Americans with Disabilities Act and how it applies to YOU. Robin Jones, Director, Great Lakes ADA Center and Instructor with the Department on Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago (See Robin’s bio below.) An overview presentation of information and tools found within the ADA for individuals with neurodivergencies and the entities responsible for complying with the ADA and other disability statutes. Question and Answer session. What is included in the ADA? How do I prove that I am covered by the ADA? What are my rights and responsibilities if I am covered by the ADA? Who is required to follow the ADA and what are they required to do? How can the ADA help me as a member of a company, business, or government agency to avoid discriminating against people with neurological disabilities? How can the ADA help me as a person with a neurological limitation or as an advocate for such a person? What is a reasonable accommodation for a person with a different brain or nervous system? What do I do if my accommodation isn’t working for me?
12:00 – 12:45	Lunch and Networking (Main room and breakout rooms will be open on line)
12:45 – 3:00	Applying the ADA to specific situations often encountered by individuals with FASD (and other neurodivergent conditions) – Agency presentations and Discussion of Accommodation Requests and Responses Housing, Independent Living, and Supports – ADRC, Independent Living Centers, and Housing advocates Interactions with the Law – Police Departments, Disability Rights Wisconsin and Public Defenders Offices Employment – DVR, job placement agencies, and employers
3:00 – 3:15	Break
3:15 – 4:15	Break-out Sessions to network and meet others while sharing experiences, issues and strategies for using the ADA to obtain equal access to Housing, Caregiving, Equal Justice, or Employment for individuals with FASD
4:15 – 4:30	Wrap Up

Our Presenters

Robin Jones is the Director of the Great Lakes ADA Center and an Instructor in the Department on Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Robin has served as director since the Center’s inception in 1991. Formerly, she served as director of the Progress Center for Independent Living and as an Occupational Therapy practitioner at the institution formerly known as the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. She is an instructor in the Department of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago with a focus on disability policy. Robin served as the Accessibility Advisor for the 2024 Democratic Convention. She has extensive experience assisting individuals and covered entities to understand their rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Robin has served on several state and local task forces and committees related to disability policy with the goal of furthering the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society.

Jackie Wille, MS, CRC, LPC, has worked with people with disabilities for over 30 years in special education and vocational rehabilitation. She currently serves as the Communications and Training Director for Orchids FASD Service of WI, and works as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for the Ascension Sacred Heart outpatient brain injury day treatment program. She previously provided contracted vocational rehabilitation, assessment, and job placement services for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the DOL Office of Workers Compensation Programs. She is a tireless advocate for individuals with FASD and other neurodivergencies to obtain equal access to benefits, services, justice, and employment.

COST: FREE!

While the event is free, donations to help us in our mission are both encouraged and appreciated

Would you consider making a donation to Orchids?