​Circles of Life Conference 2024

May 16-17, 2024

Hybrid Conference

​Thank You!

Thank you for attending the 2024 Circles of Life Conference! 

The Circles of Life Conference is for families who have children of any age with disabilities or special health care needs and the professionals who support and provide services for them.

Family Vopices of Wisconsin and the Circles of Life planning committee welcome new and returning families and providers.

This portal is your guide to attending the conference on May 16 and 17. As a registered attendee, you now have access to the recorded keynote and workshop sessions, so feel free to come back and watch additional sessions.

Evaluate the Conference

​Please give us honest feedback by completing the form for the 2024 Circles of Life Conference. Thank you for your honest, anonymous input. We take your thoughts and comments seriously as we continue to improve this event.

Upon completetion of the evaluation for, the CEH form will be available for you to fill out to receive your Continuing Edcuation Hours.


Evaluation form will be available the ​afternoon of May 17, 2024.

Continuing Education Hours (CEHs)

The 2024 Circles of Life Conference has been endorsed by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Department of Sociology and Social Work  for 7.25 Continuing Education Hours. 

Continuing Education Hours are a measure of participation in continuing education programs. CEHs are earned by participating in live sessions. Attendance in the live sessions will be recorded. You will not be able to earn CEHs by watching recorded sessions. Virtual conference attendees are eligible for the same number of Continuing Education Hours as those attending in-person.   It is the individual's responsibility to report CEHs earned to their appropriate credential or licensing board.​

 Program Book

View and print the program book! 

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Please note: Not all sessions will be livestreamed. Those sessions being offered virtually are indicated in red text on the conference portal. ​​Virtual conference attendees will be watching the sessions live over Zoom. Go to the sessions below at the start time listed to view each session. Virtual conference attendees are eligible for the same number of Continuing Education Hours as those attending in-person.​​ ​

5-6:30 p.m. | Family Voices Listening Session (optional)

We want to hear from you!

Watch the Recording: Listening Session

Families are invited to be part of our Virtual Listening Session as part of the 2024 Circles of Life Conference. On Thursday, May 16 from 5:00 – 6:30, Family Voices will host a Zoom session to hear directly from families who care for children with disabilities and special health care needs. Your ideas and your stories influence all our public policy and advocacy efforts—A reminder that your voice can impact policy and systems change

​​Thursday, May 16, 2024​​

9-10:15 a.m. | Opening Remarks/Keynote

Bridges to the Community

Watch the Recording​

Spe​aker: Cathy Flicker Terrill, MS​

10:30-11:45 a.m. | Breakout Sessions A1-A5

​​A1) Social Security & SSI Cash Benefits Planning for Children and Young Adults | Sands/Spruce

Watch the Recording: Disability Benefits Before and After Age 18​

Speaker(s): Ron Konkol

Learn what child cash benefits are available before age 18 and how advance planning for adult benefits to start at age 18 may last for a lifetime.

1. Learn how the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) cash and healthcare benefits are available for: Retirement, Disability and Survivors payments. 2. Learn about Disability cash and healthcare benefits for: 1. Birth to Age 18 2. Age 18 to 65 and 
3.Disabled Adult Child benefits when a parent retires or becomes disabled or dies. 3. Learn about strategies to get and keep monthly cash and healthcare benefits for a child with a disability that began before age 22.​

Handouts:

​Social Social Security and SSI Cash Benefits Planning

Ticket to Work

SSI-DEEMING-CHART- 2024

Rental Loan Template Agreement 4-2024

Preparing for SSI Application Interview

Planning For Your Child's Future

Disability-check list

ABAS-III E​xplained​

MySSA Instructions EN-05-10378


A2) Communicating with your IEP Team & Navigating Special Ed Resources | Frontier/Evergreen

Watch the Recording: Communicating with your IEP Team 

​Speaker(s): Heidi Lehman, Cheri Sylla, and Carlene Chavez

In the IEP process, effective communication is everything.  This session will focus on the who, what, where, when, why, and how of communicating with your team to be a collaborative partner to ensure the best outcome for your child. Resources, specific tools, and strategies will be shared that can be used when working with school staff to support your child.

1.  Learn why effective two-way communication is important and how to develop strong relationships with your child's team.
2.  Learn who the appropriate contact is within your team, be able to discern when communication is needed, and recognize what is important to share. 
3.  Learn your options when there is a disagreement within your child's IEP team. 
 

​Handouts:

​Communicating with your IEP Team & Navigating Special Ed Resources​

​A3) Serving on Groups: The Role of Families on Decision Making Groups | Harvest/Stonefield

Speaker(s): Alejandra Loeza

This workshop will help you to understand and effectively participate in decision-making groups, like IEP team, give information about the roles of families in these groups, and the first steps to participate on it. The participants will receive the guide in Spanish “Serving on groups That Make Decisions: A Guide for Families”.
Este taller lo ayudará a comprender y participar de manera efectiva en los grupos de toma de decisiones, como por ejemplo el equipo de IEP. Le brindará información sobre la función de las familias en estos grupos y los primeros pasos para participar. Los participantes recibirán el manual en español “Servir en grupos que toman decisiones: Una guía para familias”.

1.  Learn about the different types of decision-making groups and why they are important
2.  Participants will learn skills for staying organized and informed while serving on a group​
3.  Participants will gain insight on how to best represent others’ perspectives when serving on a group

1.  Aprender sobre los diferentes tipos de grupos de toma de decisiones y por qué son importantes
2.  Conocer habilidades para mantenerse organizados e informados mientras sirven en un grupo
3.  Obtener información sobre cómo representar mejor las perspectivas de los demás cuando sirven en un grupo​

Handouts:

A4) Mapping Resources in your Community | Trillium

Speaker(s): Allison Laurash, Sara Owens-Keenan, & Sherri Malchow

This is an opportunity to learn about visual tools that can help you learn about the resources in the community. We will use these tools in small groups based on your location during the session. This is a great way to learn about new resources and connect with families and professionals from your area. 
Note that the concept for this session lends itself to being in the first breakout. 

1.  Learn about resources in local area.
2.  Connect with others in local area to enhance connections during the conference.
3.  Learn about Community Resource Mapping and Asset Mapping tools and the distinctions between them. 

Handouts:

Mapping Resources​

A5) Preparing for Employment - it's Never too Early to Start | Woodland​

Speaker(s): Jolene Wanek and Lisa Puishis

ERI staff will provide an overview of services available to students to help them plan, prepare, practice their path to employment in their community.  Students can start early in their path to employment, ERI will talk about services available and how parents and caregiver can support their youth's journey.  

1.  What does the path to employment mean for youth.
2.  How parents and caregivers can support youth during that time.
3.  Services available that can help both youth and their parents/caregivers explore and learn about employment in the community.

​Handouts:

Preparing for Employment - It's Never too Early

12-1:15 p.m. | Lunch & Awards Ceremony

12-12:45 p.m. Lunch

12:45-1:15 p.m. Awards Ceremony ​


1:30-2:45 p.m. | Breakout Sessions B6-B10

B6) Supported Decision Making | Sands/Spruce​

Watch the Recording: Youth Voice, Youth Crisis, Supported Decision Making​

Speaker(s): Jenny Neugart and Jordan Anderson

Supported Decision Making is an excellent option for people with disabilities who want to maintain their independence but still need a little support with making some decisions.  This session will provide an over of Supported Decision Making and provide real-life examples from people who are using this option. 

1. What supported decision making is. 
2. How SDM is being used in real life. 
3. How participants can work with their child at any age to improve their decision making skills. 

Handouts: 

​Supported Decision Making​

B7) Building a Supportive Community - A Panel of Parents Who Made it Happen | Frontier/Evergreen

Watch the Recording: Building a Supportive Community​

​Speaker(s): Kerry Blondheim, Andrea Hodges, Jeanine Nugent, Jaiden Nugent, Robert Nugent, Jennifer Hinze, Nanacy Heltemes, Savanna Heltimes, & Nicholas Napolitano

This panel discussion will feature parents who have successfully built supportive communities. They will share their stories along with helpful tips to build your own supportive community. One parent will share how a rare diagnosis led to an international group of friends made possible by technology, along with local supports that embrace all people regardless of disability.  ​

1. How to advocate for caregiver support
2. Communication Tools For successful communication
3. How self-compassion is key to being an Empowered Caregiver
 

Handouts:

B8) Financial Planning: ABLE and Special Needs Trusts | Harvest/Stonefield

Speaker(s): Missy Burback

The presentation is a deep dive to discuss the differences between ABLE accounts and Special Needs Trusts. ​

1. The importance and role of each team member in financial planning
2. How to develop a financial plan to support a child after you are gone
3. What are the differences between ABLE accounts and Special Needs Trusts

Handouts: 

ABLE and Special Needs Trusts​

B9) The Empowered Caregiver | Trillium

Speaker(s): Liza Hellenbrand

1. How to advocate for caregiver support
2. Communication Tools For successful communication
3. How self-compassion is key to being an Empowered Caregiver

Handouts:

B10) Build Your Bridge: Health Transition from Pediatric to Adult Care with Youth Voices | Woodland

Speaker(s): Aracely Portillo and Tim Markle

Moving from a pediatric (child) model of health care to an adult model of health care takes preparation and skill building. Build Your Bridge gives families information and tools to help adolescents and young adults take charge of their own health care. This session will feature a panel of youth providing their insights in to health care transition. This session will be presented in Spanish. 

1.  Participants will identify one of the eight tools to health care transition they can use.
2.  Participants will consider the unique voice of youth when discussion health care transition.
3.  Participants will be knowledgeable about how to help youth transition to adult health care.

Handouts:

Build a Bridge

3:15-4:30 p.m. | Breakout Sessions C11-C15

C11) Grassroots Advocacy | Sands/Spruce

Watch Recording: Grass Roots Advocacy

Speaker(s): Jenny Neugart and Sally Flaschberger

Anyone can be an advocate.  All it takes is a little knowledge, an issue you care about, and some practice.  This session will prepare you to take action on disability issues that impact you or a loved one.  You will leave the session better prepared to share your lived experiences with your legislators and policymakers.   

1. Learn how to turn your story/lived experience into a powerful pitch for policymakers. 
2. Learn some of the basic tips for becoming a strong advocate for yourself or a loved one. 
3. Know who are the appropriate people to reach out to based on your issue (e.g. school board, legislator, city council).  

Handouts:

Grassroots Advocacy

Tightening Up Message

C12) 40 Years of Living in the Community | Frontier/Evergreen

Watch the Recording: 40-Years of Living in the Community

​Speaker(s): Cindy Bentley and Felicia Clayborne

People First Executive Director, Cindy Bentley, is celebrating 40 years in June 2024 of living in the community after being institutionalized from her childhood until she was 26. She will share her story of building community connections. Felicia Clayborne, People First Outreach Advocate, will facilitate the conversation.

1.  How to build friendships.
2. How teams, groups and organizations can help you build community.
3. How one connection can help lead to other opportunities. 

Handouts:

40 Years Living in the Community

​C13) Off to College - Yes Really! | Harvest/Stonefield

Presenter(s): Sue Kemp and Kaitlyn Aceto

The presentation will cover how to prepare your child to attend college. The presentation will be a panel discussion including parents of current college students (with disabilities), a college admissions counselor from the Cutting Edge program at Edgewood College, and possibly some students.  We will talk about what students should know before heading to college, and what to expect while in college.  ​

1. How to build friendships.
2. How teams, groups and organizations can help you build community.
3. How one connection can help lead to other opportunities. 

Handouts:

Off to​ College​

C14) Planning and Preparing Healthy Foods | Trillium

Presenter(s): Hector Portillo & Aracely Portillo

Healthy eating should be varied and according to the needs of everyone, considering their way of life and cultural context, as well as their special health care needs.  

Create a family menu for the children who require special food, identifying local markets to obtain the required food according to their needs, food identification, and decrease food waste 

Handouts:

Cocinando Juntos Aprendiendo Juntos Padres e Hijos en Accion

C15) Bringing Respite to your Community | Woodland

Presenter(s): Dulce Contraras and Val Madsen

Learn about a workshop that supports individuals and groups to develop, build, and grow respite programs within their communities. This presentation will share information about the Bringing Respite to Your Community workshop and successful respite programs that were built by previous workshop participants.  

1.  Participants will become familiar with the Bringing Respite to Your Community Workshop
2.  Participants will learn about successful respite program models that have been started
3.  Participants will know the steps to get started in creating a respite program in their community

Handouts:

​

​Friday, May 17, 2024​

9-10:15 a.m. | Breakout Session D16-D20

D16) I Could Go if I Only Had a Caregiver: Strategies for Finding, Hiring, Tracking Workers | Sands/Spruce

Watch Recording: I Could go If I Only had a Caregiver

Speaker(s): Wendy Heyn and Pamela Hencke

Haven’t we all said this!  Or, if I just had some extra assistance so I could take a break.  The old saying that “It takes a village” is especially true for families with children and youth with disabilities. The shortage of caregivers continues and we need to continue to build upon ideas, resources, and retention with the caregivers we do have.  

1. We will learn about the variety of places to recruit caregivers from in your own area and who is already in your own lives that could be caregivers.  Resources to reach out to and potential other options to consider finding caregivers. This interactive session will discuss ideas from attendees as well.
2.  How to write an effective job description/ad, how and where to try posting your ad, how to interview caregivers and hire them. Deciding if the caregiver is a good fit for your family and getting them started with training.
3.Attendees will learn how to create a binder for hiring, training, and tracking caregivers. This will include many interactive handouts for attendees. 


Handouts: I Could Go If I Only Had a Caregiver​

D17) Creating more Peaceful and Satisfying Conversations with your Spouse/partner | Frontier/Evergreen

Watch the Recording: Creating more Peaceful and Satisfying Conversations

​Speaker(s): Robin K. Schnitzler, LMFT​

You and your partner are arguing over the same thing over and over. You’re not even sure how it got so loud and intense so quickly. You want nothing more than to be able to understand ,listen to each other, and feel that amazing connection that you used to feel. Let’s face it. It is challenging to stay emotionally and physically connected with your partner in parenthood and it is extra challenging when caring for a child with a disability. Through the use of presenter and audience (your!) examples, coaching moments, and written handouts, you will learn specific tools to immediately improve your conversations. Your job is hard enough! Get back on the same team AND the same page with your greatest ally—your partner!

1. Understand the factors that lead to unsatisfying conversations. 
2. Learn the steps to approach and start conversations that are peaceful and satisfying
3. Have the opportunity to try out these steps, either in dyads and/or by contributing to interactive presentation.

Handouts:

Creating more Peaceful and Satis​​fying Conversations

Conversation​​ R​e​flections Worksheet

Future C​onversation Worksheet​​

Opening Heart S​pace Handout​​

D18) IEPs and Positive Behavior Intervention Services | Harvest/Stonefield

Speaker(s): Eva Shaw

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires IEP Teams to consider the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports to address behaviors that interfere with a student’s learning or the learning of others. Parents and caregivers know their children best and are vital members of the IEP team. Identifying positive behavioral intervention and supports, and understanding how they are incorporated into the IEP will help parents and caregivers fully participate in the IEP process and help schools meet their child’s needs.

1. Identify positive behavioral interventions and supports.
2. Understand how positive behavioral interventions and supports are incorporated into the IEP.
3. Develop a basic understanding of the Functional Behavioral Assessment process and corresponding behavior supports through the IEP and behavior intervention plan. 

Handouts:

Use of Poistive IEP​

D19) Care Mapping: A tool for visualizing your child's supports and services | Trillium

Speaker(s): Sara Owens-Keenan

A Care Map is a family-created diagram that visually maps out the complex web of services/people their child encounters. Care Maps help to integrate experiences of the family as well as their priorities for moving forward in the care of their child. Join us to learn more about the process and to start your own care map.

 1. Learn what a Care Map is and how it can make families' lives easier.
2. Explore opportunities to utilize a Care Map.
3. Have an opportunity for an interactive creation of a Care Map.

Handouts:

D20) Transition and Person Centered Planning: How to Use it to Create a Pathway to Adult Services | Woodland

Speaker(s): Jennifer Espinoza Forlenza and Jill Gonzalez

This session will provide families and self-advocates with the What, When, and How of the transition from youth to adult services.  Advocates will talk about what services are available to build a life in the community with meaningful work and activities.  Education on the laws, funding, and rights for individuals with disabilities will be covered. 

1. Learn how person-centered planning starts in high school with the IEP and can build to adult services in an IPE.
2. Help participants feel more confident to know who to talk to and what to talk to them about to help guide the transition to adult services.
3. What services can the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Centers for Independent Living provide that lead to Competitive Integrated Employment               (CIE)
 ​

Handouts:

Person-Centered Planning...​

10:30-11:45 a.m. | Breakout Session E21-E25

E21) Elevating Health Care Transition in Special Education: | Harvest​

Speaker(s): Tim Markle, MA; MA/CS, Parent and Director of the Wisconsin Youth Health Transition Initiative

Elevating Health Care Transition in Special Education: This session will provide an overview of health care transition (HCT) and describe its importance as it relates to students with disabilities who are planning for postsecondary transitions. We will highlight efforts in Wisconsin to elevate HCT planning in schools, review resources created by Got Transition® including a Health Care Transition Readiness Assessment for Students with an IEP, and discuss strategies to incorporate health care into transition planning. ​

Handouts:

Elevating Health Care​

​E22) Let's Get Creative with Self-Care: Discovering Wellness Strategies for You and Your Family | Frontier/Evergreen

Watch Recording: Let's Get Creative with Self-Care

​Speaker(s): Dan Krahn & Christine Schulz

Join TMG and self-advocate(s) as they share creative ways to practice self-care, and learn how practicing self-care has made their lives healthier, fuller, and more meaningful. Additionally, learn how self-care techniques can open new doors to wonderful opportunities, such as expanding your connections in your community and making new friends.  Attendees will explore wellness strategies that encourage maintaining a healthy relationship with oneself and transmit those good feelings to others,

1. Learn the importance of self-care and how self-care can improve your physical and mental health
2. Discover how practicing self-care can help you grow your community.
3. Discover how sharing your methods of self-care with others can help develop and deepen friendships.

Handouts:

Let's Get Creative​

​E23) Introduction to Birth to 3 Program, Children’s Long-Term Support Waivers, and More | Sands/Spruce​

Watch Recording: Introduction to the Bureau of Children's Services Programs

Speaker(s): Lori Wittemann and Ra​chel Lettner

We will discuss various children’s programs, their eligibility criteria and how families can access or apply for programs. We will cover the Birth to 3 Program, the Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Program, Children’s Community Options (CCOP) Program, Care 4 Kids, Children with Medical Complexity and Katie Beckett Medicaid.  ​

Handouts:​ 

Introduction to Bureau of Children's Services Programs​

​E24) Sexual Health | Trillium

Speaker(s): Elsa Diaz Bautista

This Presentation will be completely in Spanish. 

This workshop is designed to help parents incorporate conversations about sex, sexuality and relationships into their every day family conversations and situations with their children of developmental disabilities. It is designed to provide tools and resources to promote healthy sexual development. Participants leave with a variety of tools, techniques and interactive activities to use at home with their children of developmental disabilities. 

1. Gain an understanding that Sexuality is a natural and healthy part of being human and that children with developmental disabilities have a right to experience and            express themselves as sexual beings throughout their lives.
2. Recognize that Parents are the primary sexuality educators of their children. In the course of daily living, every family teaches their children about sex, sexuality                and relationships through spoken and unspoken messages and behaviors. 
3. Identify teachable moments during which they can share information and family values regarding sexuality.

Handouts:





E25) Building Community through Early Transition: Birth to 3 to School-based Services | Woodland​​

Speaker(s): Catherine Daentl and Melissa Velez

The early transition between Part C to Part B services can be scary as the services shift in focus. In this session we will clarify for families what to expect during this transition and arm them with tools and resources that will support their knowledge, comfort and confidence to be fully participating members of their child’s transition team and grow their child’s community.

1. Parents gain clarity on what they can expect from the transition structures that are in place.
2. Parents gain an understanding of their role within the early transition process.
​3. Parents will learn strategies that will empower them to be strong advocates for their child during transition and be confident transition team members.​

Handouts:​​​

Growing Community Through Early Transition​​

​ ​​ ​

Minimum Computer Standards


Registrants are responsible for ensuring they have the minimum computer standards for participating in the virtual conference.  Zoom works best with Chrome or Firefox. Registrants can sign up for a free Zoom account by going to zoom.us/freesignup.  University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and/or the Conference is not responsible for registrant technological issues, including, but not limited to, inadequate bandwidth and/or registrant equipment malfunction.


Need help using Zoom? Check out our Zoom Tutorial Help page!​​

Plan the 2025​ Conference!

If you enjoyed this year's conference, please consider joining the Conference Planning Committee! The committee decides on the keynote, selects sessions, our Family Fun Night activities and more.  We meet virtually or over the phone monthly - contact Lynn Renner if you are interested. 

​ ​Save-the-Date-2025​ Conference

If your child is covered by the Children's Long Term Support Program, Birth to 3, or the Children's Community Options Program you can request that your child's plan cover the cost of registration. Talk to your child's service coordinator!  If your service coordinator isn't familiar with the conference, contact us on the Ci​rcles of Life conference​ website. ​

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​Thank You Circles of Life Sponsors!

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​​Contact Information 

For information on conference content, please contact Lynn Renner at lynn@fvofwi.org. Email UW-Stevens Point Conferences at uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu if you need assistance with registration or Continuing Education Hours.