Oct. 25-26: Gathering to Embrace Diversity, Awareness, Rights

The 8th Annual Minnesota Gathering for Person-Centered Practices – a two-day, online event bringing together the latest strategies for supporting people with disabilities – will offer attendees critical tools for embedding these strategies in organizations and across diverse populations.

“The Gathering is a time when people from a wide variety of organizations can get together and discover new opportunities for delivering services to people in the way they want to receive them,” said Claire Benway, a certified trainer at the Institute on Community Integration and one of the organizers of the event. “We are really thinking about supporting people to fully understand and embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion as it relates to person-centered practices.”

One session, for example, will feature a discussion by a team representing a partnership between the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the organization STAR Services to expand diversity among person-centered plan facilitators in culture, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and gender equity.

“Minnesota needs facilitators who represent our diverse communities,” said Betsy Gadbois, person-centered development consultant with STAR Services. “We have so much to learn from each other and we are excited to share our experience at the Gathering, which to me is like summer camp for grownups. We get to learn and play together.”

Speakers include Linda Hood, Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota, who is raising awareness about the need for adult changing stations in public family restrooms.

Lori Hauge, chief culture officer for Bios Companies in Tulsa, Oklahoma, will present the opening keynote address, discussing how collaboration can positively influence provider organizations.

Rick Amado, a leading psychologist and mentor to person-centered practices trainers, will discuss tools for helping people stay in control of their lives during times of crises. Amado is the keynote speaker for the event’s second day, on Oct. 26.

Other discussion topics include informed choice, wellness of direct support professionals and frontline supervisors, and practical tools for understanding individuals’ rights

Click here to register for the Oct. 25-26 event!