As social service agents, we often wonder: are we making a difference? How can we facilitate change? In this session, we will discuss how we can encourage healthy lifestyle changes among our clients with the use of motivational interviewing (MI), an evidence-based approach to behavioral change. We will learn about the core principles of MI and how this person-centered approach can help build your client’s motivation for change. Attendees will also hear how we used motivational interviewing to successfully help individuals create smoke free homes. After this session, attendees will have a better understanding of motivational interviewing and how they can be agents of change.

Aging and disability I&R/A professionals are invited to join ADvancing States, the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), USAging, and the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) for the Aging and Disability Symposium: Bringing Community Living Home. Hear from your national partners, learn about developments in the aging and disabilities networks, and gather resources to support I&R/A practice. The Symposium will feature a special panel presentation on housing. As I&R/A professionals know, affordable and accessible housing is a top unmet need for people with disabilities, older adults, and caregivers. These needs have become more acute in the current market with rising housing costs, some eviction moratoriums ending, and unpaid utility bills. Join the Symposium to hear from agencies at the frontlines of responding to housing needs and learn about some new tools that I&R/A professionals can use to assist people in finding and securing housing with access to community services.

Go beyond traditional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices to boldly create a lasting impact, awareness, cognitive thinking skills, and cognitive dissonance in this powerful DEIB symposium led by Modern Day DEIB Pioneers and Champions J. Lamont Harris and Camica Credle, as they will be joined by DEIB Pioneers and Champions Letha King-Brooks, Joe Lugo, and Josh Rich as they present “Check Your Blindspot” A Masterclass On Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. This 3 hour symposium will engage individuals of all I&R roles in identifying and dismantling the “ism’s” to bring Equity in the Workplace and Community.

George Bonano, professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University, has learned through his intense studies of grief that there is no one way to cope that is best, and that resilience is an outcome...not an aspect of character or even a skill you acquire. Using Bonano’s research (with a healthy mix in of the Multi System Model of Resilience from some smart folks at Ryers University), we will explore more about how eating a bag of chips can be considered adaptive coping, how talking to friends about the problem can be maladaptive coping, and explore a 3X3 model of recognizing and even cultivating resources in your life that can lead you to a resilient outcome every time... on the path and in the way that feels best to you.

Almost everyone's stress levels are at an all-time high as we adjust to life with a global pandemic. It is critical to address stress as it impacts us emotionally, cognitively, mentally, and physically. Many of us have read books or listened to lectures on the topic, but we still walk around carrying too much stress. In this presentation, you will learn the science behind the stress process, including what starts it, as well as many quick techniques to manage stress in our daily lives. Attendees will leave with a wide variety of tools to put into practice.

Grab your chair, get up and stretch! This session will include gentle breathing and stretching exercises to combat the effects of sitting. No yoga mat, sweat, or change of clothes needed. Better than coffee!

Workforce burnout and compassion fatigue: frontline specialists are at even more risk now than ever. If your I&R program went through the initial phase of the pandemic unphased, our hat is off to you. If, however, your specialists need a little extra TLC, or maybe you went through turnover due to the high volume of activity, this session is for you. United Way of Greater Houston’s 211 Texas/United Way Helpline recognized the impact of stressful calls and work isolation of remote-working specialists who were handling those calls. About 30 days after moving to a remote environment (with no notice, by the way!), the Helpline implemented twice-monthly Coffee Time conversations. These conversations meet specialists where they are, providing a safe space for discussion. Although the facilitator will present a topic, coffee time takes on a form of its own becoming whatever the group needs it to be. Some specialists describe it as “magic,” while others say they can’t miss the sessions but have difficulty putting into words exactly why Coffee Time is an important component of their work experience.

Our communities are becoming more open and diverse, with countless community members, clients, and staff identifying within the LGBTQ+ umbrella. But are our practices, both in and out of the workplace, helping create inclusive spaces? Now is the time to make sure we’re equipped to cultivate safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments for all diverse gender identities. In this training, we'll explore introductory definitions around LGBTQ+ identities, as well as pronouns and how to create inclusive workspaces for both staff and clients: what are gender-neutral pronouns, and how do I use them? What if I accidentally misgender a client or coworker? Why is it important to use expansive & inclusive language? All of these questions will be covered in this training, which seeks to provide an open space for vital conversations on gender inclusivity in the workplace and beyond.

Review the skills and knowledge you will be tested on during the CRS-DC exam.

What does it mean to be trauma-informed in our communication? How do we communicate in ways that acknowledge where folks are (stressed out, frustrated, in crisis, angry) and then encourage them to take a step with us toward finding solutions. We'll talk about the invisible "noise" that's present in all of our communication efforts and then discuss approaches to overcoming that noise in ourselves and our clients.