A Look Ahead - February 2025

The A Look Ahead Conference Series brings together expert speakers for training focused on improving the lives of individuals with disabilities, the people who support them, and the community at large. Topics will vary quarterly. Conference participants will leave with information and resources they can use now and in the future.

BREAKOUT SESSION TOPICS & PRESENTERS

An Introduction to Person-Centered Planning: The Goal, Process, and Benefits

Jordan Smelley, Self Advocate, MHPS & Certified People Planning Together (PPT)Trainer

Bottom Dollars:  Film Screening and Discussion

Lucy Gafford, UNT WISE and Britni Miles, Texas APSE

Disaster Resilience for Texans with Disabilities

Courtney Walker, Outreach Manager & DRTx Disaster Taskforce member - Disability Rights Texas

Employment First in Texas

Lucy Gafford, UNT WISE and Britni Miles, Texas APSE

Employment for People with Disabilities: Strategies for Success

Lucy Gafford, UNT WISE and Britni Miles, Texas APSE

Finding Your Path to a Place to Call Home

Jacky Sylvie, Housing Options Manager  REACH Center for Independent Living

Guardianship and Alternatives: Respecting Rights and Honoring Choices

Jeff Miller, Sr. Policy Specialist - Disability Rights Texas

Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports:What You Need to Know

Jeff Miller, Sr. Policy Specialist - Disability Rights Texas

Out of Options: Addressing Inequities in Care for Texans with Intellectual and Developmental

Disabilities (IDD) and Mental Illness

Sabrina Gonzalez Saucedo, Director of Public Policy & Advocacy - The Arc of Texas, &

Alex Stuckey, Investigative Journalist

Person-Centered Planning: What Does the Future Hold?

Panel Discussion facilitated by Jordan Smelley, Self Advocate, MHPS & Certified People Planning Together (PPF)Trainer

There Is No Place Like Home

Panel Discussion Facilitated by Jacky Sylvie, Housing Options Manager REACH Center for Independent Living

Under the Dome: A Preview of Disability Related Issues Before the 89^th Texas Legislature

Jeff Miller, Sr. Policy Specialist - Disability Rights Texas &

Sabrina Gonzalez Saucedo, Director of Public Policy & Advocacy - The Arc of Texas     

Registration is non-refundable after January 28, 2025.