In this Issue:

TASH News ◆ TASHcares News ◆ Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center News ◆ Community News ◆ Upcoming Events ◆ Thank You to Our Donors

Message from the Executive Director

Spring has arrived and that means the annual Disability Policy Seminar (DPS) is just around the corner (April 8-10), which includes presentations from experts on a variety of issues as well as state team visits to Capitol Hill to educate Congressional offices. If you’d like to join TASH and the other DPS partner organizations in Washington, please visit disabilitypolicyseminar.org.

TASH is also looking forward to our 8^th annual Outstanding Leadership in Disability Law Symposium and Award Celebration, which will take place on September 11 at the American University Washington College of Law. This year, we will honor our good friend and ally, Steven J. Schwartz, JD, the founder and current Legal Director of the Center for Public Representation. Please visit tash.org/2024OLDL.

Lastly, TASH recently bid a fond farewell to Chernet Weldeab who served for three years as Project Coordinator for the Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center (DETAC) and assisted with several other projects at TASH. We thank Chernet for his service to TASH and DETAC, and now welcome Rebekah Frimpong who recently joined TASH to serve as the new Project Coordinator for DETAC. We also welcome Melanie Reeves Miller to the TASH Board as an ex-officio member of that leadership body.

I hope to see many of you at the Policy Seminar in April.

With gratitude,

Michael Brogioli

TASH News

The Disability Policy Seminar is
one week away!

The three-day event starts on April 8. Make your travel plans and get ready to learn about some of the most pressing topics in the disability policy and advocacy space. Your presence will help us establish allies on Capitol Hill and press for progress on critical issues that make life in the community possible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. View the full lineup and register.

Three New Episodes Added to
TASH’s 2024 Webinar series!

TASH’s 2024 Webinar Series continues to grow! We have added three new episodes on Comparing Educational Environments, Pandemic-Related Barriers to Education and Relational Health. For complete summaries of each episode, learning objectives, author bios and registration, visit our 2024 Webinar Series webpage. The series starts April 11^th so sign up now!

TASH’s eighth annual Outstanding Leadership in Disability Law Symposium and Award Celebration will be held this year on Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at the American University Washington College of Law, Washington, DC.

Meet our Distinguished Honoree:
Steven J. Schwartz, JD

Steven J. Schwartz, JD is currently the Legal Director of the Center for Public representation, after founding the Center in 1976 and then serving as its Executive Director for 38 years. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1971, he represented thousands of people with disabilities over the past fifty years. He has testified before Congress on numerous occasions, successfully resolved a number of damage cases for institutionalized individuals with disabilities, and litigated dozens of class action cases that challenge the unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities in psychiatric hospitals, developmental disability institutions, nursing facilities, and juvenile justice settings. He has provided training and technical assistance to disability rights programs in more than 40 states, authored a number of law review articles, and served on the faculty of the Harvard and Western New England Law Schools.

Symposium Panels

Additionally, the themes for the three panels at our Symposium will be:

• The Future of Deinstitutionalization Litigation
• Preserving Institutionalization History via Memorials, Museums, and Education
• Employment Strategies

Registration and sponsorship opportunities will be available soon.

Call for Proposals is Now Open!

TASH is now accepting presentation proposals for the 2024 TASH Conference! We strongly encourage proposals that reflect TASH’s values for the full inclusion of individuals with significant disabilities in all aspects of life. The submission deadline is Friday, May 31, 2024. All proposals will undergo a de-identified peer review; results will be shared in July.

This year’s Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 5 – 7. This year’s conference theme is Celebrate Together: Let the Good Times Roll!

To access the proposal application forms, visit our Conference website. Scroll down to the “Call for Proposals” section to access information about the General format, Research format or Research Colloquium.

As Women’s History Month comes to a close we continue to celebrate the remarkable contributions and achievements of women throughout history. From pioneering leaders and activists to unsung heroes who have shaped our world in countless ways, women have played an integral role in shaping society, advancing equality, and driving progress. Women’s History Month offers us an opportunity to honor their resilience, courage, and determination in breaking barriers and pushing boundaries. Let’s use this time to reflect on the achievements of women past and present, and to recommit ourselves to creating a more inclusive and equitable future for all. Together, let’s continue to uplift and amplify the voices of women everywhere. Happy Women’s History Month!

Member Spotlight

“TASH’s commitment to equity, opportunity, and inclusion aligns with my lifelong commitment to equity for people with disabilities. I’ve never been to a conference where I can sit down and have a heartfelt conversation with so many like-minded people. It always bolsters me for the next year. As a member, I find support in the communities of practice and research components. As a parent, I’m proud to be a part of an advocacy organization that will make the world a better place for my neurodiverse family members.”

Kristin Burnette Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education, Foundations, & Research, East Carolina University TASH member since 2018

Learn more about membership and join here. If you would like to be featured in a future member spotlight, you can submit your testimonial here.

Engaging Diverse Communities Through Financial Education and Empowerment
3:00 – 4:00 PM Eastern, Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Join the AoD Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center for a webinar to increase awareness about National Financial Capability Month. Financial education is a key first step on the pathway towards financial health and wellbeing to live more independently in the community. The Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities funded a three-year initiative with the National Disability Institute called Financial Wellness for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The panel will highlight how this train-the-trainers model in Illinois provided training to individuals with disabilities and their family members to manage money, reduce debt, and use credit wisely. The training was customized based on individualized needs ranging from a short class to a 10-module curriculum. While we often focus on helping people with disabilities find jobs, this webinar will highlight a model to ensure we also provide a roadmap on the importance of making good financial decisions to further increase independence.

Presenters

	Kimberly Mercer-Schleider Director, Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities
	Michael Roush Director, National Disability Institute
	Tyson Bedford Council Member, Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities
	Curtis Harris Council Member, Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities

Strategies to Support People with Developmental Disabilities and Brain Injury to Achieve Employment Goals Through Small Business Ownership

In March, we celebrated Developmental Disabilities (DD) and Brain Injury (BI) Awareness month. This webinar highlighted innovative strategies for removing barriers to further advance competitive, integrated employment and economic outcomes for people with DD and BI through small business ownership. Synergies Work, the largest startup hub in the United States for disability-led businesses, highlighted how people with DD and BI have been successful in launching and maintaining their own businesses. The National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) shared the latest data and employment trends for people with BI. NASHIA also discussed current service gaps and proposed solutions to maximize employment opportunities. We also heard perspectives from Angad Sahgal, an entrepreneur with DD, and Kymberlee Baker, an entrepreneur with BI, on key elements needed to establish and operate a business. Watch the complete webinar as a recording here.

Follow DETAC on social media for news and resources:

Spotlight on Research

The Autism, Family, and Community lab at California State University – San Marcos is looking for parent-adolescent pairs who have a child/sibling with Autism to fill out a questionnaire on their sleep. Each participant will be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gift card for completing their questionnaire. Please contact Jacob Maga at maga002@csusm.edu if you are interested!

Community News

DC Developmental Disabilities Council, Judith Campaign: Thomas Mangrum’s Story

For the third spotlight in The Judith Campaign, the DC Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC) is proud to feature Thomas Mangrum. In the video, Thomas talks about his understanding of the word ‘deserve’. He reminds us all that everybody, including individuals with developmental disabilities, has the right to deserve something. Thomas also emphasizes the importance of self-love. This video includes captions.

The Judith Campaign is a communications campaign building awareness and acceptance of the diversity and contributions of DC’s community of people with disabilities and their families, care partners, and supporters. It honors the life and work of Judith Heumann, who taught us the value of creating space for disabled people to share their stories with the world. The world is a beautiful place where many people can express themselves, and we want to amplify those voices and honor everyone’s truth.

Upcoming Events

Thank You to Our Donors!

We would like to thank everyone who donated to TASH in February 2024. We are grateful to all of our supporters who help us achieve equity, opportunity, and inclusion for people with disabilities. Thank you!

TASH advances equity, opportunity and inclusion for people with disabilities, with a focus on those with the most significant support needs, in the areas of education, employment and community living through advocacy, research and practice. More information about TASH can be found at www.tash.org.

TASH
1825 K Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, D.C. 20006 | (202) 808-8148 | info@tash.org

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