This training is a private event by invitation only.

Description:

This training provides a comprehensive overview of best practices for supporting individuals with disabilities. It covers effective and respectful communication—including plain language and accessible methods—person-centered planning, balancing family involvement with autonomy, and recognizing signs of abuse or neglect. Participants will also learn about key disability models, rights laws, community resources, and how to interpret behavior as a form of communication to promote inclusion, dignity, and positive support.

Learning objectives:

By the end of the training, staff will know:

• Best Practices in Communicating with People with Cognitive Disabilities

  • Describe communication barriers and effective plain-language strategies.

  • Demonstrate techniques that support autonomy, dignity, and inclusion.

• Community Resources

  • Identify local, state, and national resources supporting individuals with disabilities.

  • Develop a plan for connecting individuals and families to appropriate supports.

• Best Practices in Person-Centered Services

  • Define principles of person-centered planning.

  • Apply person-driven approaches to goal setting and service coordination.

• Balancing Family Involvement with Individual Autonomy

  • Explain strategies for supporting self-determination while engaging families.

  • Apply supported decision-making and ethical frameworks in practice.

• Recognizing Red Flags Related to Abuse

  • Identify behavioral and situational indicators of abuse or neglect.

  • Describe mandatory reporting responsibilities and protective actions.

• Communicating with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People

  • Demonstrate respectful and accessible communication methods (e.g., ASL, captioning).

• Apply ADA and Section 504 communication standards.

• Foundational Concepts in Disability

  • Differentiate between medical, social, and rights-based models of disability.

  • Summarize key disability rights laws and inclusion principles.

• Behavior as Communication

  • Explain how behavior functions as a form of communication.

  • Identify strategies that address root causes and promote positive supports.

Instructor:

Diane Thorkildson, MPH Assistant Director, Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities; Co-Director, NvLEND

Continuing Education Units:

4 CEUs

Certification Board Information

This training is approved for continuing education units by the boards listed here. Additional specifications can be found below.

NAADAC (The Association for Addiction Professionals)

This course has been approved by CASAT, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for the below # of CEUs. NAADAC Provider #98165. CASAT is responsible for all aspects of its programming.

CEUs: 4

Skills Groups

This course applies to the following Client Skill Groups as defined by NAADAC

• Treatment Plan,
• Counseling Services,
• Documentation,
• Case Management,
• Discharge and Continuing Care,
• Legal, Ethical, and Professional Developmen

NBCC (National Board for Certified Counselors)

CASAT has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6492. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CASAT is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. (Continuing education hours and CEU's are synonymous for purposes of issuing CEU's from CASAT Learning)

Qualifies for NBCC Credit: Yes

NCB (Nevada Certification Board)

This course is approved by the Nevada Certification Board for the following professional certifications:

• Certified Community Health Workers (CHW)
• Peer Recovery and Support Specialist Certification and PRSS Supervisors (PRSS(-S)
• Birth Doula

Presentation materials are not for reproduction or distribution without specific written authorization. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in our courses are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of CASAT.

Details