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NFSB to Host Mental Health Symposium for Service Providers Who Treat People with Disabilities
Nutley Family Service Bureau (NFSB) is excited to host its first ever inclusive mental health symposium, “Enhancing Provider Understanding of Mental Health for Persons with Disabilities.” Service providers who treat people with mental health issues and other disabilities are encouraged to attend the full-day, symposium, which will be held virtually on Thursday, April 24 from 9:30 am – 5:30 pm.
Symposium sessions will be led by subject matter experts from across the country and cover a wide range of important topics, such as intellectual development disabilities, blindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, and disability awareness and inclusion.
The mental health symposium is the culmination of nearly three years of work on NFSB’s Inclusive Healthy Communities initiative, a project funded by a grant from the New Jersey Division of Disability Services. The goals of Inclusive Healthy Communities are to identify the unmet needs of people living with disabilities, create a deeper understanding of the challenges they face and engage more effectively, and advocate for changes that make services, resources, and facilities accessible to all.
“The Inclusive Healthy Communities initiative has been a powerful community change initiative for NFSB to be a part of. It’s been a very rich learning journey for our staff, and community partners which include the Township of Nutley, the Nutley Public Schools and the Nutley Senior Manor.” said Katherine Carmichael, Executive Director of NFSB. “Our mental health symposium is a critical component of these efforts, enabling service providers to gain valuable insights that help them deliver positive outcomes and contribute to more inclusive, accessible communities. We’re grateful to have assembled such a distinguished group of presenters and look forward to learning from their knowledge and experiences.”
Here is the current lineup of presenters and sessions.
An Inclusive NJ: Celebrating Progress and Shaping the Future (Keynote)Kaylee McGuire, MBA, CTRS
Deputy Commissioner for Aging and Disability Services, State of New Jersey
In her role with the State, Deputy Commissioner McGuire oversees the Division of Aging Services, the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Division of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, the Division of Developmental Disabilities, and the Division of Disability Services while supporting the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Office of the Public Guardian.
Deputy Commissioner McGuire’s keynote presentation will explore the critical role of the medical and behavioral health sectors in fostering an inclusive New Jersey for people with disabilities. She will also highlight initiatives, programs, and funding efforts led by the State Department of Human Services that are contributing to this vision.
Sarah Clark, LMHC, LMFT, LPC
Founder, Disability Counseling Institute
Ms. Clark, who has adjusted to vision loss herself, will discuss basic concepts related to blindness and low vision, including appropriate etiquette, terminology, and effective strategies for inclusive interactions. These foundational concepts will help participants become allies to the blind and low vision community.
Melissa Cheplic, MPH, NADD-CC
Senior Training and Consultation Specialist, The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Developmental, Rutgers Medical School
Ms. Cheplic will provide insights that enable participants to define terminology related to intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), mental health, and dual diagnosis, determine why people with IDDs are at risk for co-occurring mental health conditions, and recognize barriers to assessment and diagnosis of mental health conditions in people with IDDs.
Elizabeth Hill
Executive Director, New Jersey Human Services Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Ms. Hill will explore how deafness and hearing loss fit within a holistic framework that acknowledges the whole person, as well as the diverse communication and linguistic needs of deaf and hard of hearing individuals and how these factors influence mental health service delivery. She will also discuss how the New Jersey Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing supports service providers in delivering accessible, culturally competent care.
Shelley Samuels, MPA
Principal, SRS Strategic Associates, LLC
Ms. Samuels will provide a deeper understanding of persons with disabilities, including a discussion of the independent living movement and the effects on our laws, practices, and society. She will also explain inclusion vs. accessibility and how to make society more inclusive of persons with disabilities.
Monica Wiley
Voter Engagement Specialist, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
Ms. Wiley has been living with a disability since suffering a serious spinal cord injury at age 9. She created the documentary “Accessing Democracy” based on her interviews with disabled voters about the barriers they face in everyday life. Produced by the National Disability Rights Network and directed by Jack Rosen, this short documentary explores how politicians have left behind one of the largest minority groups in the United States, and what disabled voters want from their elected leaders.
NFSB’s Inclusive Mental Health Symposium, Enhancing Provider Understanding of Mental Health for Persons with Disabilities, will be held virtually on Thursday, April 24 from 9:30 am – 5:30 pm. For more information about our presenters and sessions, and to register, visit the event page on our website.
