Last day at AUCD

Last day at AUCD

Today may have been the last day of the conference, but AUCD knows how to end with a hit! The awards breakfast was not only delicious, but also encouraging as many AUCD members and even trainees were bestowed with prestigious awards. A link to the video of the poster session awards is available.

Michael Strautmanis, a transition specialist for the Obama Administration and father of a son with autism, was a last minute addition to the plenary session with a focus on outcomes of the election. He spoke of the three issues of primary focus for the new administration including:
· Full funding of IDEA/Improvement of EI programming
· Choices for independent living for person with disabilities
· Employment options for persons with disabilities

Boy did his speech ignite a fire! (be sure to watch the video in two parts using these links http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY1wczjoNC4 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT5SmDduA_s My camera skills are poor but the audio is the interesting contenta anyways) He challenged his audience to actively support this agenda. At the board meeting which followed the plenary session, the AUCD board of directors spent more than an hour discussing the best course of action to support these issues and actions to take in response to Michael’s speech.

Other speakers at this plenary session included Marty Ford, chair of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, Nathan Gonzalez, political editor for the Rothenberg Political Report (video link coming soon! ), and Julio Abreu, Senior Director Of Government Affairs: Mental Health America. These speakers helped us understand the results and implications of the 2008 election at the executive and legislative levels.

These are exciting times for persons in our field and all the political talk was a great segue into the next big AUCD event, the disability policy conference in April (27th-29th). Hope to see many many trainees at this next big event! Put this event on your calendar and talk to your training director NOW about this amazing opportunity!