Click here to register for this webinar What: The Real Lives, Real Stories webinar will give VR personnel specific, real cases of 3-6 transition age individuals with autism who have achieved competitive employment or are in the process of seeking and achieving competitive, customized employment. This webinar will address the stories and lives of at least 3 individual (Ian’s Story, Chelsea’s Story, Katelyn’s Story, Vincent’s Story, Ashley’s Story, and/or William’s Story) and will cover: An overview including video of the individual. The process of how their goals are decided and a description of the employment outcome. The personal supports each person needs and how they are provided. The paid supports each person needs and how they are provided. Where the person is now and plans for near future. It is expected that VR staff who participate the webinar will learn about the variety of interests, skills, and needs of individuals with autism and the possibilities for employment. In addition, staff will be given general; and specific information about specific types of paid, unpaid, formal, and natural supports individuals may need. When: Wednesday, September 7, 2011 10:00am - 11:00am Mountain Registration: Click here to register for this webinar Deadline for registration is Sept. 5, 2011 The webinar is free of charge.

Click here to download the flyer for this event (PDF) What: Each session will include an interactive opportunity as well as an opportunity for questions and answers with open table discussions. This training provides a time for you to learn and ask your questions about: Working, job choices Driving Going to college Friends When: September 13, 2011 7:00pm - 8:00pm Mountain Where: Mansfield Health Education Center 1145 North 30th | Billings MT Located in the Lower Level of the Yellowstone Medical Building West To reserve your spot or find the videoconferencing location in your area, contact: St. Vincent University at 406-237-ED4U (406-237-3348) or email svhu@svh-mt.org

Click here to download the flyer for this event (PDF) What: Wraparound 101 Training is an additional requirement for those wishing to provide caregiver peer-to-peer services in the PRTF waiver. When: September 27-28, 2011 9:00am - 4:00pm Mountain Where: Best Western Premier Great Northern Hotel Helena 835 Great Northern Boulevard Helena, MT 59601 Trainer:  Susan Boehrer To register or if you have questions:   Contact Nancy Whitbeck-Nicholson at NWhitbeck-Nicholson@mt.gov or (406) 444-4545 and provide your name, agency, email and phone number. Register early as space is limited. No cost for the training. For questions about the training: Contact Kandis Franklin at kfranklin@mt.gov or (406) 444-6018.

What: Fred Fay's life proves that one man can change the world, even though he has to lie flat on his back just to stay alive. LIVES WORTH LIVING looks at Fay's struggle to survive after a spinal cord injury and the small group of dedicated activists who formed the Disability Rights Movement to drive the nation towards equal rights. When: Thursday, October 27, 2011 10:00pm on local PBS affiliate

Click here to download the full flyer for this event (PDF) When: September 8, 2011 12:00pm - 1:00pm Where: St. Vincent Healthcare Mansfield Health Education Center - Room 7 Billings, MT Target Audience: Primary Care Providers to include but not limited to: Family Practice, Pediatrics, Emergency Department physicians, Physician assistants, Nurse practitioners, Advanced practice nurses, Registered nurses, And all other healthcare providers of pediatric/adolescent patients Series Objectives: At the end of this RSS, participants should be able to: Differentiate between types of seizures, spells and spasms in children Recognize infantile spasms and absence seizures Utilize appropriate imaging and lab work for the diagnosis, treatment and management of seizures, spells and spasms in children Manage status epilepticus emergently Initiate referral of children to a pediatric neurologist as appropriate Lecture Specific Objectives: At the end of this RSS, participants should be able to: Develop a differential diagnosis of seizure-like episodes. Identify clinical features of psychogenic non-epileptic events. Appropriately manage non-epileptic events. If you would like to attend via videoconference contact: St. Vincent Healthcare University at 406.237.3348 or email svhu@svh-mt.org.  Reservations for videoconferencing must be made at least 24 hours prior to live activity.

The Montana State Special Education Advisory Panel is recruiting potential members to serve a three-year term on the Panel.  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that each state establish and maintain an advisory panel for the purpose of advising the state special education staff regarding the education of eligible children with disabilities.  The panel meets four times a year in Helena. Our first meeting is scheduled for September 22-23.  Expenses are reimbursed. The panel has specific membership requirements.  We are currently recruiting the following member positions: Private School Representative State/Local School Administrator Representative of Other State Agencies Involved in the Financing or Delivery of Related Services  to Children with Disabilities Representative of Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Parent of a Child With Disabilities (ages birth through 26) Multiple Positions A majority of the members of the panel must be individuals with disabilities or parents of children with disabilities (ages birth through 26). Panel positions are appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.  If you would like to apply to become a member of the advisory panel, please submit a letter or e-mail of interest to: Dick Trerise Special Education Division Office of Public Instruction PO Box 202501 Helena, MT 59620-2501 Or dtrerise@mt.gov Please include a short biography, an indication of your interest in serving, whether you have a disability or are the parent of a student with a disability, and what insights you believe you possess that will benefit the work of the panel. For additional information, please contact Dick Trerise.

Click here to download brochure with full session schedule (PDF) What: With an extraordinary command of facts and thought leadership, Zhao describes how schools have to keep pace with a world that is being dramatically transformed by globalization, the "death of distance," and digital technology. Instead of falling in line with mandates for standardization, his prescription is for educators to: Expand the definition of success beyond math and reading test scores. Personalize schooling so that every student has an opportunity to learn. View schools as enterprises that embrace globalization and digital technology. A.C.E. has opened registration for the September 12, 2011 PIR day to be held at Laurel High School. Yong Zhao, author of the book Catching Up or Leading the Way, will be the general session speaker and ACE is pleased to offer several break-out sessions along with CSPD and MRESA 3. There is a $60.00 per person fee for those who would like to attend but are not part of an ACE member school. The PIR day program is attached and you can register for the day by clicking on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TVPQFGZ When: Monday, September 12, 2011 Where: Laurel High School Laurel, MT For more information: Contact Andrea Fischer, Director, ACE at 406-690-9872 or afischer.acemt@gmail.com

Visit the NAMIWALK website for more information and to register for this event What: Each fall, a group of dedicated volunteers and staff hold the NAMIWalk to generate the resources and awareness that allow NAMI Montana to complete its critical mission of supporting, educating, and advocating for Montanans with severe mental illnesses and their families.  NAMI Montana will be holding its eighth annual NAMIWalk in Helena at Memorial Park on September 25th.  It's set to be our best walk ever.  We've got goals of having over 2,500 Walkers and raising $125,000. When: Sunday, September 25, 2011 Where: Memorial Park Helena, MT More Information: Please go to the Walk website to sign up to be a Team Captain, to be a Walker, or to donate.  Find out about how to start a team and the duties of a Team Captain here.   If you don't feel comfortable signing up online, please send us an email at info@namimt.org or give us a call at (406) 443-7871 and we'll send you a packet of information.

Click here to register for this free webinar What: Nearly every state in the country has adopted a new set of common academic standards in mathematics and English/language arts. The new guidelines lay out fundamental changes in the skills students are expected to have. But there is a long road from understanding the standards to putting them into practice in the classroom. This webinar will let participants in on the approaches that two districts—Hillsborough County, Fla. and Cleveland —are taking as they work to educate teachers about the standards and turn them into new types of teaching and learning. Register now for this free live event! When: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 12:00pm - 1:00pm Mountain Guests: Lynn Dougherty-Underwood, director of K-12 literacy, Hillsborough County Public Schools (Fla.). Mark Baumgartner, director of professional issues, Cleveland Teachers Union.

Click here to register for this free webinar What: Evidence-based prevention programs are attractive because research shows they can produce good results. The challenge is getting similar results when they are put into practice. Experts on two childhood programs will explain the keys to implementing evidence-based programs and achieving expected outcomes. Peggy Hill, Chief Strategic Relations Officer at the Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office, will introduce Nurse-Family Partnership as an example of an effective home-based health promotion program during pregnancy and infancy that has been developed through rigorous research and taken to broader scale nationally. She will describe what makes an “evidence-based” program unique, what supports for implementation are crucial for assuring that research-proven outcomes can be replicated in community settings, and how policy and administrative practice can foster success. Kristy Johnson, Director of Special Projects with Invest in Kids will describe The Incredible Years program as another proven early childhood program that supports child development in classroom settings. Kristy was responsible for creating needed supports for broader scale implementation of Incredible Years throughout Colorado, and will share lessons learned from the process of working with a researcher to make a strong program accessible and available to local schools interested in improving outcomes for young children. When: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Mountain Contact: For questions, email rbridge@mentalhealthamerica.net or call 703-684-7722.

Click here to register for this event What: With the growing prevalence of autism spectrum disorders, public school districts are faced with an exploding demand for autism services.  This webinar will propose promising applications of scalable technology to enhance training and supervision of staff, and collaboration among clinicians to provide evidence-based educational services for students with autism.  Results from an independent study of Rethink Autism's web-based platform to improve paraprofessional and student performance in a public school program will also be presented.   When: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 12:00p - 1:00p Mountain   

Click here to download the brochure, with registration, for this event (PDF) What: The successful implementation of Response to Intervention system involves both the collection and skillful analysis and use of data. However schools often struggle with the second half of this requirement: continuously using assessment to make data-based decisions. This workshop will focus on: A short view of the 8 Montana RtI Essential Components with an emphasis on ongoing as-sessment at the school wide and student level. Going beyond data collection to using the information to make strong, viable data-based decisions. Using benchmark data from multiple sources to develop effective instructional plans for schools, classrooms and small groups. Collecting and using various types of progress monitoring data to track the effectiveness of individual student intervention plans. Individual break-out sessions focusing specifically on DIBELS, AIMSweb and MAP systems. When: September 13, 2011 Where: Hampton Inn Great Falls, MT Free training for: Elementary teachers, Special education teachers, Administrators, and Paraprofessionals. To register online: Register online at www.havre.k12.mt.us Click on the CSPD icon (upper right hand corner) Click on CSPD Calendar

Click here to download the full flyer and registration form for this event (PDF) What: Becoming a high performance organization requires coalitions to be purposeful in how we organize to do our work and not fall into the trap of doing what we have always done and expect different results.  This training is designed for new and veteran coalition leaders working toward strengthening their coalition to become a high performance organization that will produce results in the community.  Participants will learn tools and techniques critical to building and sustaining a strong coalition with an emphasis placed on organizational management, recruiting and retaining coalition members and utilizing media outlets in the community to advocate for our cause.  The training is designed as an interactive opportunity for participants to both learn new skills and hone existing ones.  When: September 14-15, 2011 Where: Missoula Forum for Children and Youth 435 Ryman St Missoula MT Cost: $25/person $20/person for dues-paying Forum members Contact: 406-721-3000 ext 1020 or jsudnem@co.missoula.mt.us for more information

Click here to download the full flyer for this event (PDF) What: Easter Seals-Goodwill is starting a parent support group in the Helena area. The group is open to families who have a child with autism or sensory processing issues, or any other disability. Our goal is to provide opportunities for parents to meet, learn from and support one another and to participate in discussions or presentations of interest to the group. When: 1st Monday of each month beginning September 12, 2011 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Where: 9 Placer Avenue2nd floor Conference RoomHelena, MT Contact:If you would be interested in participating, please contact Abbey Hood at 406-217-8768 or email abigailh@esgw.org for more information.

Click here to download the Sponsorship Letter (PDF) Click here to download the Registration Form (PDF) The 4th annual MYTransitions Conference will be held at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls, MT on November 9-11, 2011. The conference organizers, MYTransitions, is a non-profit committee of various agencies and individuals in Montana who are dedicated to working with youth with disabilities to establish meaningful and diverse transitions into adulthood. This year's conference will be focused on the needs and interests of individuals with disabilities and their families, and will include a Real Life Fair and various workshops related to community services and independent living options. We are committed to helping Montana's youth reach their full potential and want to make this opportunity available to as many individuals and families as possible. Your donation toward scholarships or conference expenses will help make that goal possible. To help defray the travel costs for youth with disabilities and their families and/or the costs of the conference, please complete the attached application and return it to MYTransitions, 1617 Euclid Ave., Helena, MT 59601 or as an attachment to mylfjuneh@bresnan.net. For questions or for more information, please feel free to contact June Hermanson at Ph. 406-442-2576. For conference registration information, go to www.montanayouthtransitions.org. Thank you for your partnership and investment in Montana's future.

What: Non-competitive "fun" walk to raise awareness and funds for Autism. When: Saturday, September 10, 2011 Registration begins at 11am | Walk begins at noon Where: Gibson Park Great Falls, MT

What: The Division of Special Education has scheduled an All Teacher Training on the dates and locations below. The training will review the special education process and forms. All trainings will be from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Locations: September 13 September 14 September 15 Browning, September 13 Browning Public Schools Board Room Ronan, September 14 Ronan Middle School Auditorium Butte, September 15 Alternative School Auditorium (1050 S. Montana Street) Lewistown, September 13 Fergus County High School Auditorium Terry, September 14 Terry High School Hardin, September 15 Hardin Middle School Auditorium To register, please go to: http://www.opi.mt.gov/regforms/speced/

Click here to register for this webinar What: This webinar will teach families functional assessments to manage their own crises as part of the wraparound process. When: Tuesday, August 23th, 2011 12:00pm - 1:30pm Mountain Presenter: Jim Rast, Vroon VanDenBerg, LLP

 Click here to download the full flyer for this event (PDF) What: Join together with family, friends and your local community for an evening of Cajun Food, Fun & Entertainment while raising money for a great cause.  When: Saturday, August 20, 2011 6:00pm – 8:00pm Where: Billings Sports Plex Silent Auction items include Giftcards Signed Season 2 DVD set of True Blood Jewelry Dinner packages Toy Baskets Personal Training Package Clothing Beauty Product Baskets Artwork Silpada Certificate And much, much more! For more information: Contact Susan Mauro at 406-628-5940 or jaysusanseth@msn.com Proceeds go towards the Montana Walk Now for Autism Speaks

Click here to download the flyer for this event (PDF) What: Easter Seals-Goodwill is hosting a parent support group in the Billings area that is open to families who have a child with autism. Our goal is to provide opportunities for parents to meet, learn from and support one another and participate in discussions or presentations of interest to the group. When: 1st Thursday of the Month 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Where: Easter Seals-Goodwill Pediatric Therapy Services 1537 Ave. D, Suite 115 (on the lower level) If you would be interested in participating in our parent support group or have questions: Contact Kelly Melius at 657-9728 or Karla Starr at 425-2036 for more information.