NASDDDS
2007 Annual Meeting
Crowne Plaza Hotel Old Town Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
November 7-9, 2007

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Taking Care of Business: Employment Strategies That Work

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Meeting Program

Meeting Presentations

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Preliminary Schedule
Hotel Information
Transportation Information
Registration Information

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National employment data show that people with disabilities are consistently less likely to be working than their non-disabled counterparts. In 2005, the employment rate for people with disabilities averaged 37.4% while for people without disabilities the rate averaged 74.4%.

We can and must do better! The NASDDDS membership has committed itself to improving our collective performance in the area of employment. The November conference is one part of that effort.

The conference, “Taking Care of Business: Employment Strategies that Work, ” will provide an introduction to the variables that are found in high performing states, i.e. states that have achieved success in the area of supported employment. Building on the results of research conducted by Hall, Butterworth, Winsor, Gilmore, and Metzel and published in AAIDD’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities as Pushing the Employment Agenda: Case Study Research of High Performing States in Integrated Employment, the conference is organized to explore these critical factors.

First, there must be a context for high performance built on shared values, with key players who lead and facilitate, and clear goals for stakeholders to rally toward.

Working within a context that supports high performance, states employ key systemic level strategies which include flexible funding mechanisms; policy directives; funding incentives; communicating goals through data; and innovation diffusion through training.

The conference begins on Wednesday night with a reception that will include The Market Place. Individuals with disabilities who own their own businesses in the Maryland-Virginia area will display their enterprises and be available to chat about their business.

Keynote addresses will include David Mank, Director of the Indiana Center for Excellence kicking off the conference with a status report on the current state of integrated employment and challenge to action. Ron Sims, County Executive of King County, Washington, will follow, calling the public sector to action. Jim Salzano of Clarks North America will stimulate your thinking about the role business can and should play in providing employment opportunities for individuals supported by DD service systems.

Breakout sessions will feature numerous presentations from state agency staff, self-advocates, providers, and employers who are effectively employing one or more of the high performance factors: shared values; with key players who lead and facilitate; clear goals; flexible funding mechanisms; policy directives; funding incentives; communicating of goals through data; and innovation diffusion through training. A number of the states involved in the NASDDDS Supported Employment Leadership Network will share their experiences, successes and challenges during the breakout sessions.

During the luncheon on Thursday, NASDDDS will present the prestigious Censoni Award to a professional who has made a significant difference working in the public sector.

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Driving Directions: I-95 N to Exit 177B, continue North toward Alexandria to US I - 1.3 miles.
Turn right onto Pendleton street - 0.4 miles, turn left onto North Fairfax Street.

Custom Driving Directions are available via the hotel website: