The 2025 MA Independent Living Conference was held on September 16.
The conference is geared towards staff from the 10 Independent Living Centers and appointed members of the Massachusetts Statewide Independent Living Council.
A conference flyer is available here.
Agenda
Welcome and MA Commissioner Presentations
- Welcome by MASILC Chair Nancy Garr-Colzie and Vice Chair Desiree Forte
- Commissioner John Oliveira, Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB)
- Commissioner Opeoluwa Sotonwa, Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH)
- Deputy Commissioner Kate Biebel, MassAbility
- 10:15 am: Workshop Session I
- 11:30 am: Lunch & Keynote by Jessica Podesva, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
- 1:00 pm: Workshop Session II
- 2:30 pm: Closing Session: Reflect & Connect led by Noel Sanders, Senior Community Organizer at Boston Center for Independent Living and Benji Kemper, Community Organizer, Center for Living & Working
Participants will have the opportunity to attend one workshop in each session.
Workshop Session I
Supporting People in Times of Mental Health Crisis
Jill Gichuhi, Compass Helpline Manager, NAMI Massachusetts
Supporting someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis can be challenging, especially when systems feel complex or disempowering. This presentation will explore ways to support people navigating mental health crisis – before, during, and after it happens – with a focus on autonomy and self-determination. We’ll start by unpacking what “crisis” can mean from different perspectives. We’ll also introduce tools that people can use before a crisis that can help them retain some control and communicate preferences, and then explore key supports that people can access during times of crisis. We’ll also share practical strategies for responding supportively in the moment.
Bridging the Gap: Tools, Perspectives, and Collaborative Solutions for Affordable & Accessible Housing in Massachusetts
Presenters: Victoria Decker, Community Manager, Housing Navigator MA and Jordan Stocker, Senior Policy Associate, CHAPA
This engaging presentation will equip attendees with practical knowledge and tools to address the urgent need for affordable and accessible housing in Massachusetts. Led by co-presenters Victoria Decker of Housing Navigator MA and Jordan Stocker of CHAPA, this session goes beyond theory to provide actionable insights and real-world solutions for our state.
We’ll review how we get here, and then explore the housing data, access, and production that are vital to our path forward. We’ll conclude with updates from the ILC Housing Working Group efforts and invite you to engage in a collaborative dialogue on ways to plug in. This is your chance to share perspectives, discuss challenges, and contribute to collective strategies that will help bridge the gap for folks across the Commonwealth.
Culturally Responsive Engagement for Authentic Connection with Families and Young Adults
Our presentation introduces some best practice approaches to build culturally responsive engagement with families and addresses culturally specific stigma about disability that support professionals may face when working with diverse families.
Presenters: Dara Sok, Rebecca Davis and Debora Curella from the Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN)
Authentic engagement between families/young adults and the professionals supporting them is the key to positive life outcomes for young adults with disabilities. Bias, miscommunication, and lack of information about cultural differences can be obstacles to authentic engagement. FCSN, the MA Statewide Family Engagement Center, developed a Family Engagement Framework with the input and guidance of a 500 member coalition (including 11 state agencies, various sectors, and Education and Health and Human Services secretaries). Our outreach team members have lived experience as families of youth with disabilities and provide authentic voices on disability stigma in their communities.
Our presentation introduces some best practice approaches to build culturally responsive engagement with families and addresses culturally specific stigma about disability that support professionals may face when working with diverse families.
Dispelling Myths: SSI, SSDI and Work
Presenter: Brian Forsythe, Work Without Limits
This workshop will review the basics of disability benefits offered by the Social Security Administration for individuals with disabilities, such as SSI and SSDI, including eligibility requirements, major differences between the two programs, and the effect of work income on these benefits. We will also review and discuss some of the most common myths associated with working while receiving Social Security and other public benefits. Finally, we will establish that work is possible while receiving disability benefits, and review some of the community resources available to assist individuals to transition to work while successfully managing their benefits.
Keynote
Jessica Podesva, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
Jessica Podesva, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
Workshop Session II
Preventing and Managing Workplace Stress
Presenter: Meghan Chapman, Federation for Children with Special Needs
Imagining that we can do the work of supporting people in crisis and not feeling stress is like believing we can walk through water and not get wet. Let’s explore ways we can better prevent and manage workplace stress: setting and maintaining boundaries with consumers and colleagues; using self-compassion and mindfulness practices; and knowing where you can turn for mental health support.
Successful transportation advocacy: working with Regional Transit Authorities
Presenters: Sally English, Executive Director, AdLib and Valerie Pease, Advocate, AdLib
During the planning process for the FY 2025-2027 State Plan for Independent Living, CIL leaders identified the need for more cross-state collaboration within the disability community on transportation advocacy goals to make systemic change in accessibility in MA’s fractured transportation system (a Boston-area system plus 15 Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs)). CIL leaders planned to increase the capacity of the CIL network to maximize transportation advocacy by forming a new statewide coalition focused on advancing accessible, affordable transportation.
From Questions to Confidence: Navigating Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
Presenters: Sarah Wiles and Naomi Goldberg, Client Assistance Program at Massachusetts Office on Disability
The Client Assistance Program (CAP) is an independent and confidential resource, which helps people understand and use vocational rehabilitation (VR) and independent living (IL) services. CAP can explain what Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and Independent Living (IL) services are. CAP can also work with people to make sure they are making the most of these services to get, keep, and advance in employment. This workshop is for people with disabilities applying for or currently receiving Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services (sometimes called Career Services), their families, and anyone else interested to learn how VR works. During this workshop, participants will learn what VR is and how it works, why the employment goal and the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) are so important, simple tips for moving through the VR process, and how the Client Assistance Program supports individuals in the VR program.
From Stigma to Strength: Supporting Youth in Disability Advocacy
Presenters: Mertine Holland, Employment Coordinator for Youth with Disabilities, BCIL and (pictured left) Sophie Korpics, Community Advocate, NILP
This workshop covered the barriers to youth and young adults with disabilities engaging in self- advocacy, how media influences the way young people see themselves, and how we can build allyship that truly empowers youth with disabilities.
Reflect & Connect
For the last activity of the day, participants were asked to sit with different people. Noel Sanders, Senior Community Organizer at Boston Center for Independent Living and Benji Kemper, Community Organizer, Center for Living & Working led the activity with a handful of questions for each group to discuss.
Random photos
Exhibitors
- Aging Service Access Point (Springwell)
- Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIA-MA)
- Disability Law Center
- Disability Policy Consortium
- Easterseals Massachusetts
- Federation for Children with Special Needs
- Health and Disability Program, Department of Public Health
- Housing Navigator MA
- MassAbility
- MassOptions
- Massachusetts Behavioral Health Helpline – Call or Text: 833-773-2445
- Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)
- Massachusetts Law Reform Institute / Civil Legal Aid for Victims of Crime
- Massachusetts Office on Disability
- My Ombudsman
- NAMI Massachusetts
- New England ADA Center
- PCA Workforce Council
- REquipment
- Work Without Limits
