You’re invited to the 2026 Massachusetts Independent Living Conference!
Conference details:
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center
181 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough, MA 01752
RSVP details:
RSVP at https://masilc.formstack.com/forms/2026ilconference_registration
Registration for the conference is free of charge, however priority is given to staff from the 10 Independent Living Centers and appointed members of the Massachusetts Statewide Independent Living Council.
The registration deadline for the conference is September 9, 2026.
Individuals who are requesting communication access should register as soon as possible. Requests received after September 2nd, 2026 may not be guaranteed.
Workshops:
Morning workshops – Please choose one when registering.
- Unhoused and Unconnected: Meeting the challenge of housing stability for people with disabilities
- Presenter: Angela Clarke, Community Counseling of Bristol County, Inc.
- Description: This workshop first offers an overview of the homeless system, provides clarity around understanding the trauma responses of those facing homelessness and considers solutions in meeting housing needs for those unhoused. The workshop reviews definitions of housing instability and homelessness across different funding sources and helps participants understand how to access services throughout the Commonwealth.
- Looking Ahead – Non-college Options after High School
- Presenter: Leslie Leslie, Federation for Children with Special Needs
- Description: Students with disabilities attend postsecondary education or training at rates far lower than their peers without disabilities. There are many options that lead to good careers. Explore certificate and license programs, 2 year degrees, apprenticeships, corporate training, military and federal service training as well as volunteer options.
- Empowering the Disability Vote: A Guide for Advocates
- Presenter: Brianna Zimmerman, Disability Law Center
- Most Americans believe that voting is an important part of being a good citizen, and researchers agree that there are social, economic, and health benefits to voting. People with disabilities are just as interested in voting as their nondisabled peers; however, they are less likely to vote and three times more likely to encounter barriers to voting. In this interactive workshop, we will provide an overview of the rights of Massachusetts voters with disabilities; share information about accessible voting options; and brainstorm creative strategies to empower the disability vote in our everyday work. (All are welcome to join, whether you are new or experienced to getting out the disability vote!)
- Unraveling the Mysteries of Guardianship Alternatives
- Presenters: Lee Larriu, Sandy Heller, and Betsy Johnson, Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council
- Description: This session, Demystifying Guardianship Alternatives, breaks down the legal, practical, and ethical landscape of decision making supports available before guardianship becomes necessary. Participants will explore a range of less restrictive options such as supported decision making, powers of attorney, representative payees, and learn how these tools can preserve autonomy while still providing needed protection. The presentation clarifies when each alternative is appropriate, how they function in real world scenarios, and what families, professionals, and individuals should consider when choosing the right level of support. The goal is to replace confusion with confidence and empower attendees to make informed, person-centered decisions.
Afternoon workshops – Please choose one when registering.
- Navigating Mental Health Through an Independent Living Lens
- Presenter: Jill Gichuhi, NAMI
- Description: Supporting people who are experiencing mental health symptoms can be challenging, especially when systems feel complex or hard to navigate. This workshop is about ways to support people at different points in their mental health journey, with a focus on choice and self-determination. We’ll start by looking at how people experience mental health in different ways, including how they define their own needs and what support actually feels helpful to them. We’ll also look at the mental health system and how different kinds of support fit together. We’ll also look at situations that can make things more complex, like high distress, hard-to-follow communication, or when someone seems stuck or disengaged. We’ll talk through how to respond in those moments while still holding clear, respectful boundaries.
- Consumer Housing Workshops & How to Adjust to Changing Consumer Needs
- Presenters: Sam Larue, Southeast Center for Independent Living, Steve Stollberg, Your Access Advocates, Andy Forman, Boston Center for Independent Living, and Cindy Ribeiro, Southeast Center for Independent Living
- Presented in partnership with the MolinaCares Foundation
- Description: This workshop explores the role of consumer housing workshops in the provision of Independent Living Center services and how to better engage consumers in these educational sessions. Consumer housing workshops are an integral part of the I&R process for Independent Living Centers, establishing a baseline understanding of what consumers can expect staff to help them with and how the Independent Living philosophy works. However, many Massachusetts centers have reported a decrease in consumer engagement with the workshops over the past year, despite the continuation of the accessible affordable housing crisis. A panel of three Independent Living staff engage with this contradiction in a moderated discussion, talking about how they approach leading housing workshops and how centers can improve engagement with consumers through format changes. This discussion follows up on months of outreach and collaboration between staff from all 10 Massachusetts Independent Living Centers and the Statewide Independent Living Council as part of a project to address fluctuations in consumer housing needs over the past 2 years.
- Making It Meaningful: Fostering Active Participation for High-Support-Needs Youth in Independent Living Programs
- Presenters: Maddie Heavey and Maximo Pimentel, Boston Center for Independent Living
- This workshop will explore practical strategies for supporting youth with high support needs in meaningful participation in independent living programs. Participants will learn how to create inclusive, accessible programming that promotes choice, self-determination, and engagement for youth with diverse support and communication needs. Topics will include instructional strategies, differentiation, adapting materials and activities, and supporting communication and participation. Attendees will leave with practical tools and strategies to make independent living programs more inclusive, engaging, and accessible for all youth.
- Preparing for Emergencies
- Presenters: Jamie Barry and Fernando Calderon, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
- The workshop is geared towards individual/family planning for emergencies with considerations for those in the independent living community. This workshop could be helpful for an individual that has an access or functional need as well as those that support them.