Welcome to the 2020 TASH Conference - Virtual Edition website! We’re so glad you are here!
Each year, the TASH Conference brings together individuals with significant disabilities and their allies to share resources and success stories, learn about field-driven best practices, and network within a community engaged in shared values. The conference is attended by passionate advocates, leaders, and subject matter experts from every corner of the disability community. Conference attendees play an important role in supporting individuals with significant disabilities to overcome various barriers in order to live their best lives. Central to this work is the premise that individuals reach their optimal potential only when they are given the opportunity to live, work and thrive across the lifespan in the same communities we are all members of. The conference is intentionally designed to support the interests of professors and researchers from leading institutions; those involved in local, state, and federal governments and public policy; special and general educators, and school administrators; home and community-based service providers; students, family members, and most importantly, self-advocates with lived experience.
This year, while we are taking the conference virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe that our unique approach to providing exceptional first-rate content and building strong community ties and connections across various stakeholders will yield an extraordinary event! We have taken extra steps to bring people closer together during these times, as well as to create an amazing virtual environment that expands our knowledge, spurs our creative thinking, and focuses on healthy living and having fun! Our conference theme, Feel the Power of Inclusion, reinforces the importance of our continued commitment to promoting a world of equity and opportunity for all, and is predicated on the value of bringing together diverse perspectives and experiences in an effort to build strong human connectivity and spur collective action.
Need technical assistance during the conference? Please email our support staff at helpdesk@tash.org.
Nearly two-thirds (ACS, 2018) of all working age people with disabilities are not in the labor force. The unemployment rate for people without disabilities is triple compared to their peers. We must figure better prepare people for work and align systems to support employment. The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) supports youth with visual impairments and blindness through Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). Public Consulting Group (PCG) and MCB collaborated to identify the needs of youth who are blind and visually impaired. MCB & PCG conducted a systematic research study that included data gathering, extensive stakeholder engagement, analyzing data, and providing results and recommendations. Panelists will share experience and strategies for stakeholder engagement and how to engage a broad spectrum of voices. Panelists will also discuss how results of the study impacted MCB programming and services, and lessons learned for broader application.
I'm passionate about employment and supporting individuals living their good life. My passion is both professional and personal. My career is committed to making systems and services better for individuals with disabilities and their families. I also have a sister with developmental... Read More →
Christine Newhall is a Senior Advisor with Public Consulting Group, Inc. She brings over 15 years of extensive knowledge and experience managing in complex environments including state government and academic medical centers, as well as Board of Director experience at non-profit organizations.Ms... Read More →