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2015 Florida Guardian ad Litem Disabilities Conference
Survey Results
There were 436 people attending 31 workshops and keynote addresses over 2
days
“Best CLE program and speakers I have ever encountered in over 40 years. Each presentation
was professional insightful and useful. No technical glitches. VERY professional, well planned
and well executed. Kudos.”
Workshop Topic Selection
Topic Selection for 2015 Conference
To select our conference workshop topics we surveyed• Conference Advisors• Attendees of the 2014 Conference• Child Welfare Professionals from agencies across the state including Florida’s Children’s First – Training Consortium, Department of Children and Families, professors, independent attorneys and others involved in child welfare and disability law.
2015 Florida GAL Disabilities Training Conference Survey
Results
Survey ‐ Overall Conference
The workshop topics presented were useful in my legal practice for dependent children with disabilities.
Agree 66.39%Somewhat Agree 21.01%Disagree 0.84%N/A 11.76%
I was able to connect and network with peers from other agencies.Agree 75.63%Somewhat Agree 21.01%Disagree 1.68%N/A 1.68%
I gained a better understanding of legal practice with regard to dependent children with disabilities.
Agree 70.59%Somewhat Agree 23.53%Disagree 3.36%N/A 2.52%
I would recommend this conference to other child welfare professionals.
Agree 82.35%Somewhat Agree 15.13%Disagree 2.52%
Survey ‐ Overall Conference
Survey ResultsWorkshops ‐ Comments
Survey Results:Workshop ‐ Likes
• I believe all the workshops that I attended were useful
• I loved the interactive presentations• I loved the keynote speaker • I really enjoyed the session with the foster children which described their experiences. I think it was exceptional
Survey Results:Workshops – Likes
• Small Groups• Wide Variety of Topics• Having Workshops Recorded and put on the GAL Website for CLE credits
• The Mobile App – Online materials• Interactive Workshops ‐ Brainstorming• Networking – knowing there were other attorneys in the state with the same struggles
Survey Results:Workshops
Room for Improvement• Workshops should be open to
all attendees• I would have more agency
speakers• Indicate experience level• I personally prefer that no
lecture be more than one hour without a break
• I would like to have more intermediate or expert level workshops.
Action Item for 2016 Conference• All workshops will be open to
all attendees• GAL will reach out to ensure
more Agencies are workshop presenters
• GAL will ask that presenters submit experience level with their presentations
• GAL will consider shorter “Ted‐Talks” mixed into workshops
• GAL will ask for intermediate and higher level workshop material
Survey ResultsFacilities; Presentations; Organization; Other
Survey Results:Facilities; Presentations; Organization;
Other
• The location was excellent. Easy to get to.• The food was great. The venue was absolutely beautiful. I loved
the portfolios and schedule in the lanyard.• The App was great Special thanks to Sean your Tech support at
registration!• The hotel and food were great.• The set up of the conference was very organized, the food was
excellent, I think it was a huge success.
Survey Results:Facilities
Room for Improvement• I would change the timing of
the conference. It is much better to start earlier on Thurs., or perhaps on Wed., and finish earlier on Fri. Also, it was a holiday weekend which made travel horrific.
• Need better breakfast options.• Drink station at all sessions,
not just at lunch breaks.
Action Item for 2016 Conference• Conference in 2016 will be
May 4‐5 to avoid holiday will have Wednesday‐Thursday conference days
• GAL will review costs for breakfast options and drink stations for 2016 conference
Special Mention of ExcellencePresenters or Workshops that were singled out as excellent by those surveyed
Special Mention of Excellence
• Supported Decision‐Making: From Justice for Jenny to Justice for All
– Jonathan Martinis – Keynote Speaker
• Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!– David Lillesand – Keynote Speaker
• Accessing Medicaid Services for Children with Disabilities: Who Offers What?
– Nancy Wright, Attorney, Law Offices of Nancy E Wright
• Mastering the Master Trust: Another Advocacy Tool in Your Toolbox
– Jessica Rae, Attorney, Community Law Program
• Advancing Self‐Determination of Clients with Disabilities
– Phoebe Ball, Legislative Affairs Specialist, National Council on Disability
– Robyn Powell, Attorney Advisor, National Council on Disability
• Psychotropic Medications: Prospective from Inside the System
– Robert Latham‐ Supervising Attorney/Lecturer, University of Miami Children and Youth Law Clinic
– Youth SHINE
• Transition and Social Security Benefits for Students with Disabilities
– Harold Bennett‐ Staff Attorney Disability Rights Florida
– Felicia Jordan ‐ Staff Attorney Disability Rights Florida
• Pursuing Win‐Win Outcomes in the School Setting: Educational Advocacy
– Jonathan McIntire – Educational Consultant and Advocate
– Kimberley Spire‐Oh‐ Special Education Attorney, Law Office of Kimberley Spire‐Oh, PA
Special Mention of Excellence
• Educational Needs of Special Populations in Dependency • Melissa Duncan‐ Supervising Attorney,
Educational Advocacy Project, Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach
• Shahar Pasch‐ Supervising Attorney Educational Advocacy Project, Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach
• Special Education Law for Students with Disabilities
– Ann Siegel – Director of Advocacy, Education & Outreach, Disability Rights Florida
• Qualifying a Witness as an Expert Using the Daubert Standard
– Vanessa Cordero – Senior Child’s Best Interest Attorney, Statewide GAL Program, 20th Judicial Circuit
– Laura Lawson – Appellate Counsel, Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program
• Kids Rights/Lawyers Responsibilities– Jessica Rae – Attorney, community Law Program – Robin Rosenberg – Deputy Director, Florida’s
Children First
“Sometimes the best information is just
knowing who to call. Networking at this event
is priceless.”
How will Attendees Apply InformationSurvey Results
Survey Results:Applying Information
• There are so many ideas and information that I will be able to use in all my cases.
• I plan on making checklists from the information I learned• I will be more aware of the various decisions I make that
impact children with disabilities.• I will contact some of the presenters for some more in‐depth
information that I can use for my practice.• I will know who to call
What Attendees Would like to See in the FutureSurvey Results
Survey ResultsFuture Conference
• Special Needs Trusts• Observation of an expert interviewing a client and then help the client
through their application for Social Security benefits, or through their IEP meeting.
• Speakers who address other types of disabilities, such as blindness and hearing disabilities, and how their needs can be met within delinquency/foster care/schools
• Guardianship, Education, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Waiver and interacting with group homes, Social Security/Representative Payees/Transition, Special Education, Express v. Best Interest (a discussion about when each is appropriate and the differences between the two), and Vocational Rehabilitation/Transition.
2016 Guardian ad Litem Disabilities Training ConferencePlanning for 2016 Conference
Planning for 2016 Conference
• Possible theme ADA 25 year anniversary• Timeframes – May 4‐5, 2016 (Wednesday,
Thursday)• Keep it small and intimate
– Be sure to tell attendees if the workshop is beginner intermediate or advanced
– Limit size of classes; perhaps think about shorter classes
– Shorter ‐ Ted Talks• Water and coffee available throughout the
day. Water for presenters in rooms• Work on surveys for each workshop –
more input equals better results.
25
• Keep dedicated Mobile App/IT and Travel Desk
• Topics– Survey of attendees; and set up
separate survey of our attorneys, Training consortium, agencies, and approvals of workshops with regionals.
• No specialized classes – everyone can attend all classes.
• Keynote – ADA Attorney
Eagle Award 2012, Award Winner 2013, 2014, 2015Prudential ‐ Davis Productivity Awards
Public–Private Partnership Organization of the Year 2013Miami Dade Minority Chamber
Angels in Adoption Award 2012Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute
