SDRehabACTion - 2026 Presentations

ANNOUNCEMENT

Please note that printed copies of speaker presentations will not be provided at this year's Fall Conference. When available, presentation materials are linked below each session description. Attendees are encouraged to download or print copies in advance if desired. Some presentations are not yet available. Please check back periodically, as additional materials will be uploaded as they are received.

Large-print copies of available presentations will be provided at the conference for attendees who requested them during registration.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13

Tuesday Breakouts -- 3:30-5:00pm

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14

Wednesday Breakouts -- 8:30-10:00am

Wednesday Breakouts -- 10:30-Noon

Wednesday Lunch Sessions

Wednesday Breakouts -- 3:30-5:00pm

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15

Thursday Breakouts -- 8:30-9:30am

Thursday Closing Session

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13

Reignite: Avoid Burnout, Increase Outcomes, and Fuel Your Spark Again

Chase Mielke

Chase was moments away from leaving the profession he loved. Burned out and disillusioned, he nearly walked away until he applied the very science of well-being he had taught his students for over a decade.

In this powerful and refreshingly honest keynote, Chase shares his story of rediscovery and the small, science-backed practices that helped him stay, grow, and thrive in education. With humor, storytelling, and proven tools, he equips your audience with the mindset and momentum to recharge their energy, reframe their challenges, and reconnect with the joy that brought them to this work in the first place.

Tuesday Breakouts -- 3:30-5:00pm

If it feels like everything in VR has changed-you’re right. Over the past decade, the program has experienced significant transformation: new federal legislation, expanded responsibilities, evolving partnerships, increased documentation, & a global pandemic that changed how services are delivered. These shifts have impacted not just what we do, but how we do it.
This session acknowledges that reality helps make sense of it. Participants will walk through the major changes that have reshaped VR, understand how those changes show up in daily work, & explore how each staff member contributes to the bigger picture of program performance & outcomes. This is not just a look back, it’s a call forward. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the current landscape & renewed sense of their role in shaping the future of VR.

Stress is inevitable, so we can’t always be resistant to stress. We can, though, become stress resilient, learning when stress is good, when it is bad, and how to manage the many stressors of life. This workshop explores the science of how stress affects our thinking, learning, and behaving. We will explore the 5 “D-Stress” strategies that any person can use to reduce stress and improve their performance and well-being.

Work-life expectancy is expanding and organizational careers don’t look the way they did before. This presentation will cover the now 5 generations in the workplace, their attributes, their influences, what they expect from the workplace, how to prevent workplace tension and what different approaches managers can do to motivate them. A must for anyone who works in today’s world!

This Community of Practice will provide a strengths‑based overview of the employment journey, focusing on early indicators that influence retention, stability, and long‑term success. It will also offer practical strategies to support sustainable employment outcomes beyond initial job placement.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14

Wednesday Breakouts -- 8:30-10:00am

This presentation explores important ethical considerations that vocational rehabilitation professionals should mindfully consider when utilizing artificial intelligence tools to assist people with disabilities.

This presentation examines why competitive, integrated employment outcomes remain low for people with significant disabilities despite widespread use of supported employment (SE) and customized employment (CE). Drawing on a review of existing research and analysis of matched administrative data, the session highlights persistent employment disparities even among individuals receiving targeted services. It also introduces a competency-based framework designed to strengthen the skills of employment support professionals through focused training and technical assistance. Findings suggest that while SE and CE models are important, improving employment outcomes depends heavily on workforce capacity. Competency-based approaches show promise in closing skill gaps, improving service quality, and enhancing individualized supports, offering practical lessons for advancing inclusive employment across diverse systems and contexts.

Because they are trusted partners in supporting independence, professionals who support older adults and adults with disabilities are in an ideal position to spark conversations about legal and financial planning and connect clients with valuable resources. This session provides a practical overview of the key legal documents, including wills, powers of attorney, trusts, and advance directives. Attendees will also explore fiduciary roles, what information fiduciaries need, and the risks that can arise when critical documents are not in place. The session will conclude with actionable strategies for helping clients access legal professionals and community-based support, ensuring they receive timely and appropriate guidance.

Did you know you can thrive, not just survive in a workplace with challenging personality types? Learn what leads to a toxic workplace and develop a tactical plan for dealing with the "jerks at work" in a professional and effective way. You will meet several difficult personality types and learn unique ways to handle their behaviors in the workplace. By focusing on what is in your power to change, you can discover opportunities to protect your peace and reclaim positivity at work.

Wednesday Breakouts -- 10:30-Noon

This session explores the potential impacts of emerging artificial intelligence on the future of the labor market, employment, and the implications that VR professionals need to be prepared to navigate. This session explores both the opportunities and potential threats posed by AI for the workforce participation of people with disabilities.

The purpose of this presentation is to describe a community-based, collaborative transition model designed to improve post-school outcomes for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The project involved partnerships with local school districts and related service providers such as vocational rehabilitation and IDD agency to identify key transition barriers affecting employment, independent living, and postsecondary outcomes. Based on this input, each district established a community transition initiative team that met monthly to address collaboration challenges and strengthen interagency linkages. In addition, school-level teams were developed to support coordinated planning and implementation. The presentation will share team composition, key findings from the collaborative process, and lessons learned to inform effective transition practices.

In this session, participants will analyze how our learning and communication styles impact how we work with other people. When we understand our own tendencies, along with other people’s perspectives, we have an opportunity to expand our ability to reach more people in our work. Most people, do better, when they know better!

Join us for an introduction to the Crucial Conversations method to handle difficult conversations in the workplace. Many workplace issues arise when we avoid having difficult conversations. Master the art of having those crucial conversations while strengthening workplace relationships and fostering a positive work culture. Learn how to Stay in Dialogue, Make It Safe, Share your Good Intent, and go from difficult conversations to a Path to Action.

Wednesday Lunch Sessions

Powwow 101

Whitney A Rencountre II

In this session, we will learn more about wacipi, or as some refer to it as a powwow. Songs and dances have been part of the Native American Culture since time immemorial. We will learn about the evolution of the dance styles, different songs, and gain a better understanding of these celebrations held amongst tribes in South Dakota and across North America.

Raising the Stakes: Building Resilience to Advance Employment and Independence for All

Winston Clements

Professionals in vocational rehabilitation, employment services, and independent living work every day to help individuals with disabilities navigate barriers and achieve greater independence. That work requires resilience, creativity, and a belief in possibility.

In this inspiring keynote, motivational speaker and disability advocate Winston Ben Clements shares lessons from growing up with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a rare condition that causes brittle bones, and how navigating a world not designed for him shaped his mindset and approach to overcoming challenges.

Through powerful storytelling and practical insights, Winston explores how resilience can transform obstacles into opportunities. Attendees will gain tools to strengthen resilience in themselves, their teams, and the individuals they support as they continue advancing employment and independence for people with disabilities.

Wednesday Breakouts -- 3:30-5:00pm

Artificial intelligence is transforming how organizations communicate, make decisions, and deliver services. Yet one of its most powerful applications is often overlooked: accessibility. In this interactive session, Winston Ben Clements explores how everyday AI tools can help vocational rehabilitation professionals, employment specialists, and human services leaders reduce barriers for people with disabilities. Through practical examples and live demonstrations, participants will learn how AI can support clearer communication, improve accessible documentation, and act as a practical “second check” for inclusive decision making. Attendees will leave with simple, practical ways to apply AI in their work to help more individuals with disabilities access meaningful employment and greater independence.

This session recenters and refocuses job placement activities, strategies, and tactics by recentering on the purpose centered spirit of the term vocational. The session focuses on individualized, customized, and purpose-informed job placement strategies that enhance the lives of people with disabilities through sustainable and successful careers.

Breaking Workplace Disability Barriers: Hayden’s Story is an interactive, scenario-based training that places participants in the role of an employee navigating disability-related workplace barriers. Through a guided, hands-on experience, participants move through a series of stations that reflect real-world challenges related to communication, workplace systems, accommodations, and policy navigation. Participants are asked to solve problems, advocate for accommodations, and make decisions that mirror the experiences of employees with disabilities. The training concludes with facilitated reflection and discussion focused on practical applications-helping employers identify how policies, practices, and workplace culture can either create barriers or foster accessibility and retention. The training is designed to increase understanding of accommodation and accessibility considerations and provide actionable insights that participants can apply immediately.

Work-based learning is a powerful pathway to developing soft skills, technical skills, and financial literacy for youth and young adults. However, students with disabilities often encounter limited employment options, lower wages, and confusion around unpaid training and internships. This presentation will review current employment data, highlight common employment outcomes, and discuss how transition professionals can broaden career pathways through intentional work-based learning activities. Participants will gain a clear overview of FLSA provisions, including employment relationships, child labor protections, internships, and paid and unpaid job training for students with disabilities. The session will conclude with practical considerations for educators to ensure work-based learning experiences are educationally meaningful and compliant with federal labor laws.

Has the daily grind left you forgetting the "why" you do this important work? Meaning and purpose is a powerful protective factor against stress and burnout. Let's dive deep and identify and reconnect with your unique workplace values and learn how our values and goals can be used to create a work and home life that is a joy to live. You will receive takeaway tools for creating systems that are proven to lower stress throughout your day, week, month, and year.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15

Thursday Breakouts -- 8:30-9:30am

The Division of Developmental Disabilities will provide an overview of the current developmental disabilities service system in South Dakota, including recent Division updates, ongoing initiatives, waiver and eligibility updates, and emerging challenges and opportunities. The session will also highlight efforts to support individuals with developmental disabilities in living and working in their communities consistent with the Division’s mission.

This session focuses on how the Division of Behavioral Health ensures that individuals and families across South Dakota can access quality behavioral health services when they need them. Action for the Betterment of Our Community will also share information about the specific services they provide to support individuals and families in South Dakota.

This engaging one-hour presentation explores service animal law and proper etiquette in South Dakota, with practical comparisons to neighboring states across the region. Attendees will gain a clear, real-world understanding of where service animals are legally allowed, what businesses and the public may ask, how handlers are protected, and why respectful etiquette matters for access, safety, and dignity. The session highlights South Dakota’s rules for public accommodations, housing protections, service animals in training, business responsibilities, and penalties tied to denying lawful access or misrepresenting an animal as a service animal. It also explains the federal ADA framework, including the definition of a service animal, the limited questions staff may ask, and the distinction between trained service animals and emotional support animals. Participants will leave with practical tools to avoid common mistakes, reduce conflict, and create more welcoming spaces throughout South Dakota and the surrounding states.

Driving rehabilitation, guided by occupational therapy evaluation and training, plays a critical role in restoring the independence that safe driving provides for individuals with disabilities. This presentation explores how occupational therapists evaluate the complex interaction between physical, cognitive, visual, sensory, and behavioral abilities and the real world demands of driving. Participants will learn about low tech modifications such as adaptive mirrors, seating and positioning recommendations, pedal extensions, hand controls, steering devices, and targeted driver training. Because the ability to drive often determines access to employment, education, healthcare, and community participation, driving rehabilitation is a key factor in promoting personal autonomy and quality of life. Understanding these connections is essential for the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team. This session clarifies referral processes, evaluation components, documentation expectations, collaborative roles, and enables team members to identify driving-related needs, make timely referrals, and support clients in pursuing safe driving or appropriate transportation alternatives. Ultimately, this collaborative approach strengthens pathways to long term independence and community integration.

This program provides research-backed guidance on brain health and the importance of taking action to protect your brain health at every age. In this program, you will learn about healthy habits for your brain, including improving diet, increasing physical activity and improving sleep quality and how to overcome obstacles so that healthy habits become part of regular routines. This program details the 10 Healthy Habits for your Brain and highlights the latest research including recommendations from the US Pointer Study.

Thursday Closing Session

Celebration of Ability

Kathy Buckley

Imagine beating cervical cancer or walking again after being run over by a lifeguard jeep while sunbathing on a beach. Imagine surviving sexual abuse or overcoming a hearing impairment that was misdiagnosed as mental retardation. Now, imagine all of this and learning to laugh about it.

No Labels, No Limits! brings Kathy's inspiring life story. In an emotional roller coaster, filled with joy and humor--as well as powerful emotional moments--Kathy paints a vivid picture of the life-changing events that taught her the power of choice and gave her the courage to remove the labels society had placed on her.

America's first hearing impaired comedienne and a beloved motivational speaker, Kathy attributes her remarkable survival skills to believe that we all have the gift of choice. In life, "We control how long the hurt lasts and how deep it goes. We decide how long to sit in the darkness and when to turn on the light."

In a world where the pressures of work, family, money, and relationships so often seem insurmountable, Kathy's inspiring story opens up a new vision of what is possible for every one of us.

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