5/31 - Providing Effective Employment Supports

Providing Effective Employment Supports 

Facilitated by Penn-Mar Human Services Consulting

May 31, 2024

9 AM - 12 NOON

Virtual

Member: $75     Nonmember: $125

All registrants will receive the ZOOM Meeting Webinar link and handouts one week prior to the training session.

During this session, participants will learn best practices, strategies, and tools for developing effective workplace supports.  The role of the job coach will be discussed, including how to create an employment support plan, which ensures the new employee enters the job in the most inclusive manner possible.

Participants will learn how to use systematic instruction for teaching employees new job tasks for career advancement.  Fading principles and strategies will be taught including the importance of natural supports and how to facilitate the development of those supports.  Attendees will learn how to implement a fading plan based on a completed job analysis and collected data.

Job coaches should be knowledgeable about employment first principles, customized employment, best practices, and resources available.   Therefore, the following topics will also be reviewed during the session:   

• Basics of Employment First and Maryland as an Employment First state.
• Competitive integrated employment, self-determination, informed choice, and rights/ responsibilities.
• An introduction to customized employment and pathways to employment.   
• Self-employment strategies and resources
• Basic SSI/SSDI benefits awareness and how benefits may be affected by earned income and other factors.

This session is intended for Direct Support Professionals, Job coaches, Employment Coordinators, Employment Specialists, Supervisors, and Managers providing Employment Supports.  Participants will have the opportunity to share with others their experience with providing employment supports, successes, and challenges.

Facilitator: Kevin Walker has over 30 years of experience with Penn-Mar Human Services, and served in various direct support, managerial, and administrative ​roles before becoming the Director of Business Development.  Kevin spearheaded Penn-Mar’s Employment 1st initiative in 2009, and for the past 7 years has provided training and technical assistance to like-minded provider organizations.  In July of 2020, Kevin assisted with the development and launch of Penn-Mar’s consulting division. 

Kevin is a Certified Workforce Incentives Practitioner and a 2020 graduate of Leadership Baltimore County.  He is a certified ACRE trainer and led the development of a Penn-Mar centric ACRE endorsed curriculum.  Kevin has been involved in ACRE projects in California, District of Columbia, Maryland, Minnesota, and Oklahoma, and is also a curriculum reviewer for ACRE.  Kevin serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy on the National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network (NEON) project and has provided training and technical assistance to providers in Indiana, New York, and Maryland for NEON.

Facilitator: Tricia Zeltwanger has been employed with Penn-Mar Human Services since 1991.  Tricia held the position of Contract Manager until 2012 when she took the position as a Job Developer.  Tricia’s vital role is to connect with our community through networking and developing employer partnerships.  Tricia is a 2014 graduate of Leadership York.  She created the York Business Networking Group and has served as its President since 2015.  Tricia is an Ambassador for the York County Economic Alliance and serves on the Board of Southern York County Business Association.  Tricia trains Penn-Mar new hires on Customized Employment and is passionate about the needs and goals of each employment seeker.  Tricia has demonstrated a high level of success in placing many employment seekers in community employment.