Providing Effective Employment Supports

Facilitated by Penn-Mar Human Services
Consulting

December 15, 2026

Virtual

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Registration Fee:

Member: $75  Nonmember: $125

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.

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

Facilitator: Kevin Walker

Kevin has over 30 years of experience with
Penn-Mar Human Services and has 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 in 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,
Maryland, Michigan, New York, and
Washington for NEON.

Facilitator: Tricia Zeltwanger

Tricia has been employed with Penn-Mar Human
Services since 1991. She began as a DSP and later
became their Contract Manager. In 2012, Tricia
transitioned to the role of Job Developer, and
in 2020, she began supporting Penn-Mar’s consulting
division. Tricia is responsible for establishing
connections with the community by networking and
building relationships with employers. She graduated
from Leadership York in 2014 and is a certified ACRE
trainer. Tricia has also earned the Certified
Employment Support Professional (CESP) and
Marc Gold certification for the
Discovery process.

In 2015, Tricia founded the York Business
Networking Group and has served
as its President. Tricia is an Ambassador for
the York County Economic Alliance and has
previously served on the Board of the Southern
York County Business Association. Tricia trains new
hires on Customized Employment and is
dedicated to understanding the unique needs and
goals of each employment seeker. Tricia has
demonstrated a high level of success in placing many
employment seekers in community employment.