County to Hold Conference to Discuss Continuum
of Care for Those Living with Special Needs
Poughkeepsie … Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro and Deputy Commissioner for Special Needs Toni-Marie Ciarfella will welcome local families of those living with disabilities, as well as local providers who serve them, to Dutchess County’s Collaboration of Services and Care Across the Life Span for People with Special Needs, an all-day conference to assist in the planning of process for lifelong care of those with special needs, on Friday, December 1st, starting at 8:30 a.m. The conference is open to the public, and registration begins at 8 a.m.; more information about registration is available by calling (845) 486-3434.
The conference, hosted by the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Educational Center at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, will provide education and training for families and providers to understand the continuum of care when planning for individuals of every ability.
County Executive Molinaro said, “Those of us who care for a loved one living with special needs know the importance of planning for his or her care – not just today, but years from now. Through this conference, Dutchess County is working to make the process easier for those families by bringing them face-to-face with service providers, so both can collaborate to plan for the best care of those living with disabilities. I look forward to the fruitful discussions that will come from this event and will result in better dispensation of services for our neighbors of every ability.”
Alycia Halladay, Ph.D, the Chief Science Officer at the Autism Science Foundation, is the conference’s keynote speaker and will discuss the most recent findings in autism, as well as resources that will allow families to contribute to autism research to develop evidence-based approaches. Dr. Halladay oversees the science programs and portfolio the Autism Science Foundation, and she previously served as Senior Director of Environmental and Clinical Sciences at Autism Speaks.
Topics to be discussed at the conference include understanding eligibility and services for those with special needs throughout various stages of life – birth to 5 years, 6 to 15 years, 16 to 21 years, and the life course of adulthood – as well as the process of gaining guardianship, including different types of guardianship and specific responsibilities related to each.
Deputy Commissioner Ciarfella said, “Our conference is designed to be a living directory of services and collaborations that help both families and providers better understand the flow of services and care available. By bringing together both families and service providers, each can better understand one another – families can learn what services are available during various stages of a loved one’s life, and providers can better discern families’ changing needs as their loved one with special needs grows older.”
The event is the latest to be held as part of Dutchess County’s “ThinkDIFFERENTLY” initiative, which urges individuals, groups and businesses throughout the county to foster a more welcoming and supportive environment for every person of every ability. Initiated by County Executive Molinaro in 2015, “ThinkDIFFERENTLY” has been embraced by municipalities throughout Dutchess County, as well as more than 60 communities throughout New York State.
