Meet Dani Plan. Your Care Plan Made Easy - Register Now!

 

Hello Autism Society Community, We are pleased to announce a new partnership that is focused on providing our community with greater clarity, confidence, and peace of mind in managing the essential details of your loved one's care. The Autism Society of America is officially partnering with Dani Plan to offer their secure cloud-based software as a valuable resource to you. Dani Plan is designed to help you organize and consolidate important information, ensuring nothing gets lost in the shuffle of daily life.

What is Dani Plan and how will it help you?  Dani Plan creates one secure, accessible place for everything your loved one’s caregivers, doctors, and teachers need, whether it’s daily routines, medical history, or educational records.

With Dani Plan, you can:  Build a personalized care plan Upload and organize key documents Share plans securely with trusted individuals Set text reminders for caregivers Prepare for the unexpected with confidence Join us!  We’re excited to invite you to a live Zoom demo of the Dani Plan, a powerful, easy-to-use online tool designed to help families create a personalized life plan for their child or loved one with a disability. Choose from two dates and times:  Date: Tuesday, June 23 Time: 12:00 p.m. PT/3:00 p.m. ET Date: Thursday, June 25 Time: 5:30 p.m. CT/6:30 p.m. ET

Register for the Webinar

This is more than just a tool, it’s peace of mind, all in one place.   🔗 Learn more about Dani Plan and access Autism Society of America discounted pricing: https://autismsociety.org/daniplan/  Hope to see you there! Your Autism Society of America Team

Register Now for Brain Injury Fundamentals Class!

 

Training Opportunity: Brain Injury Fundamentals   Are you a caregiver of a person with a brain injury, direct support professional, or other professional and interested in receiving a Brain Injury Fundamentals Certificate?  Then this is the class for you! Brain Injury Fundamentals is an essential training and certificate program designed for direct care staff, family members, and individual caregivers. The training course covers essential topics such as cognition, medical complications, and medication safety and management. Certificate is good for 3-years. Target Audience: Caregivers, Direct Support Staff, and Professionals Fees: Based on SC residency unless otherwise specified. Cost includes workbook, training, and exam Instructors: Kay Brooks, MA, CBIST, Director, Head and Spinal Cord Injury Services, Thrive Upstate Meghan Trowbridge, LISW-AP, CBIST, C-ASWCM, Assistant Director, Center for Disability Resources, USC School of Medicine If you have questions, please contact Kristi Hartwell at BIASC at 803-731-9823 or coordinator@biaofsc.com. Registration Deadline is June 12, 2026. *Class is limited to 25 participants. Class Dates and Times: Tuesday, June 23: 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM (virtual) Tuesday, June 30: 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM (in-person ONLY in Columbia) Lunch will be provided.  Address will be provided after registration is complete. Tuesday, July 14: 9:30AM - 1:30PM (virtual) Click Here to Register If you have any questions, please contact Kristi Hartwell at 803-731-9823 or coordinator@biaofsc.com. What? Brain Injury Fundamentals Class When? Tuesday, June 23:  9:30 AM - 1:30 PM Tuesday, June 30:  10:00 AM - 4:30 PM (in-person ONLY in Columbia) Lunch will be provided. Tuesday, July 14:    9:30 AM - 1:30 PM Where? June 23 and 30:  Online via Zoom Platform July 14:  In-person in Columbia (Address provided after registration is complete.) Fees? $130.00:  Includes a workbook, training, and exam Click Here to Register Ways to Donate to Our Organization: Network for Good

AAIDD 150th Annual Meeting - Plenary & Concurrent Sessions

Plenary Sessions The 150th AAIDD Annual Meeting features engaging plenary sessions and inspiring talks from leading experts in the field. Gain valuable insights, explore new ideas, and be part of thought-provoking discussions that shape the future of IDD.   Don't miss this opportunity to learn from top leaders, expand your knowledge, and leave feeling inspired! View Plenary Sessions Concurrent Sessions Be part of the conversation with AAIDD's concurrent sessions featuring engaging panels, timely issue briefs, and dynamic poster symposia, delivering fresh insights across a wide range of topics and formats.    Start building your schedule today! View Concurrent Sessions Thank You to Our Sponsors! Learn more about becoming a sponsor

 

Town Hall Meeting with National Drowning Prevention Alliance: Water Safety and Autism

 

Join us for a town hall meeting with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) as we continue our focus on water safety and Autism! This is a unique opportunity to engage in an open discussion. Please bring your questions and ideas on this important topic.  The goal is to come together to empower our community to ensure everyone has the knowledge and resources to stay safe around water. Your voice matters! Together, we can make a difference in promoting safety and awareness. Date: May 28, 2026 Time: 1pm EST We look forward to seeing you there.  Your team at the Autism Society of America

May 2026 Leadership in IDD

 

Perspectives Commentary from the field

Enhancing DSP Training to Support Quality of Life   Kelly Thacker, MA Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities   Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) play a crucial role in promoting quality of life for the people with developmental disabilities (DD) they support each day. Despite their critical role, training for DSPs across the country is often insufficient for the complexity of the work. DSPs are routinely expected to support individuals with significant medical, behavioral, and communication needs with minimal instruction. Without training to promote high expectations and quality of life, DSPs tend to prioritize compliance and task completion over person-centered outcomes, an approach that limits opportunities for those they support to exercise autonomy, build meaningful relationships, and fully participate in their communities. Inadequate training also contributes to high turnover among DSPs, which disrupts care continuity and undermines the stability and well-being of those relying on DSP supports.   National investment in standardized, competency-based training can improve service quality, support professionalization of the workforce, and ensure that people with DD receive supports that promote dignity, independence, and meaningful lives.

2026 AAIDD Annual Meeting Member Highlights Join us June 22-24,2026 in Chicago for this historic event and explore these sessions and many more as we celebrate 150 years of progress. Register today!

Vincent M. Chesney, MS, FAAIDD, will be giving the Presidential Address: 150 Years of Progress   Vincent Bemmel, PhD, will be moderating and Karen Harvey, PhD, FAAIDD, will speaking on the plenary, Real-World Insights on Working with AI and Technology to Elevate Human Potential   Frank Symons, PhD, FAAIDD, Amy S. Hewitt, PhD, FAAIDD, Colleen Thoma, PhD, FAAIDD, and LaRon Scott, EdD, FAAIDD, will be speakers for the pre-conference session, Writing for Publications   Susan Copeland, PhD, FAAIDD, will be a speaker for the pre-conference session, The Story Behind the Story - Pivotal Moments in Special Education: Stories From our Foundational Leaders

AAIDD is looking to feature notables and perspective pieces from our members in the field! Send us your commentary to be featured in a future Leadership in IDD Newsletter. Click here to submit your work to be featured.

Produced by AAIDD, this monthly digest features the recent (first made available within last 3 months) and emergent (will be available within the next 4-6 weeks) work of AAIDD members only. Journal articles, while important, are not featured in this publication.  View the archive of the Leadership in IDD newsletter here.

Not yet a member? Join AAIDD online!