2018 DSP Conference Re-Cap

The DC Coalition’s 2018 DSP Conference was a Bam! Pow! Smash!

On Thursday, September 13th, the DC Coalition of Disability Service Providers in partnership with the DC Department on Disability Services hosted its 12th annual Direct Support Conference with approximately 150 stellar support professionals and presenters for a day of continuing learning, sharing, food, fun and surprises.  Our theme this year (modeled after The Avengers superhero series) was “The Engagers: DC’s DSP Superheroes” featured learned presenters, caped crusaders and heroic messages from self-advocates all designed to add tools and context for our super direct support professionals who connect the District’s citizens with the community at large. 

19 of the Coalition’s 55 providers sent DSPs to this year’s conference – a great turnout.  The conference agenda featured an array of presentations from autism to advocacy and from technology to sexuality.  A copy of the day’s topics and presenters can be found here. 2018 DSP Conference Agenda.9.13

 We cannot make this conference happen without our sponsors.   The DC Coalition Thanks our Platinum Provider Sponsors: RCM of Washington, St John’s Community Services and Innovative Life Solutions. 

Gold Sponsors: Community Residences, Volunteers of America – Chesapeake, DC Healthcare, Wholistic Services, My Own Place, Project Redirect, Individual Advocacy Group and National Children’s Center

Silver Sponsors: Symbral, Marjul Homes, Art Enables and Bridgeway; and Bronze Sponsors: Bethlehem House, Azure, L’Arche of Greater Washington DC and Community Multi Services 

as well as our event Business Sponsors: Relias, Carematic, Alco Pharmacy, The Insurance Exchange and Therap.   

Special thanks to the providers who donated gift cards and the other fun give-aways for the raffle and swag bags from DDS, SJCS, RCM, NCC, TIE, Merakey, Alco and Carematic with an extra-large thank you to both Lauren Lee for designing and creating more than a dozen specialty raffle gift baskets and to Premier for sponsoring the gift basket effort  And last but certainly not least,…. a huge thank you to the small but mighty planning and implementation committee for this mammoth undertaking:  Danielle Darby, Susan Brooks, Amy Brooks, Kim Scott-Hopkins, Precious Myers-Brown, Alison Whyte, Erin Leveton, Greg Banks and Rebecca Salon.

See below for some photos from the event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next year’s conference will be held on Thursday, September 12, 2019…same bat-time, same bat-channel.  See you there.

 

 

 

 

 

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