The 2nd annual International Conference on Self-Determination was a hit!  Despite difficult economic times, there were representatives from 32 states as well as 3 countries, Cameroon, Pakistan and Ireland. The 300 conference attendees were able to choose from 68 sessions including Re-thinking Medicaid Long-Term Supports in a Fiscal Crisis, the Difference Between Having a Program and Having a Life and Moving From Services to Quality Of Life Outcomes.

Conference highlights included a keynote address from Olegario “Ollie” D. Cantos VII, Special Counsel to the Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the U.S.

Attendees also were given a “sneak peek” of a brand new Department of Justice documentary called “A New Kind of Listening.”  Some were also interviewed for an upcoming documentary filmed by the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities.

There were several sessions dedicated to the accomplishments of advocates who are carving out a life for themselves using the tools of Self-Determination.  One group in particular told their stories of being institutionalized; one even challenged the audience to a “Call to Action” demanding that all institutions in his home state be shut down within the next three years.

Please check our website frequently to find out when the next conference will be scheduled.