​Campers and staff from around the world came together at Courage North of True Friends in Bemidji, MN in the summer of 2018 to talk about what it means to be a true friend. This awesome video was created as result of a partnership with Courage North and Mad Hatter Wellness. In the video, you can see how campers explored what it means to be and to have a true friend. It was an amazing time to talk about and practice healthy relationships!
https://youtu.be/NVRqN5aOe3w
 
We have so many different relationships in our lives! Sometimes our relationships can be challenging and even unhealthy. Things can get tricky when we are unsure if it’s a true friend or just a classmate or co-worker. Have you ever heard an elementary school teacher call everyone in the class “friends”? “Okay friends, it’s time to line up for lunch”. That can be confusing as not everyone in the class is a true friend. We can have healthy relationships with classmates and co-workers, but don’t have to actually be friends. This confusion can lead to problems around the types of touch or kind of conversation to have with these different people. The conversations we have with true friends are very different conversations than with co-workers.
 
Mad Hatter Wellness provides resources and education to support individuals to navigate the relationships in their lives, to set boundaries and honor the boundaries of others.

Find out more about our work to support you in exploring healthy relationships by visiting our website: www.sexualityforallabilities.com or contacting us at katie@madhatterwellness.com.  You’ll find resources to support self-advocates, support professionals and parents & caregivers.

Carolyn Novak and Dianne Blaydes are Specialists for Hennepin County Public Health ad will be speaking about the online training program the county offers caregivers and staff.

Are you a group home administrator or a caregiver looking for more information on nutrition and cooking skills?  We have just the thing for you!  Hennepin County dietitians have developed a FREE, online training that satisfies the staff nutrition training mandate of MN 245D.09 Subdivision 4b(2), which all staff are required to complete. This program helps group home agencies save training dollars and staff time – staff don’t even have to leave the group home as long as they have internet access. The program can also be used by caregivers and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to learn more about healthy eating, gain cooking skills and have access to easy recipes.  Join us at the conference to learn more. Hope to see you there!

Joseph Kukla esq. has over 10 years of experience as an attorney focusing on serving clients with disabilities.
Being able to experience financial independence provides a sense of accomplishment and self-worth to all adults, but it is significantly more difficult to achieve within the confines of an asset limit. Many people feel like they are being discouraged from earning or saving money in order to retain their public assistance benefits.
 
My presentation will focus on methods for preserving income and resources when asset limits are necessary to maintain, and options for greater financial control and personal responsibility for individuals who are receiving public assistance.

Register for the conference to hear more from our awesome presenters!