This section describes significant future events that are important to the IDEA Partnership and will be updated monthly.  It includes Partnership, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), partner and other events of interest.


IDEA PARTNERSHIP

13TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON ADVANCING SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH
The 13th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health to be held September 25-27, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona.  The Conference is sponsored by the Center for School Mental Health (CSMH) and the IDEA Partnership.  The theme of this year’s conference is School Mental Health for All Students: Building a Shared Agenda for Youth, Families, Schools, and Communities.  The conference will feature ten specialty tracks and offers speakers and participants numerous opportunities to network and advance knowledge and skills related to school mental health practice, research, training, and policy.  For more information please go to  http://csmh.umaryland.edu.  

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml

OSEP National Early Childhood Conference
December 8-10, 2008
Renaissance Washington DC Hotel.
Please note: State Part C Coordinators, Section 619 Coordinators, and ICC Chairs will meet on December 7, before the conference.

STATE TRANSITION CONFERENCES

National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC)
http://www.nsttac.org/

South Dakota - 6/23/2008
http://www.nsttac.org/transitionstates/Default.aspx?ST=SD

Pennsylvania - 7/23/2008
http://www.nsttac.org/transitionstates/Default.aspx?ST=PA

North Dakota - 10/6/2008
http://www.nsttac.org/transitionstates/Default.aspx?ST=ND

Georgia - 10/21/2008
http://www.nsttac.org/transitionstates/Default.aspx?ST=GA


TA & D NETWORK MEETING & CONFERENCES:

2008 Georgetown Training Institutes
Developing Local Systems of Care for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Needs and Their Families: New Directions to Improve Care
http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/programs/ta_center/TrainingInstitutes/TI2008/theinstitutes.html  
July 16 - 20, 2008.
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
Nashville, Tennessee
In-depth, practical information on how to develop and operate systems of care and how to provide high-quality, effective, clinical interventions and supports within them. Special focus on three "new directions" to strengthen systems of care and improve outcomes, each comprising a distinct track: Implementing a Public Health Approach, Partnering With Schools, and Partnering With Child Welfare.


Ready, Willing, And Able:
Assisting People with Disabilities during Disasters
(on-line course number 1010882)
http://www.train.org/
Ready, Willing & Able is a free, professional, 2 hour, introductory, online training course offered for independent study and for continuing education.  It is designed for public health and hospital staff, health professionals, disaster preparedness managers, emergency response workers, and personnel working with people with disabilities.

PARTNER MEETINGS:

American School Counselor Association     
ASCA in Atlanta 2008: Setting New Standards
June 28–July 1, 2008
Atlanta, Ga.

American Federation of Teachers     
2008 National Higher Ed Issues Conference
July 10-14, 2008
Chicago, IL

National Council on Independent Living     
26th Annual Conference
July 21st - 25th, 2008

National Down Syndrome Congress     
THE 36th NDSC National Convention
July 11-13, 2008
Seaport Hotel
Boston, MA

National Governors’ Association     
2008 Annual Meeting
100 years
July 11-14, 2008
Philadelphia, PA

American School Health Association
82nd Annual ASHA School Health Conference:
Finding Common Ground in Human Sexuality and Other Adolescent Health Issues
November 12 - 15, 2008
Tampa, Florida

OTHER

8th Annual Pennsylvania Community on Transition Conference entitled Building Leadership to Promote Successful Outcomes, to be held July 23 - 25, 2008 at the Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel, 215 Innovation Boulevard, State College, PA 16803.  A number of pre-conference sessions are also offered on July 22, 2008.  For additional details including registration, please visit the PaTTAN website at:  http://www.pattan.net