MACSP Webinar - Self-Directed Services

Upcoming Webinar
Thursday, February 24, 2022. 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Self-Directed Services - How It Works and What's To Come In Maine
Learn from a panel of experts about self-directed service models and how this promising practice will be implemented in Maine

REGISTER TODAY!

SESSION DESCRIPTION
Self-directed care services, often referred to as consumer-directed services is a philosophy and practice that assumes that consumers have the right and ability to assess their own needs, determine how and by whom those needs are met, and evaluate the quality of the services they receive.

Join this webinar to learn more from a panel of experts about self-directed service models being used nationally, a parent-advocate's perspective on what successful self-direction looks like and what’s to come in Maine.

This session is a panel discussion featuring Ben Bledsoe, CEO of Consumer Direct Care Network, Maggie Hoffman, parent-advocate and Derek Fales, Waiver Services Director of Maine DHHS-Office of Aging and Disability Services.

OUR EXPERT PANEL
Ben Bledsoe, CEO of Consumer Direct Care Network
Ben developed his expertise in-home and community-based services through education, experience, and hard work. Starting out at Consumer Direct Care Network as a caregiver in 2004, Ben quickly applied his compassion for people and interest in business efficiencies to roles across the company including human resources and program management. Six years after being named CEO, Ben remains committed to ensuring all individuals have choice and control over the lives they lead. Ben has recently been invited to join the Administration for Community Living as a RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council member.

Since 1990, the Consumer Direct Care Network (CDCN) has been assisting people who choose to self-direct their care in their homes. Serving more than 31,000 clients and supporting over 47,000 caregivers in 14 states, CDCN is a national leader in the various models of Medicaid personal care. In this webinar Ben Bledsoe, CDCN CEO, will share a little more about CDCN’s story, the nuances of self-direction, as well as the challenges and opportunities that exist within self-direction.

Maggie Hoffman, Parent-Advocate
Maggie has worked for 30+years to strengthen and support families of children & adults with special health care needs, encompassing children & adults with disabilities and/or chronic medical conditions. Her efforts have been put toward three main goals: (1) Teaching parents how to tell their story to professionals to get the care, support and services their child/adult child needs, (2) Helping medical, educational and community providers understand the challenges children/adult children with special health care needs and their families face in their homes and communities, (3) Shaping and influencing policy to make it more responsive to children/adult children and their families. She served on several NY State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities’ Design Teams and Work Groups. She also served on the NYS Department of Health Committee on Community First Choice. Now in Maine, Maggie serves on the Board of the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council, and on the OADS Disability Services Reform Innovation Work Group.

Derek Fales, Waiver Services Director of Maine DHHS - Office of Aging and Disability Services
Derek is the waiver services director within the Developmental Disabilities and Brain Injury Services Unit, under the leadership of Associate Director Elizabeth Hopkins for the Office of Aging and Disability Services. He oversees the day-to-day operations for four out of five Home and Community Based Services for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, Other Related Conditions and Brain Injury in partnership with the State Medicaid Agency, the Office of MaineCare Services. He is an accomplished senior manager, facilitator and an experienced social worker serving in a variety of roles within policy development and implementation, project management, and protective services both in the State of Maine and in the Northern Territory of Australia. His 17 years of health and human services experience has been working towards increasing positive social outcomes for children and families affected by violence, poverty, substance abuse with a focus on supporting inclusion and maximizing opportunities for people with disabilities to live and work in their communities to the same degree as a non-disabled person.

Register Here

MACSP and ANCOR Member: $35 NON-ANCOR/ MACSP Member: $50