Emmanuel M. D. Jenkins, Community Relations Officer for the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC) discussed the council’s work in advocacy and referrals for people living with an intellectual or development disability in Delaware and their upcoming LIFE Conference. We talked about the barriers that the disabled face in housing, education and employment. We discussed how unreliable transportation and income caps keep many in poverty, and how COVID both set them back in many areas, but also showed employers that a disabled employee can be an incredible remote worker.
Mr. Jenkins outlined this year’s LIFE Conference, held virtually on January 18th and 19th, and explained who should attend and why. The primary goal of the LIFE Conference is to promote and support full community integration by focusing on the four areas of Legislation, Independence, Families, and Education and
he invites everyone to attend, persons with disabilities, their families, caregivers, educators and providers, policy makers and the general public.
Networking Opportunities.
The LIFE Conference is a joint effort of many Delaware organizations and more than 500 people with disabilities, families and professionals will attend the annual conference. Mr Jenkins offered the top reasons you should plan to attend, 50+ agencies and services will be on hand with the latest technology to test, a keynote address from poet and advocate Russell Lehmen, 12 educational sessions across 4 tracks on a variety of informative topics and, for professionals, Continuing Education Credits in Certified Rehabilitation, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Social Work and Speech/Language Pathology.
He emphasized the vital networking opportunities for attendees to share experiences and information about topics they know best, housing, employment, education, insurance and financial planning. While the conference is for residents of Delaware and will address laws and benefits for this state, anyone can learn from it. Cost is $25 for the disabled and $55 for the rest, with scholarships available. For more information about the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council go to DDC.Delaware.gov and for more information, to register or apply for a scholarship at the LIFE Conference go to LIFEConferenceDE.org