Consumer Access to Services

Do you know the unique needs of people with spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and burn injury? Are you seeking trusted strategies and user-friendly resources to support those living with these injuries and their families? This webinar explored what it is like to have an SCI, TBI, or burn injury. Panelists showcased the variety of free research-based resources that the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) has developed in collaboration with the SCI, TBI, and Burn Model System researchers. Both the MSKTC and Model Systems are funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

As the population of older adults grows, increasing numbers of older adults in three distinct categories might require the services of mental health, substance abuse, and aging systems in the future: (1) older adults with mental health conditions; (2) individuals who develop late-life mental health conditions; and (3) persons living with dementia and co-occurring treatable mental health conditions or substance abuse disorders. Aging, disabilities, and mental health network professionals are invited to watch the recordings of this webinar training series on behavioral health crisis management for older adults to strengthen knowledge and skills to meet the current and future needs of older adults with, or at risk of developing, mental illness. This training series emphasizes digital service delivery where digital is defined as any type of technology ranging from telephone, text messaging, smartphone apps, videoconference, videogames, and social media to virtual reality.

Providing telephone reassurance and check-in calls is a key strategy that is being widely used across the country to address social isolation among older adults and others, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing that certain conversation skills can help to build trust and deepen engagement, ADvancing States partnered with Emergency Design Collective to create a new Conversation Tips Toolkit designed to support reassurance and check-in programs. This Toolkit is intended to benefit volunteers and staff who are participating in outreach calls with individuals receiving services. The Toolkit provides a collection of conversation tips in the areas of building trust, creating engaging conversation, understanding expectations and roles, and caring for yourself. The Toolkit is accompanied by a ‘Buzzfeed style’ quiz referencing The Golden Girls to serve as an entry point to the conversation tips. Guidance is provided in the Toolkit on how these materials can reinforce volunteer training.

This course offers participants an overview of key issues relevant to providing information and referral/assistance (I&R/A) to individuals with disabilities. The course covers disability awareness, effective communication, services and resources, and disability rights. It will help participants expand their understanding of disability to improve I&R/A services. This course was originally designed to allow Certified Information & Referral Specialists—Aging (CIRS-A) to grandfather to the Certified Information & Referral Specialist— Aging/Disabilities (CIRS-A/D) credential.

This course describes key communication techniques for aging and disability professionals. Many professionals utilize key communication techniques every day. While all aging and disability professionals can benefit from using key communication techniques, these techniques are regularly utilized by some professionals who work directly with clients, such as Information and Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) Specialists, Options Counselors, Person-Centered Counselors, and Benefits Counselors. For consistency purposes, this course will refer to all aging and disability professionals who work with clients as counselors.