Conference | NC Providers Council

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE NC PROVIDERS COUNCIL CONFERENCE!

Navigating The Path To Success

OCTOBER 7-9, 2019

A Documentary Film Screening Was Followed by A Panel Discussion Featuring Successful NC Supported Employment Initiatives

Hearts of Glass follows the tumultuous first 15 months of operation of Vertical Harvest (VH), a multi-story, state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse that grows crops while providing meaningful, competitively-paid jobs for people with disabilities. The film weaves the story of VH’s launch with the personal journeys of several employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Innovation and inclusion create a fertile environment for people and plants to grow.

Jennifer Tennican began her documentary career in the late 1990s working on NOVA science programs for WGBH with independent producers in the Boston area. Since moving to Wyoming in 2002, she has focused on local projects and storytelling. Her films explore identity, inclusion and community, and although they are rooted in Jackson Hole, they resonate far beyond the mountain west. Ms. Tennican’s award-winning work, including The Stagecoach Bar: An American Crossroads and Far Afield: A Conservation Love Story, has been featured in numerous film festivals and distributed nationally by American Public Television. She’s delighted to be sharing her new award-winning film, Hearts of Glass, with the North Carolina Providers Council.

Luncheon Keynote Presentation from Kerry Magro: CEO, Author, Ted Talk Lecturer, and Individual with Autism

Award-Winning and Breakthrough Advocate Kerry Magro knew early on that he wanted to make a difference in the lives of others. Kerry was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) a form of autism, at age 4. Growing up Kerry’s future was very uncertain.

Today however, after countless hours of therapy and the support of a loving family, Kerry has conquered many of his challenges. Now as an adult Kerry is a professional speaker, best-selling author, and movie consultant. In addition, Kerry is CEO & President of KFM Making A Difference, a nonprofit organization that hosts inclusion events and has provided 68 scholarships for students with autism for college. In his spare time, he hosts a Facebook Page called A Special Community that now has 170,000 Facebook followers where he does on-camera interviews highlighting people impacted by a diagnosis. His videos have been watched over 25 Million times.

Opening Keynote Presentation by Kim Nelson of SAMHSA!

Kimberly Nelson is the Regional Administrator serving Region 7: KS, IA, MO, and NE. Ms. Nelson is a licensed addictions counselor with a master’s degree in public administration. Ms. Nelson’s early clinical work was in addiction services, initially in community-based settings in women’s and children’s residential programs in KS. She then provided leadership in programs with criminal justice clients in community-based residential and outpatient settings, and with prison-based therapeutic communities. Later, Ms. Nelson worked in the KS Addiction and Prevention Services Division as the Medicaid Coordinator. As the liaison between the behavioral health and Medicaid divisions, her primary responsibility was to ensure that Medicaid policy was aligned with the state goals for addiction services. This was accomplished via a pre-paid inpatient health plan as part of a five-year, 1915 b/c managed care waiver for behavioral health. Ms. Nelson then served as the Director of Managed Care for the Behavioral Health and Disabilities Division of the Kansas Department on Aging and Disability Services. She helped implement a statewide, comprehensive integrated managed care system in 2012 under an 1115 demonstration waiver that covered physical health, behavioral health, and long term services and supports. Ms. Nelson was also part of the State Plan amendment team that got CMS approval of Health Homes for individuals with severe mental illness.