Transition Planning Conference for Young Adults with Disabilities is May 13

The BCI Skills Center will host a Transition Planning Conference on Monday, May 13th from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Heart of St. Charles Banquet Center, 1410 South 5th Street, St. Charles, MO 63301. The conference will be an informative and empowering event for individuals with disabilities and their families, as well as schools, service providers, and funding agencies.

“This conference will connect people with disabilities to many of the essential resources for their successful transition from high school into early adulthood,” said Todd Streff, Executive Director of the BCI Skills Center. “This is a one-stop opportunity to listen and interact with transition resources providing information and solutions for an area of need that often is hard to navigate.”

Main topics at the conference will include: appropriate transition goals during high school, self-determination, human resources and employment, public work benefits explained, individual state agencies explaining public funding resources, and higher education options. Representatives from BCI will also discuss the organization’s Employment Continuum, which includes vocational programs at the new BCI Skills Center.

Aaron Likes will give the keynote address. An accomplished public speaker, published author, avid blogger and remarkable individual, Aaron was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, at age 20. Now in his 30s and a recipient of the prestigious Mental Health Champion award given by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Aaron spends his time educating people of all ages about autism and sharing with the world how the autism mind works.

The conference has been funded through a grant from the Saigh Foundation (www.thesaighfoundation.org), which works to enhance the quality of life for youth in the St. Louis metropolitan area by supporting educational and health-related charitable institutions and organizations. The foundation is especially interested in stimulating the development of new ventures and supporting organizations that feature innovative approaches or programs.

Attendance is free and lunch is included. To register to attend, please visit https://transitionplanningconference.eventbrite.com or call Todd Streff at 636-875-5251.