Developmental Disabilities and Autism ECHO connects individuals and their comprehensive care system to subject matter experts for regular real-time collaborative sessions to advance learning and practice in serving individuals and their families.

Upcoming webinars:

7/24/2026: Waiver Homes, Supported Living

• Waiver Homes

• Independent living options for adults not in waiver homes/apartments

• Supported Living

7/31/2026: Denied Services, Next Steps

• What to do when denied services

• Where else to look

8/7/2026: Medicaid, Medicare, Medicaid PA

• Medicaid

• Medicare

• Medicaid PA, Home Health

8/14/2026: Charting the LifeCourse-CtLC

• CtLC domains

• Providers connecting resources to domains

8/21/2026: Transition to Adulthood

• Research on smoother transition to adulthood

• App development-conversational user interface for mindfulness based on CBT-worn on wrist

• Transitioning out of school and into community

• Socially assistive robot

Join the webinars here (via Zoom).

Presented by Hands in Autism DD & Autism Project ECHO. For more information contact asdecho@iu.edu.

Join us for Ask The Arc—a free webinar series where we talk about topics that matter to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

Once you sign up, you’ll automatically be registered for this month’s webinar and all future sessions, held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. EST.

Tonight’s topic: New HCBS Waiver rules taking effect August 1, 2026. The state has recently announced the rate reduction for live-in caregivers who provide waiver services, and FSSA has announced their implementation plan for Medicaid Work Requirements. It is a LOT of information, and it is confusing.

In this session, we are going to share information on Medicaid work requirements, the rate reduction for live-in caregivers and what that really means, and who can be a paid caregiver under the new waiver rules. We know people have a lot of questions, so please join us. While this webinar is scheduled for an hour, we will continue until all questions are answered.

Presented by The Arc of Indiana.

Free registration.

Join us for three-part virtual workshop series to help your youth find, keep, and grow in meaningful employment. Each workshop will focus on topics such as exploring your young adult's strengths and interests, how CareerForce programs can support education and employment goals, and understanding how your youth can sustain meaningful employment while receiving county services or medical assistance.

Read the full description of each workshop at the registration links below.

Register for the workshops:

• July 21: Building the vision

• August 18: Building experience

• September 15: Building supports

Presented by PACER Center.

Note: PACER Center is in Minnesota so there will be some MN specific information. But much of the information is cross-state, informative, and encouraging.

Attend this webinar to explore assistive technology tools that can help individuals with low vision live more independently. Participants will discover solutions for daily tasks, mobility, and accessing information.

Presented by PACER Center.

Free registration.

OASIS Community Invites you to attend an open house to learn more about OASIS Community.

This event is especially geared to neighbors of OASIS Community.

Join this CtLC Live Session to explore how Integrated Supports help people build a good life through strengths, resources, and opportunities.

In this session participants will:

• Learn why integrated supports matter when planning around outcomes or concerns

• Explore the 5 areas of integrated supports

• Discover Charting the LifeCourse tools to:

  • Map current supports and service

  • Identify gaps and future needs

  • Problem solve and plan next steps

This webinar will also be live on Thursday, June 11, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am.

Presented by Nisonger-Family Resource Network of Ohio.

Free registration.

Join this CtLC Live Session to explore how Integrated Supports help people build a good life through strengths, resources, and opportunities.

In this session participants will:

• Learn why integrated supports matter when planning around outcomes or concerns

• Explore the 5 areas of integrated supports

• Discover Charting the LifeCourse tools to:

  • Map current supports and service

  • Identify gaps and future needs

  • Problem solve and plan next steps

This webinar will also be live on Thursday, June 11, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am.

Presented by Nisonger-Family Resource Network of Ohio.

Free registration.

FREE EVENT for families with children of all ages are invited to learn more about other community disability services and resources, connect with other families with similar interests, learn from professionals in the disability field, and support each other through interaction.

• Refreshments

• Activities for children

• Registration encouraged, but not mandatory

Thursday, May 21 | 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Easterseals Crossroads NEW Sensory Garden

4740 Kingsway Drive | Indianapolis, IN 46205

Free registration.

Healthy Places by Design just released the Action Guide for Building Safe, Active, and Connected Communities for Youth and Young Adults which provides actionable recommendations and practical advice to take action.

Join our webinar on May 7, 2:00-3:00 pm ET to learn how public health practitioners and multi-sector community partners can use the Action Guide to integrate violence prevention and community safety strategies into their efforts. The webinar will also share real stories and successes from communities who are addressing the issue through comprehensive approaches led by young people in their communities.

Download the Building Safe, Active, and Connected Communities for Youth Guide.

Presented by Healthy Places By Design.

Free registration.

Come celebrate National AT Awareness Day with Easterseals Crossroads!

Tour our programs and get hands on experiences with Assistive Technology from our INDATA, ATLAS, and Clinical AT teams. Learn how these high- and low-tech tools can assist individuals with independence in employment, play, gaming, home, and life! Hands on experiences will be provided for attendees, and light refreshments will be provided.

Virtual Event: For those who are not able to join us in person, please join us for a remote tour of our program on April 22, 2026 at 10:00am at this link.

Book Life is a book club which focuses on reading, friends, and fun!

Adults (ages 18 & older) with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers are invited to join our book club.

Presented by the Tippecanoe County Public Library.

For more information:

Maggie Andrejko, Head Youth Librarian
Tippecanoe County Public Library
765-429-0120
mandrejko@tcpl.lib.in.us

Too often, people receiving supports spend their time in activities without gaining meaningful roles in their communities. Yet it is valued social roles — not programs — that shape how people are noticed, known, included, and valued in everyday life.

In this webinar, From Activities to Identity: Practical Strategies to Support Valued Social Roles, we explore what valued social roles really are, why they matter, and how they move people from simply being present in the community to truly belonging. Drawing on Social Role Valorization, social capital, and real-world practice, this session offers practical strategies that staff and organizations can use to support people to gain and sustain meaningful roles.

Participants will leave with concrete, actionable ideas for starting with discovery, connecting people to ordinary community spaces, enhancing social image, facilitating relationships intentionally, rethinking risk and readiness, and aligning daily routines with outcomes that matter. Whether you are a direct support professional, supervisor, or leader, this webinar will challenge program-based thinking and offer practical guidance you can apply right away.

Presented by The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL).

Free registration.

Discover how these therapeutic approaches can support growth, healing, and overall well‑being.

This presentation offers beneficial information for individuals, families, caregivers, and professionals interested in learning how these services can enhance quality of life and promote meaningful engagement.

Presented by Noble, Inc.

RSVP to CFL@mynoblelife.org.

Book Life is a book club which focuses on reading, friends, and fun!

Adults (ages 18 & older) with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers are invited to join our book club.

Presented by the Tippecanoe County Public Library.

For more information:

Maggie Andrejko, Head Youth Librarian
Tippecanoe County Public Library
765-429-0120
mandrejko@tcpl.lib.in.us

Discover how Charting the LifeCourse tools can support students, families and professionals during the transition from school to adulthood.

This session offers a quick overview of the transition process and introduces practical tools - like the Exploring Portfolio, Transition Quick Guide, and Vision Tool - to spark planning and empower next steps.

This session is also offered on February 12 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

Presented by the Family Resource Network of Ohio.

Free registration.

Discover how Charting the LifeCourse tools can support students, families and professionals during the transition from school to adulthood.

This session offers a quick overview of the transition process and introduces practical tools - like the Exploring Portfolio, Transition Quick Guide, and Vision Tool - to spark planning and empower next steps.

This session is also offered on February 19 9:00am - 10:00am.

Presented by the Family Resource Network of Ohio.

Free registration.

Join us for January 2026 Theme of Planning for Independent Living.

January 6: Home Sweet Home / Housing 101

January 20: Transition and Technology

January 27: Building Life Skills: Preparing for Independent Living

Presented by Ohio SALT Resources.

Book Life is a book club which focuses on reading, friends, and fun!

Adults (ages 18 & older) with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers are invited to join our book club.

Presented by the Tippecanoe County Public Library.

For more information:

Maggie Andrejko, Head Youth Librarian
Tippecanoe County Public Library
765-429-0120
mandrejko@tcpl.lib.in.us

Join us for January 2026 Theme of Planning for Independent Living.

January 6: Home Sweet Home / Housing 101

January 20: Transition and Technology

January 27: Building Life Skills: Preparing for Independent Living

Presented by Ohio SALT Resources.

Join us for January 2026 Theme of Planning for Independent Living.

January 6: Home Sweet Home / Housing 101

January 20: Transition and Technology

January 27: Building Life Skills: Preparing for Independent Living

Presented by Ohio SALT Resources.

Book Life is a book club which focuses on reading, friends, and fun!

Adults (ages 18 & older) with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers are invited to join our book club.

Presented by the Tippecanoe County Public Library.

For more information:

Maggie Andrejko, Head Youth Librarian
Tippecanoe County Public Library
765-429-0120
mandrejko@tcpl.lib.in.us

Join the Autism Society of Indiana on December 1, 2025, at 7:00 PM for an informative Family Support Waiver Workshop. This event will guide individuals with autism and their families through the process of understanding and navigating Indiana’s Family Support Waiver (FSW).

Free registration.

The premier autism and disabilities virtual conference!

November 18 - November 21.

Visit https://ocali.org/ for more information.

The Indiana Bureau of Disabilities Services (BDS) is working to improve the services that help people with disabilities live in their homes and communities.

To help, the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) and Aligned Consulting Collaborative (Aligned) will host conversations throughout the state to learn from people receiving services, families, service providers, and case managers about what changes are needed. Based on the feedback received, HSRI and Aligned will develop recommendations for the service system.

Join one, or both, of these feedback sessions:

Click to register for Monday, November 17, 2025 6-7:30pm
Click to register for Wednesday, November 19, 2025 6-7:30pm

Our quality of life is impacted by the relationships in our lives. We are all supposed through our reciprocal relationships, those we give to and receive from.

Explore how we can:

• Identify our own personal roles and connections.

• Help people and families recognize their current supportive relationships.

• Plan for future connections that build a good life.

Choose a date that works for you:

• November 5, 2025 3pm - 4pm OR

• November 12, 2025 9am - 10am

Presented by Family Resource Network of Ohio.

Free registration.

The Center on Community Living and Careers is proud to deliver Family Employment Awareness Trainings (FEAT) to Hoosier families, their young adults with disabilities, and the professionals who support them.

Indiana is one of five states offering FEAT as a way to increase expectations and support for competitive integrated employment for individuals with disabilities. FEAT’s goals are in keeping with those of the state of Indiana, which supports Employment First—real work in the community for real wages—as a first option for young adults transitioning from high school.

FEAT Indiana is designed to increase family, student, and professional knowledge of state, federal, and community resources that support employment. Training includes individual and group activities, discussions, pullout sessions for young adults, and presentations from local employers, entrepreneurs, and community resource agency members. FEAT training facilitators follow up with technical assistance sessions to support participants in taking steps toward achieving competitive integrated employment.

Topics covered include:

• Indiana’s Employment First policy;

• Outside-the-box employment possibilities;

• Success stories;

• Family/parent role in supporting employment;

• Transition to adulthood (healthcare, work, postsecondary education/training);

• Employee and employer resources;

• Information to support gaining and maintaining employment; and

• Antidiscrimination laws.

Join us for these upcoming sessions:

• Monday, September 29: A New Path - High Expectations for Employment

• Tuesday, September 30: Individual Employment Possibilities

• Wednesday, October 1: Employer and Employee Supports

• Monday, October 6: Maintaining Employment Resources and Medicaid

• Tuesday, October 7: Benefits

• Wednesday, October 8: Local and State Agency Presenters

All sessions are 6-8pm.

Presented by Indiana Institute on Disability and Community Center on Community Living and Careers.

More information and free registration.

This training offers valuable insights into the tools, technologies, and resources that enhance independence and quality of life for individuals with mobility impairments. Whether you are a healthcare provider, vocational rehabilitation counselor, professional supporting individuals with disabilities, or someone personally navigating mobility challenges, this session will provide practical knowledge and strategies you can use right away.

By participating in this FREE training, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of mobility solutions and how to match the right tools to individual needs. You’ll also strengthen your ability to empower individuals with greater independence while enhancing your own professional expertise. This training is an excellent opportunity to expand your knowledge, stay current with best practices, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those you support.

This event will also be streamed live via Zoom and can be accessed at www.eastersealstech.com/live. Registration is required for both in-person and online webinar attendance.

Presented by Easterseals Crossroads.

Click here for more information and to register.