2nd Annual NWF Disability Conference is May 15

Florida State University Panama City will host the second annual Northwest Florida Disability Conference on Friday, May 15, an inspirational event with the theme, “Supporting Individuals Across the Lifespan.”

“Last year’s inaugural conference was the first of its kind in this region,” said Irvin Clark, associate dean of Student and Strategic Initiatives at FSU PC. “The event aims to provide networking space for professionals, individuals and families of those with disabilities. The goal is to empower attendees to be agents of change, leaving them with a sense of community and a list of agencies that will help them navigate challenges.”

Admission is free; register in advance at Eventbrite.com. The conference will be in the Holley Academic Center, 4750 Collegiate Drive, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with breakout sessions and panel discussions throughout the day. Coffee and continental breakfast will be available in the morning, and lunch will be provided. Dozens of vendors and partner agencies will be on hand.

Keynote speakers will include Robert Aztalos, director of the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and Panama City psychiatrist Dr. Susan Balk. Breakout sessions and panel discussions will cover topics including a national health promotion infrastructure; the iBudget waiver and The Arc of Florida’s Awareness Initiative; disability discrimination; building a special needs community; supporting early literacy through technology; vocational rehabilitation services; and much more.

Partner agencies include: Arc of the Bay, Community Health and Rehabilitation, the FSU Panama City Early Childhood Autism Program, AFLAC, Disability Rights Florida, Encompass Health, Florida Community Care, Manifest Prosthetics and Orthotics, Career Source Gulf Coast, and others.