News Release

September 9, 2005

Contact: Carolyn Pennington, 860-679-4864
e-mail: cpennington@uchc.edu

Creating Inclusive Communities for Everyone

CT Real Choice Statewide Conference September 16

FARMINGTON, CONN. – The topic of this year’s CT Real Choice Statewide Conference is “How can I help build a welcoming, accessible, and inclusive community that supports all its residents to be full participants?” Advocates, town officials, professionals, community members and leaders with and without disabilities are welcome to attend the event being held at the Farmington Marriott Hotel in Farmington on Friday, September 16th, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Keynote speaker for the conference is Jim Diers who has spent the past 30 years getting people more involved with their community and in decisions that affect their lives. Diers currently serves on the faculty of the Asset Based Community Development Institute of Northwestern University and is frequently called upon to facilitate community-mapping processes.

The keynote address will serve as a catalyst for an open dialogue among the participants who will discuss issues of significant concern, share ideas, pool knowledge and identify a potential for action.

Guest facilitators include David Hasbury, an organizational and community development consultant and educator and Jay Klein, the director of the Center for Housing and New Community Economics (CHANCE) and the National Home of Your Own Alliance at the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire.

The cost of the conference is $25 per person. A fee of $55 is the discounted rate for groups of three from the same community. Rates include: all day conference sessions and materials, continental breakfast and lunch. To register, call 860-679-1500 or download the form from http://www.uconnucedd.org/Events/currevents.cfm and fax to 860-679-1571.

The conference is funded under a Real Choice Systems Change Grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the Connecticut Department of Social Services and the UConn Center on Disabilities.

The University of Connecticut Health Center includes the schools of medicine and dental medicine, John Dempsey Hospital, the UConn Medical Group and University Dentists. Founded in 1961, the Health Center pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service. To learn more about the UConn Health Center, visit our website at www.uchc.edu.

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