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ForwardImproving Accessibility in Disability Health Care: Inspiring Advocacy, Awareness and Action within all Communities
UPMC/Western Behavioral Health employees who would like to be sponsored by their department can request this from their manager. Please have your manager complete the form first, then you can proceed to register. The form can be found HERE
Any questions, please email Nancy Mundy at [email protected]
This conference aims to highlight the critical importance of developing and strengthening cross-disciplinary partnerships in the care of our most vulnerable patient populations. Researchers and advocates will share insights into the barriers to care and the distinct challenges individuals with disabilities face related to social determinants of health. Presentations will also explore the necessity of expanding interdisciplinary training opportunities, promoting awareness of universal design principles, and recognizing the essential role that individuals with lived experience play in shaping effective and inclusive treatment plans.
Target Audience
Who Should Attend:
Students, advocates, mental health and physical health providers, payors, case managers and stakeholders who are passionate about the care of people with disabilities.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this conference, participants should be able to:
- Identify systemic issues that impact health care for people with disabilities and explore thoughtful approaches to begin addressing these challenges.
- Describe the concept of universal design and its importance in creating healthy, inclusive communities.
- Explain the valuable role of peer support in developing self-advocacy skills and fostering hope for recovery and rehabilitation.
- Describe models of care that incorporate assessments and interventions to address the social determinants of health for people with disabilities.
Conference Agenda – October 17, 2025
8:30 – 8:45 am Welcome, Introduction and Background
8:45 – 9:45 am Keynote: Building a Healthcare System Accessible to People with Disabilities: Current Realities and Steps for Progress
Megan Morris, PhD
9:45 - 10:45 am This is Universal Design
10:45 - 11:00 am Break
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Disaster Preparedness Tips for Access and Functional Needs
Eric Hess, MA and Brittany Kluegel
12:00 - 12:30 pm Lunch
12:30 - 1:30 pm Caring for Individuals with a Disability: The Impact of Homelessness on Health, Housing and Access to
Healthcare
Max Hurwitz, DO
1:30 - 2:30 pm The Principles, Practice and Advantage of Peer work in Communities of People with Disabilities
Leigh Braden, MSW
2:30 - 2:45 pm Break
2:45 - 3:45 pm Diverse Communication Basics: Helping Patients Achieve Accessibility
Rebekah Nesbit, M.A., CCC-SLP, ATP and Amanda Cascio, MS, CCC-SLP
3:45 - 4:30 pm My Journey
Jodie Bryk, MD
4:30 - 4:45 pm Wrap up
Kimberly Mathos, DO, MPH
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Comprehensive Recovery Services
Services for Treatment of Early Psychosis (STEP Clinic)
UPP Psychiatric Services for People who are Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing
Pittsburgh, PA
Planning Committee
Rebecca Kronk, PhD, MSN, CRNP, FAAN, CNE, ANEF
Professor
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Duquesne University School of Nursing
Ashli Molinero, D.Sc.
Director, Disabilities Resource Center
UPMC Health System
Corporate Risk Management
Michelle L. Schein, PhD, LPC, CRC
Associate Professor
Associate Program Director for Education
Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling
University of Pittsburgh
Joseph Shivers, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Christopher Standaert, MD
Associate Professor
Vice Chair for Outpatient Services
Dept PM&R
Keynote Speaker
Megan Morris, PhD, MPH, CCC-SLP
Associate Professor
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Department of Population Health
NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Founder and Director of the Disability Equity Collaborative
Speakers
Leigh Braden, MSW
Director - Training, Institute @MHP
Mental Health Partnerships
Philadelphia, PA
Jodie Bryk, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Medical Director, UPMC Enhanced Care Program
Amanda Cascio, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Achieve Rehab Services, LLC
Eric Hess, MA
Emergency Behavioral Health Coordinator
Allegheny County Department of Human Services
Office of Behavioral Health
Max Hurwitz, DO
Assistant Professor
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology,
University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Brittany Kluegel
Outreach and Disaster Response Specialist
Allegheny County Department of Human Services
Office of Behavioral Health
Rebekah Nesbitt, M.A., CCC-SLP, ATP
Assistive Technology Coordinator
Community Living and Support Services (CLASS)
Nicole White, RA
Architectural Research and Design Associate
Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access
State University of New York at Buffalo
Continuing Education and Continuing Medical Education Credits
Continuing Education Credit Information
In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physician (CME)
The University of Pittsburgh designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Other Healthcare Professionals: Othher health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.
Psychologists
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, University of Pittsburgh is approved to offer psychology continuing education by the American Psychological Association. University of Pittsburgh maintains responsibility for this course. Psychologists completing this course receive
6.75 continuing education credits.
Counselors
Education and Consultative Services of UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5059. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Education and Consultative Services of UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. This conference is approved for 6.75 hours.
Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (Pending):
Conference has been approved for 6.75 hours in CE by CRCC
Licensed/Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists LSW/LCSW/LPC/LMFT:
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, University of Pittsburgh is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. University of Pittsburgh maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 6.0 continuing education credits.
Other Healthcare Professionals
Nurses and other health care professionals are awarded .675 Continuing Education Units (CEU's). One CEU is equal to 10 contact hours. Nurses: For attending this program you will receive a Certificate of Attendance confirming .675 hours of continuing education. These hours may be considered eligible for completing the 30 hours of continuing education required for biannual nursing re-licensure in Pennsylvania. Peer Specialists: This program fulfills requirements for Certified Peer Specialist continuing education.
- NBCC and General CEU Participants will receive their continuing education contact hour(s) certificate four to six weeks post-conference via e-mail. Please keep these certificates in a safe place. Replacements will cost $30.
- CME, APA, ANCC, and LSW/LCSW/LPC/LMFT certificates will be issued from the CCEHS registration site.
- Completing the evaluation is not required, however it is encouraged.
- We request that evaluations are completed and/or certificates are requested via https://cce.upmc.com within a month of the conference. Please be aware that the program evaluation will be closed, and we will no longer process certificates if they are requested a year or more after the conference.
Available Credit
- 6.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
- 6.75 ANCCUPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
- 6.75 APA
- 6.00 ASWB
- 6.75 Attendance