Virtual Health & Wellness Forum – It’s Your Self-Advocacy Journey!

Click HERE to register for the March Forum!

Come learn about The Self-Advocacy Association of NYS (SANYS) grassroots efforts to help people with I/DD know their Rights and how to speak up for themselves and others. We’ll talk about the power of joining your voice with others and supporting each other to make a difference in this world together!

While this presentation is designed for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, families and allies are also welcome to attend to learn about SANYS, which is an organization formed by and for people with developmental disabilities. We plan to open the floor to the self-advocate participants so there is an opportunity for self-advocates to share about the choices they are making in their own personal journey as they work on becoming their own best self-advocate.

This forum will be recorded and posted to our website for viewing after the live offering is complete.

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Speaker Bios:

Allen Fontaine, SANYS Grassroots Field Assistant

Allen is a college graduate, AmeriCorps Alumni who has worked for SANYS since 2008 helping to start and support self-advocacy groups. Allen loves his family/friends, video games and helping people learn about their Rights and giving folks advice based on his own personal experience.

Susan O’Hearn-Webb, SANYS Finger Lakes Regional Coordinator

Susan is a previous business owner, Mom of 3, Grandmother of 6, who is blessed to work for SANYS and joins Allen in helping start and support self-advocacy groups. Susan loves her family/friends, lakes (she is a water baby), nature and helping and supporting people to share their life experiences so we can all live in a better world together.

The Special Olympics New York Virtual Health & Wellness Forums are a space for individuals with ID, families, caregivers and coaches to engage with health-focused individuals/organizations such as Healthcare Providers and Fitness Specialists. The Forums provide information and resources related to the health of Special Olympics athletes, while also focusing on bettering access to health care, education and inclusive activities for people with intellectual disabilities.  Often, the health struggles that those with ID face are directly related to the lack of education and resources available to the population and their caregivers.  We aim to cover topical issues that our community wishes to learn more about, and in turn positively impact the health of people with ID across the State. 

Forums are presentation based with the opportunity to submit questions to the speaker.  Participants are asked to register with the Zoom links below.  Recordings will be available to view on our website after the live presentation is complete!