CANADIAN

EALTH AND
BEING IN
OMENTAL
ISABILITIES
Canadian Health

CANADIAN
& Wellbeing in
Developmental
Disabilities

EALTH AND
February 7-8, 2024 | Digital Conference
 CANA
HEALTH
Hello everyone and welcome to the 3rd annual Canadian Health and
Wellbeing in Developmental Disabilities Conference! Thank you for
giving your time to participate in this interprofessional conference
where health care providers and community partners can connect to
share educational and informative updates and practical, innovative,
promising and effective practices that improve the health and

WELLBEIN
wellbeing of people with developmental disabilities across the
lifespan.

Our program has been developed in consultation with a diverse

group of perspectives, including self-advocates, family members,
healthcare providers and clinicians, and administrators. Our focus
has been the recognition of the importance of collaborative
partnerships, particularly among health and social services, allied

DEVELOME
professionals, education, as well as community partners, plus the
importance of self-determination and advocacy for people with
developmental disabilities. We have strived to achieve equity,
diversity, and inclusion through recognition of intersectionality— the
inter-connected nature of social categorizations such as race, class,
and gender as they apply to people with developmental disabilities,
creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination

DISABI
or disadvantage.

We also want to acknowledge that we are building on a legacy set

by The Health and Wellbeing in Children, Youth and Adults with
Developmental Disabilities Conference (Vancouver, British Columbia,
2008-2020; organized by Interprofessional Continuing Education,
Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia) and The Health
and Wellbeing in Developmental Disabilities Conference (Toronto,

CANA
Ontario, 2013-2017; organized by the Community Networks of
Specialized Care and Continuing Professional Development at
Temertry Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto). We are thankful
to everyone involved in laying the foundation that this conference
has been built on.

We hope you find this digital experience engaging and meaningful.

HEALTH
As you learn, we also encourage you to think about specific calls
to action you and your peers can commit to in order to continue to
have a positive impact on the lives of people with developmental
disabilities.

Megan Primeau, Conference Director

on behalf of the Advisory Council, Program Committee, and

Continuing Professional Development, Temertry Faculty of Medicine,
University of Toronto
 Program Wednesday, February 7, 2024
All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Welcome
Emcee: Tiana Kirkegaard; Young Leader, Leading Change, L’Arche Canada; Advocate, Actor, Improviser,
1100 Dancer
Conference Director: Megan Primeau; Continuing Professional Development, Temerty Faculty of
Medicine, University of Toronto
Keynote A: How We are Making a Difference
Presenters:
• Chantel Meister; Self-Advocate; Member, My Home My Rights Project; Accessibility Representative,
Mount Saint Vincent University
1115 • Kara Anderson; Self-Advocate; Member, Self Advocate Leadership Network Society; Member, Self
Advocates of Nanaimo
• Yvonne Spicer; Self-Advocate; Member, New Vision Advocates
Moderated by: Megan Primeau; Continuing Professional Development, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Uni-
versity of Toronto
1230 Posters, Supporters, and Networking Break
1245 Breakout Workshops A
1. Lived Experiences of Parents with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Stories and
Promising Practices
Presented by: Michelle Goos (Strategic Initiatives Advisor, Community Living BC); Lizzy Walsh (Graduate
Student, UBC Okanagan)

2. “They Should Respect Us”: Supporting Successful Transitions from Hospital to Home for Alternate
Level of Care (ALC) Patients with a Dual Diagnosis
Presented by: Avra Selick (Project Scientist, CAMH); Sandy Stemp (Chief Operating Officer (COO),
Reena); Melonie Hopkins (Transition Manager, CAMH); Judith Wiener (Family Member and Professor
Emerita, University of Toronto); Sue Gosselin (Family Caregiver)

3. Changing Behaviours around Periodic Health Checks: Is it time to Reinvent the Wheel?
Presented by: Karen McNeil (Family Physician, Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine), Kate Awen (Disability
Support Worker, Visual Communication)

4. Mindfulness for People with Developmental Disabilities

Presented by: Kirsten Smith (Post-Doctoral Fellow, Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, CAMH);
Sue Hutton (Registered Social Worker, Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, CAMH); Jan Wozniak
(Program Engagement Facilitator, Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, CAMH)

5. A Cross – Sectoral Approach to Care for Medically Complex Individuals with Developmental
Disabilities
Presented by: Whitney Faragher (Health Care Facilitator, Community Networks of Specialized Care-
Central East/CLH DSS); Sandra Martino (Health Care Facilitator, Community Networks of Specialized
Care- Central East/CLH DSS)
1345 Posters, Supporters, and Networking Break
1415 Breakout Workshops B
1. Forming The Circle: Indigeneity, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, and Mental Health
Presented by: Kendra Thomson (Professor, Brock University); Louis Busch (Community Support
Specialist, CAMH)

2. Changes in Health-Promoting Lifestyle-Related Factors Among Adults with Intellectual and

Developmental Disabilities After Community Transition
Presented by: Maria Baranowski (Research Intern, University of Manitoba)

3. Potential Benefits of a Genetic Diagnosis for Adults with a Developmental Disability: Experience
Gained from 500 Individuals with the Most Common Microdeletion
Presented by: Lisa Palmer (Social worker, University Health Network); Samantha D’Arcy (Dietitian,
University Health Network)

4. Using Arts-Based Knowledge Translation to Foster and Develop Belonging for Young Adults with
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Presented by: Runqun Helen Zheng (Graduate Student, University of Toronto); Francis Routledge
(Graduate Student, University of Toronto); Zoe Stanley (Project Consultant, University of Toronto)

5. Does Canada need a National Disability Strategy and Funding Program? Lessons Learned from
Australia’s 10-year Experience
Presented by: Alvin Loh (Developmental Paediatrician, Surrey Place); Hubert Van Niekerk (Vice Chair,
Every Canadian Counts); Olaf Kraus De Camargo (Co-Director, CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability
Research)
1515 Posters, Supporters, and Networking Break
Keynote B: Equitable Healthcare Access
Presenters:
• Alyson Mahar; Assistant Professor; School of Nursing, Queen’s University
• Anamaria Richardson; Community Based Pediatrician, Faculty of Medicine, University of British
Columbia; Investigator and General Pediatrician, BC Children’s Hospital
1545
• Steve Lipinski; Board Member of the Canadian Society for Disability and Oral Health; Division of
Dentistry and Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery, Trillium Health Partners, Credit Valley Hospital; Diplomate of
the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine
Moderated by: Alicia Thatcher, Family Physician Saskatchewan Health Authority, IDD Primary Care
Consultant Creative Options Regina, Assistant Professor University of Saskatchewan, Enhanced Skills in
Primary Care for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Closing Remarks
Emcee: Tiana Kirkegaard; Young Leader, Leading Change, L’Arche Canada; Advocate, Actor, Improviser,
1645 Dancer
Conference Director: Megan Primeau; Continuing Professional Development, Temerty Faculty of Medicine,
University of Toronto
 Program Thursday, February 8, 2024
All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Welcome
Emcee: Tiana Kirkegaard; Young Leader, Leading Change, L’Arche Canada; Advocate, Actor, Improviser,
1100 Dancer
Conference Director: Megan Primeau; Continuing Professional Development, Temerty Faculty of
Medicine, University of Toronto
Keynote C: Thinking Differently about Mental Health and Addictions Supports
Presenters:
• Jill Faber; Community Case Manager; Community Living North Bay

1115 • Oluseye Akinkunmi; Health Services Manager; Adult Neurodevelopmental Stabilization Unit, Nova
Scotia Health
• Robin Friedlander; Founder, Self Injurious Behavior Clinic, BC Children’s Hospital
Moderated by: Heidi Diepstra; Health Care System and Stakeholder Engagement Facilitator, Developmen-
tal Disabilities Primary Care Program, Surrey Place
1230 Posters, Supporters, and Networking Break
1245 Breakout Workshops C
1. Peer Support for Autistic Adults and Autistic Family Caregivers: Critical Ingredients and Lessons
Learned
Presented by: Adeen Ashton-Fogle (Family Engagement Facilitator/Advisor, CAMH); Nathan Dawthorne
(Family Engagement Facilitator/Advisor, CAMH); Alex Echakowitz (Youth Engagement Facilitator/
Advisor, CAMH); Riley Goldsmith (Youth Engagement Facilitator/Advisor, CAMH); Mirella B (Peer
Facilitator, Advisor, CAMH); Ami Tint (Psychologist, Private Practice); Johanna Lake (Scientist, CAMH)

2. What the Heck is Advance Care Planning and Why Should You Care?
Presented by: Karine Diedrich (Director, Advance Care Planning Canada, Canadian Hospice Palliative
Care Association (CHPCA)); Merry Parkinson (Project Officer, Advance Care Planning Canada, Canadian
Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA))

3. Diabetes Continuous Glucose Monitoring Technology – The Impact of Advocacy and Access
Presented by: Arlene Wright (Direct Support Professional, Vita Community Living Services); Calvin
Johnson (Person with Lived Experience, Vita Community Living Services (Member)); Angie Gonzales
(Health Care Facilitator, Nurse Professional Practice Lead, Surrey Place)

4. Using Creativity to Explore the Emotional Experiences of Having Developmental Disabilities:

Considerations for Building Empathy
Presented by: Hildy Bennett (Director of Student Experience and Faculty in the Faculty of Behavioural
Sciences, Yorkville University)

5. Advocacy Involving Multiple Systems – Unpacking the Complexities

Presented by: Justine Dooley (Family Support Advocate; MA in Leadership, Community Living Victoria);
Erika Cedillo (Director of Public Policy and Programs, PhD, Inclusion BC); Cary Chiu (BC Advocate for
Quality Service, Office of the Advocate, MSDPR)
1345 Posters, Supporters, and Networking Break
1415 Breakout Workshops D
1. The Value of Peer Support for Families with Disabilities
Presented by: Heather Beach (Regional Network Coordinator, Family Support Institute)

2. The Role of Planning and Facilitation in Supporting Young People with a Disability Transitioning to
Adulthood
Presented by: Anna Bruno (Manager, Facilitation and Planning, Partners for Planning); Gillian Martin
(Writer, Artist and Self-Advocate); Andrea Johnston (Independent Facilitator, Partners for Planning)

3. The Forgotten Ones: Valuing Psychotherapy for People with Developmental Disability
Presented by: Meghan Josling (Public Speaker and Advocate, Independent); Vicki Hartman
(Willowbridge Community Services, Counselling Services Manager); Susan Somogyi Wells (Chief
Executive Officer, Family Service Ontario)

4. Why Speak When No One is Listening Anyways: Thinking About Trauma in Context of Selective
Mutism
Presented by: Amanda Sawyer (Physician, CAMH, Surrey Place, Holland Bloorview), Ivona Berger
(Family Medicine Resident, University of Toronto)

5. Canadian Best Practice Guidance for Quality Community Supports and Care for Adults with IDD
and Dementia and their Caregivers
Presented by: Sandy Stemp (Chief Operating Officer (COO), Reena); Tracey Berman (Senior Project
Coordinator, Reena); Nancy Jokinen (Adjunct Professor, UNBC School of Social Work); Leslie Udell
(Consultant, L Udell Consulting)
1515 Posters, Supporters, and Networking Break
Keynote D: Balancing Autonomy and Safety in Online Dating
Panelists:
• Alan Martino; Assistant Professor (Teaching), Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies;
1545 Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary
• Karyn Harvey; Director, Training and Program Development; The Park Avenue Group, LLC
• Natalya Mason; Social Worker & Sexuality Educator
Moderated by: Kristyn White; Literacy Facilitator/Creative Options Regina
Closing Remarks
Emcee: Tiana Kirkegaard; Young Leader, Leading Change, L’Arche Canada; Advocate, Actor, Improviser,
1645 Dancer
Conference Director: Megan Primeau; Continuing Professional Development, Temerty Faculty of Medicine,
University of Toronto
Poster List
Community-Based Mobile Cervical Cancer Screening Initiative in Western York Region for
Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Other Disabilities
Presented by: Ziv Har-Gil (Project Manager, Reena); Lauren Ridge (OHT Impact Fellow, Western
York Region OHT/University of Toronto)
Additional authors: Claudia Schauer (System Planner, Western York Region OHT); Stefanie
Richards (OHT Manager, Western York Region OHT); Kennie Sinn (Women’s Health Program
Director, Carefirst Seniors & Community Services Association); Tamara Belfer (Executive
Director, Carefirst Family Health Team); Natalie Timbrell (Regional Director, March of Dimes
Canada); Loredana Di Santo (Primary Care Lead, Mackenzie Health); Meredith Deutsch-Levy
(Primary Care Physician, Primary Care Physician)

Community Collaboration to Improve Medical Visits with Adults with IDD in Burnaby
Presented by and Additional authors: Azra Bhanji (Project Manager, Burnaby Division of Family
Practice); Amy Hung (Family Physician Lead, Burnaby Division of Family Practice); Huyanne
Le (PCN Community Engagement Coordinator, Burnaby Division of Family Practice); Natasha
Cholowsky (Shared Care Project Coordinator, Burnaby Division of Family Practice)

Creating Your Village - Untold Story, Creating a Voice and Better Mental Health for
Racialized Caregivers and Those They Support
Presented by: Marcia Cole (Program Coordinator, Sawubona ACS); Sherron Grant (Executive
Director, Sawubona ACS)

Development of a Postpartum Mental Health Toolkit for Birthing Parents with Intellectual
and Developmental Disabilities
Presented by: Sidrah Zafar (Research Coordinator, Department of Health & Society, University
of Toronto)
Additional authors: Marjorie Aunos (Psychologist and Adjunct Faculty Member, Department of
Applied Disability Studies, Brock University); Hilary Brown (Associate Professor, Department of
Health & Society, University of Toronto)

Environmental Scan of Calgary Community-Based Services for Autism and Co-occurring

Mental Health Conditions
Presented by: Stephanie Andreasen (MSc Student, University of Calgary)
Additional authors: Kailyn Turner (Post-doctoral Scholar, University of Calgary); Brianne
Redquest (Post-doctoral Scholar, University of Calgary); Jennifer Kuntz (Project Facilitator,
Alberta Health Services); Carly McMorris (Associate Professor, University of Calgary)

Evaluating Medical Students’ Satisfaction with a Virtual Educational Intervention Focused

on Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Presented by: Amrita Bagga (Medical Student, University of Toronto)
Additional authors: Shannon Weissman (Family Medicine Resident, University of Toronto);
Ivona Berger (Family Medicine Resident, University of Toronto); Hira Raheel (Internal Medicine
Resident, Western University); Roxanne Wright (Experiential Learning Lead, University of
Toronto); Alvin Loh (Developmental Paediatrician, Surrey Place); Janet Vogt (Manager and
Senior Research Associate, Surrey Place); Barry Isaacs (PhD Director, Surrey Place); Carolyn Lee-
Jones (Education Coordinator, Surrey Place); Fok-Han Leung (Family Physician, University of
Toronto)
Interactive E-book to Teach Medical Students About Ableism
Presented by: Abigale MacLellan (Medical Student, Dalhousie University Medicine); Marihan
Farid (Medical Student, Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine)
Additional authors: Zachary Ford (Medical Student, Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine); Karen
McNeil (Family Physician, Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine)

Investigating the Relationship Between Self-Confidence and Burnout for Professionals

Supporting Adults with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities Engaging in
Challenging Behaviour
Presented by: Kayla Cormier (Student, Brock University)
Additional authors: Laura Mullins (Assistant Professor, Brock University)

Pay Attention to Hypertension (PAtH): Findings of a Cardiovascular Health Promotion

Intervention for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Participating in Special Olympics
Quebec
Presented by: Rosa Elena Ponce-Alcalá (Research assistant, McGill University)
Additional authors: Lia Sanzone (Associate Professor Program Director, Bachelor of Science
(Nursing), McGill University); Anaële Cuerrier (Student, Research Assistant, McGill University);
Tristan Delmas (Healthy community Director, Special Olympics Quebec); Katerine Roberge
(MDCM, Clinique Medicale Jolibourg/ Special Olympics Quebec); Andraea Van Hulst (Assistant
Professor, McGill University)

The MEND (Meaningfully Empowering the NeuroDiverse) Initiative: Helping Autistic

Adults in the Greater Toronto Area Express their Mental Health Needs
Presented by: Mouzhan Varshoueitabrizi (MHSc Student; University of Toronto); Abitha
Suthakaran (MHSc Student, University of Toronto); Alena Moya (MHSc Student, University of
Toronto); Kaitlin Boddison (MHSc Student, University of Toronto)

Enhancing effective sexual health promotion for
Autistic and disabled youth
Améliorer la promotion de la santé sexuelle chez les
jeunes autistes et handicapé-es
SIECCAN has developed a Sexual Health Promotion
with Autistic Youth toolkit with resources for policy
makers, service providers, and Autistic youth!
Visit our website to access all of the toolkit resources:
www.sieccan.org/ady-autisticyouth
Le CIÉSCAN a développé une trousse d’outils pour
la promotion de la santé sexuelle auprès des jeunes
autistes, offrant des ressources aux décideur(-euse)s
politiques, aux prestataires de services et aux jeunes
autistes! Visitez notre site Web pour accéder à toutes
ces ressources : www.sieccan.org/ady-autisticyouth-fr
 Thank you to our supporters

Thank you to our promotional partners