OACB 37th Annual Convention — 9 Days of Virtual Learning!

Virtual sessions start at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m.
on the following dates: Nov. 17-19, Dec. 1-3, and Dec. 8-10
 

 A Virtual, a la Carte Training Experience

The OACB team is pleased to announce that registration is open in MemberConnect for all sessions of the upcoming OACB 37th Annual Convention, which will take place virtually via the Zoom platform on the following dates: Nov. 17-19, Dec. 1-3, and Dec. 8-10. Virtual sessions will begin at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m. on the dates listed above.

Virtual attendance for this year's event will use an a la carte, fee-per-registration model in which sessions will be held over nine days in late November and early December, giving attendees flexibility in how they take part and greater discretion with agency training budgets. This flexible, virtual model makes the entire event open to all attendees, who are welcome to mix and match from various tracks and attend as many of the event's 36 sessions as they like. No sessions overlap, which means no scheduling conflicts!

Each session of the Virtual Convention will have its own registration in MemberConnect. All sessions are priced as marked in MemberConnect and the Convention program (linked below). Full session details and registration links can be found in the Convention program.

(MemberConnect account and login required)

Convention Dates

Week 1:
Nov. 17-19, 2020
 Week 2:
Dec. 1-3, 2020		 Week 3:
Dec. 8-10, 2020
 

Sessions are scheduled four per day—starting at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m.—on the above dates.


Professional Development Tracks

Children and Families
Equity and Inclusion
Health, Safety, and Wellness
Leadership
Pandemic Lessons
Personal Development
Policy and Statewide Issues
Remote Best Practices
Team Process and Collaboration


All sessions will be submitted for approval for Superintendent credit from DODD. Applicable sessions will be submitted for early intervention and investigative agent credit. OACB will ensure all sessions meet requirements for SSA, Business Manager, and Board Member credits.

  Convention Social Events: Join Your Friends and Colleagues for Three Nights of Virtual Fun!

This year marks the first time that OACB's Annual Convention will be all virtual. To help participants connect with one another from a distance, the OACB team—with help from several county board of DD volunteers—has planned three free, optional, after-hours social events! Each week will feature an event on Thursday evening, and all will take place over Zoom. Please note the RSVP requirements and deadlines for each event listed below.

social
Jump to Weekly Event Details:
Week 1: Virtual Pop Culture Trivia
Week 2: DIY Zero-Proof Cocktail Hour
Week 3: Get to the Point

Frequently Asked Questions
and Additional Information


Why a Virtual Convention?
In a word: safety. Given recent and projected COVID-19 infection rates in Ohio, a large, indoor, in-person gathering—even one taking place in December—simply does not make sense. A virtual event is the best way to keep participants safe while providing them with an opportunity to satisfy their 2020 training needs.

Registering for Convention Sessions
Each Convention session has a separate registration in MemberConnect, OACB's online member services portal. An account is required to register. Click here to sign up for a MemberConnect account. This is the only registration method for Convention sessions. There is no general registration for the entire event. Attendees can browse sessions in the Convention program (which includes links to register for all sessions) or through the MemberConnect events list. View sessions in MemberConnect.

Each session has a unique link and pass code that will be sent automatically to the email address tied to each registrant's account. Attendees will receive a unique email for each session registration they complete. Each email will also include a link to an .ics file that can be used to add the session to one's digital calendar. Registration for each session closes once that session begins.

CPDUs and Attendance Requirements
Sessions in the Convention program and the MemberConnect events interface list the types of professional credit for which OACB has applied for that session. This is included for planning purposes only and is not a guarantee that all credit types listed will be approved by DODD. In order to receive CPDUs, participants must be registered independently through MemberConnect for all sessions they plan to attend and then take part in those sessions live through the Zoom app or web client with their full name clearly displayed in the meeting in order to be marked present.

Pricing and Billing
Sessions are priced as marked. Sessions led by state/county employees that address general DD system updates are free of charge. All other one-hour sessions are $25 per registrant. Two-hour sessions are $50 per registrant.

Organizations will receive an itemized invoice for all billable attendance for all participating employees within 30 days of the Convention's final session. Upfront payment is not required to register for sessions. Attendees with developmental disabilities will not be billed.

If you are a person with a developmental disability, simply check the appropriate box in the first step of the MemberConnect registration process when you sign up to attend a session. You will not receive a bill for your participation.

Am I required to complete session evaluations to claim CPDUs?
Yes. Evaluations are critical to improving our events and meeting members' long-term needs. They are quick and easy to complete. We ask that you complete a session evaluation for each session you attend.

Why is a session that I attended not appearing under "My Events" in MemberConnect?
If you attended a session and it is not appearing, then you were either not registered for the session properly or did not attend the Zoom meeting for the majority of the session time, prompting our events team to mark you absent.

How does OACB take attendance for virtual sessions?
Zoom requires participants to enter their email address and provides OACB with the entry and exit time of all webinar attendees. If you were not checked in for a session, it is likely that you were not registered or did not attend fully.
I know I attended a session, but it will not appear in "My Events" in MemberConnect.
Technical mistakes and glitches do happen! If you believe our attendance records to be in error, please send an email to training@oacbdd.org with your full name, title and organization as well as the date, time, and title of the session in question so we can investigate. OACB cannot satisfactorily respond to inquiries that do not include that information, and not including it will delay how quickly we can assist you.

Can I claim credit for a session if I cannot attend due to a reason outside my control?
No. As is the case with in-person trainings, participants must take part in the session in order to receive credit. Even if you could not attend due to an unforeseen issue such as a tech problem, work emergency, or personal illness, OACB is still obligated to consider that an absence. The association cannot attest to your participation if you did not participate.

Will my organization be billed for paid sessions that I register for but do not attend?
No. Billing will only be processed if you registered for a session(s) that has an attendance fee and participated in said session(s) live via Zoom. If you missed a paid session for any reason, don't worry—your organization will not be billed.

Can I make up missed sessions for credit?
No. OACB is unable to offer credit for make-up sessions at this time.

I watched a session with a colleague, but I did not register separately. May I claim CPDUs?
No. Registration is required for all participants claiming CPDUs so OACB can accurately track attendance and—for paid sessions—billing. There is no penalty for watching Virtual Convention sessions without first registering in MemberConnect, but you cannot claim CPDUs for doing so. This is because OACB has no way to verify your participation.

Are recordings of sessions available to watch?
Session recordings can be made available upon request. To request a recording, please send an email to training@oacbdd.org with the phrase "Convention Session Recording Request" in the email subject line. To make a request, your email must include the name of the session. Please note that editing and posting video recordings of sessions require a significant commitment of staff time, and staff may be unable to prioritize this process until the Virtual Convention concludes in December. We thank you in advance for your understanding and patience.

2020 Delegate Assembly
This year’s Delegate Assembly will be held virtually via the Zoom platform in the early evening on Wednesday, December 2. Additional information has been sent to superintendents and Assembly delegates.

Questions and Contact
Registration and billing questions should be directed to Lana Beddoes at lbeddoes@oacbdd.org. Questions about MemberConnect accounts and troubleshooting should be directed to Erich Hiner at ehiner@oacbdd.org.