What is PARedu?
PAR is dedicated to enhancing lives by empowering providers and other stakeholders in Intellectual Disability and Autism services by delivering high-quality learning opportunities rooted in exceptional training and continuous development. At the heart of this commitment is PARedu—an innovative platform offering a comprehensive suite of educational trainings, professional development programs, and informative webinars.
Designed specifically for the Intellectual Disability/Autism (ID/A) field, PARedu equips professionals and other stakeholders with the knowledge and skills needed to provide outstanding person-centered care support and services. Led by subject matter experts, our dynamic learning opportunities cover essential topics like Leadership Development; Person-Centered Approaches and Supports; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and emerging trends and best practices in the ID/A community.
The majority of PARedu classes can be used toward Frontline Supervisor credentialing with the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), and many PARedu classes count toward DSP credentialing. To learn more about NADSP Frontline Supervisor and DSP credentialing, click here or email [email protected].
PAR offers training in collaboration with the Alabama Service Providers Association (ASPA) and the Tennessee Community Organizations (TNCO). By investing in education and professional growth, we are building stronger, more inclusive communities where individuals with ID/A can truly thrive.
Click here for a list of past trainings.
Interested in becoming a part of the PARedu lineup? Fill out the below PARedu Proposal Form.
UPCOMING EVENTS
How to Effectively Navigate Confrontation
Tuesday // November 3
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
A not so secret, secret – CONFLICT permeates our lives! From mild disagreements to “finger pointing” hostility, we deal with conflict all the time. Most persons avoid conflict like the flu or a root canal, yet conflict can be constructive, informative and manageable! Are there ways to positively deal with conflict and can we manage it – YES, THERE ARE, AND YES, WE CAN!!!!
Learning Objectives:
- What conflict is and what it is not!
- The three (3) types of disagreement.
- To identify conflicts in their present positions.
- How to respond objectively and positively to conflict.
- Five (5) general conflict concepts.
- How to use the four (4) steps of conflict resolution!
- Five (5) tips when managing conflict situations.
- Three (3) strategies to use to reduce/prevent workplace conflict.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
 Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Part 1: The State of AI for IDD Providers
Friday // November 13
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST //Virtual
Speaker Bio
This opening session sets the tone for everything that follows, and it does so in a way that is clear-eyed, provider-first, and free of vendor hype. Patrick frames why this conversation matters right now, for Pennsylvania providers, and he grounds that framing in the specific pressures members feel every day rather than in abstractions. Those pressures include the workforce crisis among direct support professionals, the weight of documentation, thin operating margins, and the rising expectations from ODP around quality and outcomes. From there, the session demystifies what AI is and gives an honest account of what it can (and cannot) do and offers attendees a simple way to evaluate any AI claim that crosses their desk.
What We Will Cover:
- A plain-language explanation of what AI means in 2026, covering generative AI, automation, and so-called agents, illustrated with examples drawn from IDD settings rather than with technical jargon.
- An honest look at why this matters now for Pennsylvania providers, given the convergence of workforce shortages, documentation burden, and ODP’s growing focus on outcomes.
- A candid separation of hype from reality, including where AI genuinely helps, where it tends to be oversold, and the warning signs of a vendor that is overpromising.
- A tour of where AI is already showing up across disability services, drawing on current and real-world applications.
- A simple framework for thinking about risk, covering privacy, accuracy, the importance of keeping a person in the loop, and the principle that AI should support direct support staff rather than stand in for them
Attendees Will Leave Able To:
- Speak with confidence about both the realities and the limits of AI, without leaning on buzzwords.
- Recognize the places where AI could realistically help their organization and the places where it offers little.
- Ask sharper and better-informed questions of any vendor making AI claims.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Frontline Supervisor Fundamentals Work Shop: Critical Tools for Agency Heroes
Wednesday & Thursday // November 18 & 19, 2026
10:00 am - 1:00 pm EST //Virtual
Speaker Bio
Discover the 10 fundamentals of effective frontline supervision and walk away with practical strategies to strengthen your team, tackle everyday challenges, and a clear action plan you can put to work immediately. Build the skills and confidence to stop reacting to the problem of the day and start supervising with purpose.
In this 2-part online interactive session, supervisors, QIDPs and other leader will:
- Learn and practice the 10 Fundamentals of Supervision
- Analyze the root cause of all the questions that you get day in and day out…and bring them to an end for good
- Discover the secret to finding and addressing the root cause of performance issues
- Identify your own supervisory strengths and vulnerabilities...and learn how to shore those up
- Quickly spot and defuse manipulative members of your team
- Stop begging people to do their work and instill accountability and ownership
- Understand how to keep the work moving correctly and on time
- Leave your own personalized written Supervisor Success Outline
- And more!
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Recruitment and Pipeline Management
Thursday // November 19
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Join us for a comprehensive session where we explore workforce management strategies crucial to enhancing your organization’s stability and learn how to turn your recruitment pipeline from a drip to a flow. With over four decades of collaboration between GoodLife Innovations and the University of Kansas, we have redefined possibilities in building workforce capacity.
This session will deliver innovative strategies for staff recruitment, replacement, and management, so attendees gain actionable insights to address the very real challenges of high turnover and chronic vacancies. Using real-world data and implementation strategies, we will equip leadership teams with the tools to deliver sustainable workforce solutions that affordably improve care quality and achieve greater organizational efficiency.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Part 2: AI in Practice and Real Use Cases
Tuesday // December 1
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST //Virtual
Speaker Bio
With the baseline in place, Ben turns to the practical. Drawing on his experience building technology for IDD providers, he walks through the operational areas where AI is already saving time and improving quality, and he shows this through real workflows rather than through abstract slideware. The focus stays on the unglamorous and high-impact wins, namely the documentation, scheduling, and compliance work that consumes staff hours and pulls direct support professionals away from the people they support. Ben also takes on the questions every provider should ask before adopting anything, including privacy, HIPAA, data ownership, and how to evaluate a tool with clear eyes.
What We Will Cover:
- Documentation and notes, including how AI can assist with progress notes and ISP-aligned records, turning service delivery into compliant documentation in less time.
- Compliance and quality, including catching documentation gaps before they become audit findings.
- Remote and virtual supports, including how technology and AI-assisted monitoring can extend capacity safely and expand what a provider is able to offer.
- Billing and back-office work, including how AI can reduce errors and administrative drag across the revenue cycle.
- The non-negotiables of privacy, HIPAA, data ownership, and security, along with a practical checklist for evaluating any AI tool or vendor.
Attendees Will Leave Able To:
- Point to specific and realistic use cases that map to their own operations.
- Understand what a strong AI tool looks like, along with the privacy and security questions that should never be skipped.
- Estimate where their organization would feel the biggest gains in time and quality first.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Appreciology
Tuesday // December 8
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Nearly 40% of staff report leaving their jobs because of feeling “underappreciated!” The old styles of leadership are no longer effective given a new staff generation, new technologies and new issues never before encountered. Through a seriously humorous presentation Mr. Speaks and Dr. Greg will discuss the art and science of appreciation which will assist in expanding your LEADERSHIP TOOL KIT!
Learning Objectives:
- The six (6) principles of appreciation.
- Four (4) practical ways to demonstrate appreciation.
- How to hold staff accountable while using appreciative techniques.
- How to appreciate and assist with recruitment, retention and agency reputation.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Wrap-Around Benefits - Creating and Navigating Non-Traditional Benefits That Can Improve the Lives, Satisfaction, and Stability of DSPs Who Make a Mission Work
Tuesday // December 15
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
The DCW workforce is highly diverse and multicultural, with increasing language barriers. It also faces financial challenges, with over 50% of DCWs eligible for public funding subsidies. The benefits and support that DCWs want—and need to live better lives—differ from what is traditionally provided by community providers. What DCWs want is better housing, transportation, childcare, attractive schedules with more and better days off, the ability to work extra hours (without the requirement to do so), work/life balance, schedule flexibility, work close to home, career ladders, frequent and more “take-home” pay, help to access subsidies, and all around more “useful” benefits.
This session presents a compilation of strategies used at GoodLife and by national thought leaders that affordably enhance the lives of the people we rely on to advance the frontline of our mission. We will discuss leveraging unique subsidies and specialized health plans that allow you to create a different and better offering for DCWs, tax-free benefits and compensation strategies; school, housing, and transportation benefits; matching strategies for benefits; career ladder strategies; better pay strategies; as well as other valuable benefits that save money for the DCW and agency.
Hear the results of studies of DSP preference surveys. Learn about the next generation of benefits from GoodLife's national provider support team to maximize DCW resources for living better lives while also improving the capacity of community service providers to advance their mission affordably.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Supporting People Through Aging, Grief, and Change
Wednesday // December 16
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
This session crosswalks to the NADSP competency area of “Direct Support”.
This class empowers professionals to protect the safety, rights, and dignity of individuals they support by strengthening their ability to recognize and respond to abuse, neglect, maltreatment, and rights violations. Participants will learn to actively observe staff interactions and service environments through an advocacy lens, identify early warning signs, and take immediate, appropriate action to safeguard individuals. The training emphasizes clear understanding and application of reporting requirements, while centering the voices, rights, and well-being of participants before, during, and after an incident, reinforcing a culture of protection and responsibility. In this session, participants will learn the following:
- Recognize indicators of neglect, maltreatment, or rights violations.
- Actively observe staff interactions and environments with an advocacy lens.
- Take immediate, appropriate actions to safeguard participants.
- Apply legal and organizational reporting requirements.
- Support individuals’ voices and rights during and after incidents.
- Model advocacy and accountability for their teams.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Fail proof Ongoing Training Techniques: On the Spot to Keep Staff on Track
Thursday // December 17, 2026
10:00 am - 1:00 pm EST //Virtual
Speaker Bio
One of the biggest challenges providers face as they work to maintain regulatory compliance is to ensure staff receive continual and ongoing training.This challenge is even more complicated because employees are spread across service settings, counties, have differing schedules, and often work alone.In fact, at least one state department of developmental disabilities has identified lack of ongoing training as a key reason for provider citations and regulatory non-compliance.
During this live online interactive session, you will learn:
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The hottest tools and techniques available to deliver ongoing staff training…even across multiple and diverse service locations
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The 7 key components of an ongoing training system
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The secret biological barriers that make learning new information a challenge, and…how to outsmart those barriers
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3 misunderstood reasons staff questions suck up all a supervisor’s time…and how to get that time back
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Spot-on strategies to document, measure, and track performance
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Top tricks for squeezing the most out of precious staff meeting time
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The #1 secret to continually enhance new hire orientation so staff are as prepared as possible…right out of the gate
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Meaningful money-free ways to motivate and acknowledge staff
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Technology 101: Integrating Technology into Human Services
January 2027
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
As the world of human services changes, it's more important than ever to deliver care that respects privacy, safety, and independence while keeping people connected to their communities. This presentation dives into the shift toward cutting-edge, technology-driven care models that follow CMS's Final Settings Rule. We'll explore why traditional group care falls short and how next-generation solutions can better serve semi-independent and vulnerable individuals.
Key topics include how remote and in-home support technologies are making it possible to deliver faster, more flexible care, even in hard-to-reach places. Attendees will learn 5 key characteristics of a strong technology partner in order to prepare for moving to next gen services. We’ll also share insight on GoodLife’s award-winning Neighborhood Network and Shared Living models, which show how technology is not just improving care but changing lives for the better. Lastly, we'll tackle the tricky balance between protecting privacy and meeting care needs and highlight how dedicated Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) play a crucial role in making this all work. With real-life examples and hands-on strategies, we'll show how these new models don't just boost quality of life-they're also the future of a stronger, more stable direct support workforce. This session is for anyone ready to push the limits and drive person-centered care with practical, game-changing solutions.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in: Registration coming soon!
How to Lead and Motivate Different Generations
Tuesday // January 12
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Attendees will discover the defining characteristics of different age groups, master effective communication strategies tailored to each, and learn motivational techniques that transcend generational divides. This session promises to dismantle age stereotypes, fostering enhanced team collaboration and cooperation in a fun, interactive setting.
Learning Objectives:
- Dismantling age centered stereotypes.
- Enhance team collaboration.
- Improve communication between generations.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Part 3: Building Your AI Roadmap, From Pilot to Practice
Tuesday // January 26
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST //Virtual
Speaker Bio
The final session brings both presenters together for a working session on adoption. Patrick leads on strategy, governance, and change management, covering how to choose a sensible starting point, how to build buy-in, how to write a workable AI use policy, and how to bring staff along rather than leaving them anxious. Ben leads on the technical and practical side, describing what a low-risk pilot looks like, how to measure it, and how to sidestep the most common implementation traps. The extended question-and-answer portion is designed to function as a workshop, so that attendees leave with the beginnings of their own first step rather than with inspiration alone.
What We Will Cover:
- How to choose where to start, focusing on a first use case that carries low risk, relieves real pain, and can be measured - following a crawl, walk, run approach.
- How to build buy-in across leadership, direct support professionals, and families, including how to address the very real worry that AI has arrived to replace people.
- How to put governance and policy in place, including a practical AI use policy that defines what staff can and cannot enter into these tools, when human review is required, and how data is protected.
- How to measure return on investment in terms that go beyond cost, such as time returned to care, documentation quality, staff retention, and audit readiness.
- How to avoid the traps, including common reasons pilots fail and the steps that reduce risk.
- A workshop and open discussion in which attendees sketch their own first step and receive live feedback from Patrick and Ben.
Attendees Will Leave Able To:
- Name a realistic first AI pilot for their organization along with a way to measure it.
- Draft the foundations of an internal AI use policy.
- Lead an internal conversation about AI that reassures staff rather than unsettling them.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Fractional Care Solutions
February 2027
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Many agencies and states simply can’t cost-effectively deliver fractional care (targeted hours of support that are scheduled or on demand). In fact, many states are currently delivering less than 50% of the authorized hours for in-home care. As a result, people who need help living their version of a GoodLife are at risk and often lean on family for support. Current methods for delivering fractional care increasingly rely heavily on part-time DSPs, who work challenging schedules and provide support home by home, often at times that are not what the customer wants or needs.
Come learn about GoodLife’s Neighborhood Network (NN) leveraged by iLink’s platform of enabling technologies. See how the NN can affordably deliver fractional scheduled and on-demand remote, in-home, and in-community care at the moment of need. Services are delivered affordably as an amenity of a typical neighborhood, using only full-time, highly stable mobile and live-near or live-by professional neighbors who affordably maximize pay and stability.
This session presents the Moving Mountains Award Winning NN program design and shows how a platform of enabling technologies was used to reimagine how support can be delivered in ways that advance independence, organic choice, self-direction, inclusion, person-centered lives, personal safety, and privacy in ways that are not possible by traditional in-home methods of support-- all while offering people who a range of greater needs access better lives. Benefits for persons served, DSPs, Community Providers, and Payors will be presented.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:Registration Coming Soon!
Essential Self Care Tips to Make Sure You are in the Game for Your Team, Those you Serve, and Yourself
Tuesday // February 9
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
In today’s fast-paced and service-focused environments, caring for others often comes at the expense of caring for ourselves. This session will explore practical and sustainable self-care strategies designed to help you lead, serve, and live with greater balance and intention. Participants will gain insight into the power of self-compassion, the foundations of resilience, and realistic approaches to preventing burnout while maintaining personal and professional well-being. The session will also include actionable scheduling and time-management tips to help create healthier routines and a more balanced lifestyle so you can continue showing up at your best for your team, those you serve, and yourself.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
PARedu Trainings are an initiative of PAR ID/A Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization.
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