(15 minutes session)

In an era where vision is increasingly fixed on screens, it is important to remember that the health of your eyes is in your hands! In this session, you will practice exercises to improve eyesight and discover how to strengthen your vision naturally with yoga.

Jesse Jarvis, Instructor

Using the 211 LA County Taxonomy of Human Services to index or search for services can seem overwhelming. We’re here to show you the basics of using the Taxonomy effectively so your resource database will help connect people to the services they need.

Key Takeaways:

• Effectively use the 211 LA County Taxonomy to index resource data
• Create efficient resource searches for Community Resource Specialists and the general public
• How to find answers to your Taxonomy questions after the conference is over

Laura "LJ" James, Director or Resource Strategy and Technology Integration

Kathy Sheridan, Statewide Quality Assurance Manager

Have you ever wondered why we perform active listening as de-escalation in a crisis and why this is effective? This presentation will outline what happens in the brain when a person is in a crisis state and why active listening can restore neocortical functioning. The presenter will discuss the evolution of a crisis state and the changes in the brain during the build-up to a crisis when a person is in an active crisis state. The presenter will review how to practice active listening with a caller and how this technique de-escalates and restores the brain to its "resting" state. Active listening builds rapport, establishes trust, and returns the caller to a state of de-escalation and rest. Learn why this tool should be the foundation of crisis call work!

Key Takeaways:

• Develop an understanding of crisis theory and model of a crisis state
• Understand what is occurring in the neocortical functioning of the brain in the development of a crisis state, active crisis state, and de-escalation of a crisis state
• Demonstrate how to utilize "active listening" tools
• Understand how active listening both builds rapport and de-escalates crisis callers and why this is a foundational tool

Sherrard Crespo, Outreach and Traumatic Loss Coordinator

Our communities are becoming more open and diverse, with countless community members, clients, and staff identifying within the LGBTQ+ umbrella. But are our practices, both in and out of the workplace, helping create inclusive spaces? Now is the time to make sure we’re equipped to cultivate safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments for all diverse gender identities. In this training, we'll explore introductory definitions around LGBTQ+ identities, as well as pronouns and how to create inclusive workspaces for both staff and clients: what are gender-neutral pronouns, and how do I use them? What if I accidentally misgender a client or coworker? Why is it important to use expansive & inclusive language? All of these questions will be covered in this training, which seeks to provide an open space for vital conversations on gender inclusivity in the workplace and beyond.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand basic LGBTQ+ and gender terminology and how it applies to our workplace 
• Understand how to use gendered and gender-neutral pronouns
• Understand how to "correct" yourself if you accidentally misgender a client or coworker
• Understand the importance of creating a safe and diverse workplace.

Gabriela Cano, Service Navigator

(1 hour session)

Almost everyone's stress levels are at an all-time high as we adjust to life with a global pandemic. It is critical to address stress as it impacts us emotionally, cognitively, mentally, and physically. Many of us have read books or listened to lectures on the topic, but we still walk around carrying too much stress. In this presentation, you will learn the science behind the stress process, including what starts it, as well as many quick techniques to manage stress in our daily lives. Attendees will leave with a wide variety of tools to put into practice.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand what happens in our bodies, minds, and emotions when we feel stress
• Learn a specific model to help identify the stress process
• Recognize our own responses to adrenaline and how it impacts us
• Utilize the concepts of Mindfulness to ground ourselves in the present moment
• Take home new techniques to effectively stop the stress process in its tracks including breathing techniques, meditation, and other tools to manage stress

​Lynn Breuer, Director of Community Outreach & Wellness

Working with challenging calls can be one of the most difficult tasks required of us as Community Resource Specialists. The reasons a call may be challenging can vary; as such, different approaches and techniques will be more or less effective depending on your caller type. In this workshop, we will discuss various categories of challenging calls, discuss approaches to tackling the challenges presented, and role-play several scenarios.

Key Takeaways:

• Different reasons calls may present as challenging
• Various categories of challenging calls
• Techniques to de-escalate whenever possible
• Working with racist or abusive callers
• When it’s time to let a caller go, and how to do so

Julie Nurmi, Team Lead of the 211 Program - Canadian Mental Health Association – Edmonton

Dagr Fjell, 211 Community Resource Specialist

(45 minute session)

Social media has evolved to impact a variety of elements of the customer experience. On average, 84% of customers believe that the experience they receive from an organization is just as important as the products and services they provide. Military and community I&R agencies often have no extra budget to develop a social media outreach campaign. More so, the military community presents an additional challenge, as it is a highly mobile workforce. Therefore, this workshop will teach you how to use social media as more than just a marketing tool at no extra cost, but as an engagement asset that will not only help you maintain your current customer base but help you expand it as well. This workshop will discuss five factors that have a significant impact on customer engagement and how to build a stronger platform for your customers where they can connect, interact, and grow.

Key Takeaways:

• Social media can help you engage with customers in real-time and build stronger customer relationships
• Improve the organization's customer service index by making service more social, offer relevant and personalized solutions to inquiries, and turn potentially negative customer experiences into positive ones
• Social media can be your organization's best asset by helping you identify opportunities to help customers and empower you to solve organizational challenges

Connie Melendez, Program Manager

You are the Superhero of Data Quality. You are on the front lines every day, responding to different and sometimes dire needs from the people in our community, state, or across the country. They've called because they're out of options and they need your attention, empathy, and experience to help them take the next steps. And given all that, we are talking data quality? Yes! This session will help explain why it matters more than you might think, and will provide information and handouts to share with your colleagues back home.

Key Takeaways:

• Review some real-world examples of data quality: when it's great, or horribly wrong
• Exploring Community Information Exchanges: data quality on steroids
• Learn how APIs use your data in real-time
• Reporting: what you enter drives decisions but only if the data can be used
• Learn the call handling techniques that can improve data quality without sacrificing the human connection

Dr. W. Douglas Zimmerman,

(1 hour and 30 minute session)

This session will begin with our AIRS Annual General Meeting where we will review important pieces of federally required disclosures and introductions to board members. Facilitated by Catherine Rea, AIRS Board President.

Following Catherine's remarks, we will enjoy an inspiring closing conversation with Janice Burt about flowing through change, walking through fears, and stepping into the best you. She will talk about some tools and concepts that have helped her get through and rise above the pain and obstacles inherent in life itself. Her goal is to have you walk away feeling uplifted, supported, encouraged, and hopeful. The best is yet to come!

Janice Burt, spanishjanice.com

Catherine Rea, AIRS Policy Committee Chair/Vice President for 211

Clive Jones, AIRS Executive Director

Lindsay Paulsen, 211 Data Resource Manager/AIRS Taxonomy Committee/AIRS Executive Committee Secretary

Patrick Rogers, AIRS Board Treasurer

David Jobe, Assistant Vice President