VRA BC Annual Training Day and AGM

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VRA BC Annual Training Day and AGM

Friday, October 26, 2018 from 8:30am to 4:30pm

Sheraton Guildford Hotel & Conference Centre

15269 104^th Street, Surrey, BC

Research suggests mental health conditions can affect anywhere from 1 in 4 or up to 50% of Canadians in their lifetimes. The probability of knowing someone directly impacted by a mental health condition is almost 100%. Historically therapies revolve around medications and psychological interventions. Incorporating other psychological (i.e., thoughts, emotions and behaviours) and social dimensions into the rehabilitation plan move towards a biopsychosocial model of care. VRA BC is pleased to present an entire day devoted to the topic of mental health and work, expanding upon this model of care.

During the morning session Registered Psychologist Dr. Macy Lai will address the topic of effective treatment delivery models and return to work. Participants will have the opportunity to hear about the latest treatment approaches and how this can be integrated into their return to work plans with clients. Following Dr. Lai is Greg Gauthier with the International Association of Fire Fighters who will present on his experience coordinating his own return to work following a mental health leave, and how his process addressed organizational and systemic barriers to treatment that exist for many firefighters in BC.

For the afternoon session we are pleased to present Stuart Ellis-Myers (a.k.a. ‘Twitchy’), the world’s only Vocational Rehabilitation mastery keynote speaker living with Tourette Syndrome.  In this interactive, laugh-while-you-learn, experientially-based keynote Stuart will share all of the mental health to mental wealth life lessons learned through years of battling this often emotionally crippling condition. Participants will be invited to explore their own humanity while learning how to effectively detect, triage, and safely manage clients who are overwhelmed 
by stigma, crippling symptoms of mental illness, and the dual diagnosis of addiction/substance abuse.

Rounding out this provocative day are Dr. Marc White and Dr. Shannon Wagner with the Workplace Wellness and Disability Prevention Institute (WWDPI). In a series of systematic reviews Dr. White and Dr. Wagner identified worker, workplace and system-based factors contributing to prolonged work absence, and identified interventions that impacted some of these risk factors. During this presentation they will share highlights from this work and outcomes relevant to vocational rehabilitation professionals.

Following this presentation Dr. White and Dr. Wagner will host a roundtable discussion and Q&A panel. This interactive session will consider the relevance of psychosocial factors in the workplace that can impact prolonged work absence. Participants will be invited to explore the implications of current research in the context of a vocational rehabilitation professional’s roles and responsibilities for case management in the context of delivering services for employers, and workers’ compensation boards

Registration

Early Bird (register on or before October 5, 2018)

VRA Members:          $175.00+GST

Non-Members:            $215.00+GST

Students:                     $50.00+GST

Live Stream:               $105.00+GST

After October 5th:

VRA Members:           $195.00+GST

Non-Members:            $235.00+GST

Students:                     $50.00+GST

Live Stream:               $105.00+GST

Registration includes morning and afternoon coffee breaks, and lunch including the VRA BC AGM.

Registration is open now! To register please visit https://www.vracanadabc.ca