Hidden No More Summit: Disability, Substance Use, and Thriving on Supervision
A collaborative, action-oriented summit bringing together people with lived experience, disability advocates, harm reduction advocates, behavioral health providers, corrections professionals, educators, and community partners to advance accessible, person-centered approaches for individuals on supervision and our community to thrive together.
Centering accessibility as a core strategy for equity, connection, and sustainable recovery outcomes.
Collaborative breakouts to co-create solutions, share practices, and strengthen partnerships that move our communities forward.
A cross-sector conversation on person-centered supervision, reducing barriers, and advancing community, thriving, safety and well-being.
Guest Speakers include:
Brian Lovins, Ph.D., President of Justice System Partners, He earned his PhD in Criminology from the University of Cincinnati School of Criminal Justice, and he is a past-President for the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA). Dr. Lovins has been instrumental in helping the criminal and juvenile justice system create programs that align with best practices for over 30 years. Dr. Lovins routinely consults with agencies regarding their implementation of a coaching framework within the context of evidenced-based interventions, the use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, working closely with communities to develop effective strategies to improve the outcomes for individuals impacted by the system.
Dr. Lovins has received the 2020 Edward J. Latessa Practitioner Research Award from the American Society of Criminology-Division on Corrections and Sentencing for his continued body of work in helping community corrections move forward. He has also been honored with the Dr. Simon Dinitz Public Service Award for his work and dedication in helping correctional agencies adopt evidence-based programs and the David Dillingham Award, as well as a being recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus from the University of Cincinnati. His publications include articles on risk assessment, justice involved youth, people who use violence and are adjudicated of sexual offenses, effective interventions, and cognitive-behavioral interventions.
ML Smith, founder of Missouri Justice Coalition, is a criminal punishment system-impacted advocate, abolitionist and activist whose carceral experiences included imprisonment during the COVID-19 pandemic, which made her intimately aware of the dire reality faced by our imprisoned populations, as well as the egregious actions and apathy of institution staff and administrators.
Being a Black, disabled, system-impacted woman who has experienced generational poverty is the foundation of her ideological framework, rooted in advocating for those suffering & struggling within a society created and built to oppress, marginalize and dehumanize targeted, vulnerable communities. ML is dedicated to using her experiences, knowledge, determination and voice in the struggle for equity, justice and recognition of humanity.
ML’s advocacy efforts extend to all facets of mass incarceration, including wrongful convictions, conditions of confinement, death penalty abolition, humane and adequate healthcare, legislative reforms and decarceration. ML founded and is Executive Director of Missouri Justice Coalition. She is a partner, leader, and advisor within several coalitions and cohorts.
Brittany Lee, Founder and CEO of ProSay, a Wisconsin-based organization providing peer advocacy for individuals on probation, parole, and extended supervision through both direct support and systems-level change. Drawing from both professional expertise and lived experience, she works to improve outcomes for people navigating community supervision by advancing policies and practices that promote health, dignity, and long-term success. Over the past four years, Brittany has been a leading voice for criminal justice reform at the Wisconsin State Capitol, advocating for policy changes that reduce barriers to recovery, improve community supervision, and expand opportunities for people impacted by the legal system. For over ten years, she has developed deep expertise in Wisconsin supervision policy, administrative rules, revocation processes, and the intersection of community supervision with behavioral health, disability, and overdose prevention.
Brittany is an experienced trainer and facilitator who designs and leads workshops for justice professionals, behavioral health providers, community organizations, peer specialists, and individuals with lived experience. When she's not working, she's usually with her husband chasing after her two young boys and family dog or cooking for her family. Her commitment to advocacy doesn't end at the close of the workday—you'll often find her late at night reading case law, administrative code, and Wisconsin statutes in search of the next opportunity to improve the system for people on supervision.
Ben Wright, Director of Disability Access in Prison Education at The Community and President of the Board of the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network (FICGN), Ben holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University, an M.A. in English Literature, an M.Ed. in Special Education from The Ohio State University, and a B.A. in English Literature. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in English Literature, his dissertation explores disability, gender, and the body in literature. A writer, educator, and advocate with over a decade of teaching and leadership experience, Ben leads national initiatives advancing disability inclusion, universal design, and equitable access to education in correctional settings.
Stigmatized Simulation: On Wednesday Evening, September 23rd, we will be hosting Stigmatized! A simulation designed to recreate the lived experience of someone on supervision post-confinement whether newly out or out for a decade with special features that include the impact of supervision, electronic monitoring, and/or being on the registry for people with sex offenses.
Centering accessibility as a core strategy for equity, connection, and sustainable recovery outcomes.
Collaborative breakouts to co-create solutions, share practices, and strengthen partnerships that move our communities forward.
A cross-sector conversation on person-centered supervision, reducing barriers, and advancing community, thriving, safety and well-being.
Guest Speakers include:
Brian Lovins, Ph.D., President of Justice System Partners, He earned his PhD in Criminology from the University of Cincinnati School of Criminal Justice, and he is a past-President for the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA). Dr. Lovins has been instrumental in helping the criminal and juvenile justice system create programs that align with best practices for over 30 years. Dr. Lovins routinely consults with agencies regarding their implementation of a coaching framework within the context of evidenced-based interventions, the use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, working closely with communities to develop effective strategies to improve the outcomes for individuals impacted by the system.
Dr. Lovins has received the 2020 Edward J. Latessa Practitioner Research Award from the American Society of Criminology-Division on Corrections and Sentencing for his continued body of work in helping community corrections move forward. He has also been honored with the Dr. Simon Dinitz Public Service Award for his work and dedication in helping correctional agencies adopt evidence-based programs and the David Dillingham Award, as well as a being recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus from the University of Cincinnati. His publications include articles on risk assessment, justice involved youth, people who use violence and are adjudicated of sexual offenses, effective interventions, and cognitive-behavioral interventions.
ML Smith, founder of Missouri Justice Coalition, is a criminal punishment system-impacted advocate, abolitionist and activist whose carceral experiences included imprisonment during the COVID-19 pandemic, which made her intimately aware of the dire reality faced by our imprisoned populations, as well as the egregious actions and apathy of institution staff and administrators.
Being a Black, disabled, system-impacted woman who has experienced generational poverty is the foundation of her ideological framework, rooted in advocating for those suffering & struggling within a society created and built to oppress, marginalize and dehumanize targeted, vulnerable communities. ML is dedicated to using her experiences, knowledge, determination and voice in the struggle for equity, justice and recognition of humanity.
ML’s advocacy efforts extend to all facets of mass incarceration, including wrongful convictions, conditions of confinement, death penalty abolition, humane and adequate healthcare, legislative reforms and decarceration. ML founded and is Executive Director of Missouri Justice Coalition. She is a partner, leader, and advisor within several coalitions and cohorts.
Brittany Lee, Founder and CEO of ProSay, a Wisconsin-based organization providing peer advocacy for individuals on probation, parole, and extended supervision through both direct support and systems-level change. Drawing from both professional expertise and lived experience, she works to improve outcomes for people navigating community supervision by advancing policies and practices that promote health, dignity, and long-term success. Over the past four years, Brittany has been a leading voice for criminal justice reform at the Wisconsin State Capitol, advocating for policy changes that reduce barriers to recovery, improve community supervision, and expand opportunities for people impacted by the legal system. For over ten years, she has developed deep expertise in Wisconsin supervision policy, administrative rules, revocation processes, and the intersection of community supervision with behavioral health, disability, and overdose prevention.
Brittany is an experienced trainer and facilitator who designs and leads workshops for justice professionals, behavioral health providers, community organizations, peer specialists, and individuals with lived experience. When she's not working, she's usually with her husband chasing after her two young boys and family dog or cooking for her family. Her commitment to advocacy doesn't end at the close of the workday—you'll often find her late at night reading case law, administrative code, and Wisconsin statutes in search of the next opportunity to improve the system for people on supervision.
Ben Wright, Director of Disability Access in Prison Education at The Community and President of the Board of the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network (FICGN), Ben holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University, an M.A. in English Literature, an M.Ed. in Special Education from The Ohio State University, and a B.A. in English Literature. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in English Literature, his dissertation explores disability, gender, and the body in literature. A writer, educator, and advocate with over a decade of teaching and leadership experience, Ben leads national initiatives advancing disability inclusion, universal design, and equitable access to education in correctional settings.
Stigmatized Simulation: On Wednesday Evening, September 23rd, we will be hosting Stigmatized! A simulation designed to recreate the lived experience of someone on supervision post-confinement whether newly out or out for a decade with special features that include the impact of supervision, electronic monitoring, and/or being on the registry for people with sex offenses.
Where is it happening?
Zoofari Conference Center, 9715 W Bluemound Rd,Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, United States
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherProSay
