Symposium on Adults, Aging & Disabilities

This two-day symposium will be held April 7–8, 2026. Registration covers both days.

Hosted at Bismarck State College’s Bavendick Stateroom, the 2026 North Dakota Symposium on Adults, Aging & Disabilities is a statewide gathering centered on dignity, access, and person-centered services.

Through keynote presentations and breakout sessions, participants will explore ethical practice, neurocognitive change, housing, adult protective services, human trafficking awareness, mental and behavioral health, compassion fatigue, and professional well-being. The agenda emphasizes meeting people where they are—across systems, generations, and lived experience—while supporting the workforce that serves adults, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. A dedicated Lunch with Vendors session provides an additional opportunity to network and connect with community partners across North Dakota.

Designed for professionals across health care, human services, aging, disability, housing, advocacy, and community-based systems, this symposium offers continuing education, peer connection, and space for reflection, learning, and renewal.

Join colleagues from across North Dakota to strengthen practice, share insight, and advance services grounded in care, connection, and humanity.

Info: Leadership, Ethics, and Reflection

Info: Coffee, tea, water, whole fruit, granola bars

Info: Lindsay Welsh, Emcee

Info: Pat Traynor, Interim Commissioner

Info: Benjamin Parker, LCSW
Northern Plains Children’s Advocacy Center

Info: Make-Your-Own Sandwich Bar, Soup, and Salad

Info: The Honorable Michael A. Gillette, Ph.D.

Info: Snacks and beverages

Info: Daphne Johnson-Clark

Info: Lindsay Welsh, Emcee

Info: The symposium agenda, session titles, speakers, and schedule are subject to change. Any updates will be communicated through the event webpage and/or email.

Info: Practice, Systems, and Resilience

Info: Continental breakfast

Info: Monica McConkey
Farm Family Mental Health Specialist | Eyes on the Horizon | Minnesota

Info: A) Sorting Dementia Types: Patterns and Rules-of-Thumb,
Alek E. Krumm, Ph.D.,
Room: Bavendick Stateroom.

B) Housing 101,
Jennifer Henderson, Director of Community Housing and Grants Management
North Dakota Housing Finance Agency,
Room: 432.

C) Communicating Indin Style,
Cheryl Ann Kary, Executive Director,
Sacred Pipe Resource Center,
Room: 436.

Info: Coffee, tea, water, whole fruit, granola bars

Info: A) Human Trafficking: What You Need to Know,
Stacy Schaffer, Founder & Executive Director,
31:8 Project – North Dakota Human Trafficking Education,
Room: Bavendick Stateroom.

B) Housing 101,
Jennifer Henderson, Director of Community Housing and Grants Management,
North Dakota Housing Finance Agency,
Room: 432.

C) Communicating Indin Style,
Cheryl Ann Kary, Executive Director,
Sacred Pipe Resource Center,
Room: 436.

Info: Baked Potato Bar and Beverages. Lunch with Vendors offers attendees the opportunity to connect directly with community partners, service providers, and organizations supporting adults, aging services, and individuals with disabilities across North Dakota. During this extended lunch session, participants can explore resources, ask questions, and learn about programs that strengthen person-centered services across the state. This informal networking time is designed to foster collaboration, build relationships, and support practical solutions that attendees can bring back to their communities.

Info: Caring for Self to Continue Caring for Others
Kristen M. Fischer, LMSW, NSW-C

Info: Snacks and beverages

Info: How to Survive, Recover, and Rebuild After Life’s Upended,
Jackie Stebbins, Speaker | Writer | Survivor

Info: Lindsay Welsh, Emcee

Info: The symposium agenda, session titles, speakers, and schedule are subject to change. Any updates will be communicated through the event webpage and/or email.

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Host or Publisher Adults and Aging Services Section