Past NCAPPS Webinars


Finding the Balance: Person-Centered Supports that Honor Safety and Dignity of Risk

Tuesday, December 17th



Person-centered supports must ensure that people have opportunities to make informed choices and to be supported in managing the risks that come with some decisions. Support providers have a direct role in helping people to live lives of their choosing and often face the challenge of balancing the individual’s choice and what is their ‘duty of care’. Participants in this webinar will 1) hear from people with disabilities about their experience in planning, navigating concerns about well-being, and seeking the ‘dignity of risk’, 2) learn from providers of supports about requirements, challenges, and successes in the delivery of quality person-centered supports that considers health and safety while honoring a person's right to make decisions that may not always be in their best interest, 3) learn about training available for direct support providers that will equip them with the skills and strategies to help manage health and safety concerns in a person-centered way.

Meet the presenters


John Raffaele

John Raffaele is the Director of Educational Services at the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals. John has Master of Social Work Degree, and is a highly experienced professional adult educator, group worker and facilitator. John's education is from Yeshiva University in New York City and The State University of New York at New Paltz.

Marian Frattarola-Saulino

Marian Frattarola-Saulino is the Co-Founder and CEO of Values Into Action (VIA). The VIA family of organizations includes the first Supports Brokerage in Pennsylvania and one of the original Support Coordination Agencies in New Jersey. She presents internationally on co-production as a fundamental right, based on experience from her current operational work. Marian is also a co-founder of The Alliance for Citizen Directed Supports.

Michelle Murphy

Michelle Murphy is a Staff Development Specialist with the Arc Mid-Hudson in Kingston, NY. She is a credentialed direct support professional (DSP) with 15 years of experience in various roles. Michelle currently oversees the NADSP E-Badge Academy at the Arc Mid-Hudson. Michelle is known for her vibrant personality, her passion for employee self-care, and empowering DSPs to be their best selves while providing quality supports.

Nicole LeBlanc

Nicole LeBlanc has 12 years of experience in disability policy field. Dignity of risk is her passion, and she has created a booklet on disability employment policy through a public policy internship. She currently works as the Person-Centered Advisory and Leadership Group (PAL) coordinator for the NCAPPS. Her Motto is “Control Your Own Destiny, or Someone Else Will.”

Chester Finn

Chester Finn is currently employed by the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (NYS OPWDD). He has served three terms as National President for Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) and is also an advisor and former president for the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State (SANYS).

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