This year's DSACO Reaching Across the Plains Annual Conference will be held March 9-10, 2012 at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in Norman, Okla. Cost for individuals is $40, $60 for couples and $100 for out of state attendees.

Friday night's keynote speaker is Don Meyer. Meyer is the director of the Sibling Support Project and is best known for creating Sibshops, lively programs just for young brothers and sisters of kids with special needs. Currently, there are over 340 Sibshops in eight countries. Don also created SibKids and SibNet, no-cost listservs for young and adult brothers and sisters which allow hundreds of siblings from around the world to connect with their peers.

Saturday will include all-day Sibshop training with Meyer as well as a number of breakout sessions for parents that include topics such as:

• Keeping Children & Adolescents with Down Syndrome Healthy: All the Medical Updates that Parents Need to Know
• Financial Planning and Special Needs Trusts
• Transition out of High School and Employment
• Assistive Technology
• Essential Lifestyle Planning
• Tools for families to compare and apply for services
• Understanding IEP's

In addition to the conference for parents and professionals, DSACO will host a simultaneous conference for Self-Advocates and teenagers with Down syndrome covering topics of:

• Relationships
• Exercise and Fitness
• Performance Arts
• Health/Nutrition

For more information about this year's conference please contact Megan Winkler at 405.330.5025 or executivedirector@dsaco.org.