Training Calendar

Recruit, Cultivate and Retain (RCR) is a leadership series designed for mid-level managers working in employment and community inclusion service provider agencies. By joining RCR, you will have the opportunity to develop immediately usable skills for developing your own career and promoting increased job satisfaction for staff you manage. In community with other program managers, we will re-energize, create solutions to complex problems and share expertise.

Goals:

• Learn strategies for recruiting, developing and retaining staff
• Increase your leadership skills as a manager and leader
• Develop a plan for advancing your career
• Hone systems and processes for developing staff into leadership positions
• Connect with other leaders that are managing employment and day services
• Deepen and develop relationships across organizations in your community

The Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Technician (SART) program is a collaborative training initiative offered by the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) Mental Health & Human Services Program and the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) Rehabilitation and Human Services Program.

The online 10-course SART Certificate Program provides students with the necessary coursework to meet the education requirements for entry-level licensure in substance use disorder treatment in Maine. Whether you’re interested in becoming a substance use treatment counselor, pursuing a degree in a related field, or looking to enhance your existing qualifications, the SART certificate offers a comprehensive educational foundation.

Executive functioning challenges can affect planning, prioritizing, emotional regulation, working memory, and the ability to initiate and complete tasks. These skills are foundational for success at work, at home, and in the community.

Join us for a practical webinar exploring how to strengthen executive functioning skills by reducing cognitive load and building effective organizational and time‑management supports.

In this session, we’ll break down how cognitive load affects the brain’s ability to process information—and why simplifying tasks, reducing distractions, and structuring information increases success. We’ll also explore these concrete strategies:

• Time‑management supports: visual schedules, timers, routines, and task‑chunking
• Organizational tools: templates, checklists, dashboards, and environmental setup
• Working‑memory strategies: external memory aids, labeling, and sequencing supports
• Task initiation and follow‑through techniques: prompts and habit formation
• Emotional and cognitive regulation approaches: pause‑and‑plan strategies and predictability tools

This webinar is for professionals and educators who support people with disabilities in community, education, and employment settings.

This session will explore the current model of supported employment and effective strategies for maximizing competitive integrated employment for individuals with most significant disabilities. Focus will be placed on individuals who have historically been underrepresented in community-based and competitive employment. Strategies covered will include the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Model for individuals with severe mental illnesses, customized employment, and tips for fading job coaching supports.

CRC credits have been approved for this webinar.

Participants will:

• Understand the key components of the supported employment model and competitive integrated employment;
• Identify populations that are appropriate for, yet underrepresented in, supported employment services;
• Recognize the basic tenants of the IPS and customized employment models; and
• Build a toolkit of tips and strategies for fading job coaching supports and maximizing a supported employee’s independence on the job

Monthly learning opportunities for 2026!

Direct support staff, supervisors, and managers from residential, community, and employment programs can join Zoom calls to learn about strategies, tools, and resources they can use to help people make meaningful community connections, develop valued roles, and learn about and explore employment.

April topic: It’s Personal — supports that honor a person’s privacy, dignity and self-esteem

Sessions will be held on the last Tuesday of the month through November 2026. No registration required.

Join the monthly meeting using this link.

If you require accommodation, such as real time transcription and captioning (CART) or American Sign Language (ASL) or other language interpretation, please contact OADS at April.Keyes@maine.gov at least 2 weeks prior to the session date. You may also contact Lisa.Cline@maine.gov with questions.

This webinar equips job coaches with essential tools and insights to support long-term employment success for individuals with disabilities. Participants will explore practical strategies to foster workplace inclusion, strengthen social connections, and address factors that influence job retention and satisfaction.

This webinar is intended for Employment Service Professionals (ESP) and may also be relevant to Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRC).

Objectives:

1. Identify key factors that impact job retention for employees with disabilities.
2. Apply coaching strategies that promote inclusion and build social capital in the workplace.
3. Facilitate interventions that sustain long-term employment success.

CRC credits have been approved for this webinar.

This training provides valuable insights and practical strategies for helping individuals with felony convictions secure meaningful employment.  Participants will learn about the unique challenges faced by individuals with criminal backgrounds in the job market and how to effectively support them through the job search and hiring process. Emphasizing empathy, resourcefulness, and legal considerations, the training will explore effective approaches for addressing barriers to employment and locating opportunities for those with felony backgrounds.

This webinar is intended for employment service professionals (ESP) and vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRC). Clients with felony convictions could also learn about how to job search through this training.

Participants will…

1. Understand the common challenges facing those with felony backgrounds in securing employment;
2. Identify resources and strategies to navigate through various stages of the hiring process;
3. Identify strategies for addressing employer concerns; and
4. Develop strategies to locate and create a list of “felony friendly” employers in your regions.

CRC credits have been approved for this webinar.

Understanding how to analyze job roles and identify transferable skills is crucial for a successful job match. In this session, participants will gain a thorough understanding of how to assess a job by examining the job description and observing the tasks onsite. Participants will also learn how to evaluate the job seeker’s transferable skills to ensure a successful job match for supported or customized employment opportunities.

This webinar is intended for employment service professionals (ESP) and vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRC).

Participants attending this session will be able to:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of job analysis and its relevance to supported and customized employment;
• Learn how to conduct a thorough job analysis;
• Identify transferable skills that can be applied across different roles and industries; and
• Learn how to combine the two concepts to find the best job match for the job seeker.

CRC credits have been approved for this webinar.

Monthly learning opportunities for 2026!

Direct support staff, supervisors, and managers from residential, community, and employment programs can join Zoom calls to learn about strategies, tools, and resources they can use to help people make meaningful community connections, develop valued roles, and learn about and explore employment.

May Topic: From Presence to Purpose — building community connections that lead to valued social roles

Sessions will be held on the last Tuesday of the month through November 2026. No registration required.

Join the monthly meeting using this link.

If you require accommodation, such as real time transcription and captioning (CART) or American Sign Language (ASL) or other language interpretation, please contact OADS at April.Keyes@maine.gov at least 2 weeks prior to the session date. You may also contact Lisa.Cline@maine.gov with questions.

Monthly learning opportunities for 2026!

Direct support staff, supervisors, and managers from residential, community, and employment programs can join Zoom calls to learn about strategies, tools, and resources they can use to help people make meaningful community connections, develop valued roles, and learn about and explore employment.

June Topic: Beyond Words — communication support strategies for people with complex needs

Sessions will be held on the last Tuesday of the month through November 2026. No registration required.

Join the monthly meeting using this link.

If you require accommodation, such as real time transcription and captioning (CART) or American Sign Language (ASL) or other language interpretation, please contact OADS at April.Keyes@maine.gov at least 2 weeks prior to the session date. You may also contact Lisa.Cline@maine.gov with questions.