Return to Work Programs: The Next Generation

Return to Work Programs: The Next Generation


Return to Work Programs: The Next Generation
Monday, July 18, 2005	Faculty
Four Points by Sheraton Hyannis Resort, Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts	Schedule
Summary
This workshop is designed for occupational and employee health professionals, disability management specialists, work return coordinators, corporate benefit managers, state workers' compensation officials, insurance industry professionals and others who wish to broaden their understanding of work return programs and advance their skills. Attendees should be familiar with the basic design of work return programs and want to learn how to evaluate its impact and refine its use in challenging situations. What is the best work return approach for a company - or for a specific site? How can the impact of the program be measured so the company can use the results to revise or refine its approach and have the greatest positive impact? What benchmarks and metrics are most useful? How can a work return program be successful when working with an organized workforce - with multiple unions? Are there special considerations for a company that has several sites and divisions, crossing multiple workers' comp jurisdictions? What strategies can be used to address resistance and lack of participation among employees, supervisors and community physicians? How can a company's approach be applied with people who experience a work disruption due to non-occupational illness or injury? This is your opportunity to address these questions and increase your depth of understanding about what works (and what doesn't!) across a variety of settings. The leaders' expertise in both the occupational and non-occupational disability arenas provides the learner with a broad resource.
What Will You Accomplish By Attending?
At the completing of this seminar you will be able to:
� Explain the essential elements of a successful work return program; � Describe the development of an impact study to evaluate the effectiveness of a work return program; � Use the results of an impact study to revise and refine a work return program; � Assess the relationship style between management and labor and identify the most effective method of implementing and sustaining a successful work return program; � Address perennial work return challenges such as resistance, lack of motivation and disruption among employees, supervisors and community physicians; and � Apply successful work return principles and practices to non-occupational illness and injury by engaging the worker, insurance company personnel, physicians and other health care providers.
Distinguished Faculty
Steven W. Leclair, Ph.D., CRC has worked with hundreds of industrial firms, service organizations, retail outlets, health care facilities and public employers, both nationally and internationally, to develop strategies that support persons with disabilities in their efforts to maintain or restore the ability to work. He is a licensed psychologist and certified rehabilitation counselor with more than 25 years of professional experience as a consultant, clinician, educator, researcher and administrator. He is the author of more than 40 publications including books, articles and monographs related to disability and work restoration. Steve is the Executive Director and CEO of Community Partners, Inc.; a large non-profit organization in Maine that provides community-based supports to persons with disabilities. Norma J. Leclair RN, Ph.D., LCPC, has worked as a consultant to business and industry, insurance carriers, health care systems, public schools and government agencies. She is a leading expert on the relationship between complex medical issues, psychiatric impairment and work restoration for both occupational and non-occupational disability. She has spoken and published on a variety of health care topics including psychiatric impairment, delayed recovery, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, HIV, and Hepatitis C. Norma was the consulting editor for psychiatric disorders for the 2001 edition of the Medical Disability Advisor by Presley Reed. Currently, she is the Director of Community Partners Education and Research Alliance, a non-profit research and professional development organization in Maine.

Tuition

Tuition is $295. Tuition includes a continental breakfast, lunch with faculty and a detailed workshop manual. Click here for registration information.

Continuing Education Information

Click here for Continuing Education Information.

Schedule

Monday, July 18, 2005

7:30-8:00	Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:00-8:15	Workshop Introductions Overview of activities
8:15-9:15	The basic elements of a work return program � Essential components and processes � Critical elements to achieve work return success for a specific company or site
9:15-10:15	Reviewing program success: the work return impact study � Essential components of a work return impact study (your return on investment) � Translate results into refinements that address problems and maintain successes
10:15-10:30	Break and Networking Opportunity
10:30-11:15	Reviewing program success: the work return impact study (continued)
11:15-12:00	Specific challenges and solutions in labor management relationships across union and non-union environments � Assess labor/management relationship style and identify an effective work return approach � Implement and sustain positive results
12:00-1:00	Lunch with Faculty Provided
1:00-1:30	Specific challenges and solutions (continued)
1:30-2:30	Challenging situations and people � Competing self-interests � Resistance and lack of motivation
2:30-2:45	Break and Networking Opportunity
2:45-3:45	Achieving work return success with non-occupational illness and injury � Expand and refine the process to achieve parallel results � Establish working relationships with insurers and community providers (outside the workers' compensation arena)
3:45-4:00	Summary, questions, and evaluation