NCSS Training Team Highlights Maine Partnership at Summit

In May 2025, the National Center for START Services® training team had the honor of presenting and engaging with attendees at the first-ever Innovation Summit: A Path for Maine held in Portland. This landmark event brought together self-advocates, families, service providers, state leaders, vendors, and professionals dedicated to advancing support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), autism, brain injuries, and co-occurring mental health needs.

Elevating the Conversation Around Person-Centered Support
The summit served as a powerful platform to spotlight Maine’s growing commitment to person-centered, strength-based care. NCSS Director of Training and Professional Development Beth Grosso and Training Coordinator Caitlyn Veenstra joined forces with Maine’s Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) Program Coordinator Deborah Johnson, NASDDDS Director of Cross Systems Strategies Stacy Nonnemacher, and self-advocate and community leader Margaret Cardoza. Together, they developed a panel presentation titled:
Person-Centered Training Toward Person-Centered Support: Improving Outcomes for People with IDD, Autism, and Mental Health Needs.

This session explored:

• The national need to strengthen capacity for serving people with co-occurring IDD and mental health needs (IDD-MH),
• How NCSS professional development opportunities reflect START’s trauma-informed, strengths- and wellness-based principles,
• Key data and lessons learned from Maine’s ongoing collaboration with NCSS.

Progress Through Partnership
In 2022, Maine OADS partnered with NCSS to enhance its workforce development efforts. Their goal: to train 500 Case Managers/Care Coordinators and 1,000 Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) in START-aligned strategies through professional development course attendance.

As of this year, those numbers are well on their way:

• 411 Case Managers/Care Coordinators and 623 DSPs have already participated in NCSS training programs.
• OADS post-training evaluations revealed high levels of satisfaction, with an average usefulness rating of 8.22 out of 10.

These results reflect more than numbers—they represent real progress in transforming how we think about and respond to the needs of people with IDD-MH, their families, and the systems that support them.

Building Connections and Sharing Resources
In addition to presenting, the NCSS Training team staffed a resource table throughout the two-day summit. Attendees were invited to build professional relationships, bust some myths about mental health and IDD, collect some NCSS swag, and learn more about how NCSS Professional Development training can support sustainable, person-centered systemic change.
The event allowed for meaningful engagement with stakeholders across Maine and beyond—from state officials to self-advocates, caregivers, and fellow trainers. These conversations reinforced a shared vision: that people with IDD and mental health needs deserve support systems that are person-centered, inclusive, and knowledgeable.

Continuing the Journey
The 2025 Innovation Summit was more than a professional gathering—it was a celebration of progress and a recommitment to equity and innovation in the disability community. NCSS is proud to be part of Maine’s path forward and looks forward to continued collaboration in building a workforce that is compassionate and equipped with high self-efficacy.

Want to learn more about NCSS professional development offerings or bring training to your team?
Visit the NCSS Training and Professional Development webpage. 

(L-R): Deborah Johnson, Elizabeth Grosso, and Caitlyn Veenstra.