Community Bulletin
Podiatrists Jennifer Michael, DPM, and Addison Michael, DPM, are accepting new patients at four clinics — Buckhannon, Elkins, Flatwoods and Weston — bringing foot and ankle surgery, wound care and diabetic foot care within reach across central West Virginia. Read more →
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Disability partners across the state, including the WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities, Disability Rights of West Virginia and the WV Developmental Disabilities Council, are hosting the Mountain State Conference on Disabilities (MSCD) in Morgantown on Sept. 18-19, 2025.
MSCD will explore strategies and services that support people with disabilities of all ages and their families by focusing on ways to improve care, communication and self-determination through best practices. It will also highlight the lived experiences of people with disabilities, their caregivers and families.
“Our goal is to foster a community where every individual’s voice is heard, and where innovative strategies empower people with disabilities to live, learn, and thrive independently,” said WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities director Dr. Lesley Cottrell.
A variety of sessions, including short courses, interactive workshops, poster presentations and a traumatic brain injury track, will be offered at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown on Sept. 18-19. The conference will also feature multiple disability resource vendors on site both days.
The conference’s keynote speaker will be educator and disability advocate Jordyn Zimmerman, who has been featured in The New York Times and The Boston Globe, and served as a two-time appointee to the U.S. President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.
“We’re excited to bring together a variety of stakeholders in the disability community as presenters and learners. This conference is bringing people from different paths together with a shared purpose to learn from one another,” said Dr. Amy Burt, an occupational therapist and associate professor in the Department of Disability Studies at WVU.
MSCD provides multiple options for attendees, including opportunities for CEU and non-CEU professionals and students. Scholarship opportunities also exist for West Virginians with disabilities and/or assistive technology users and their families.
“By sharing experiences, knowledge, and resources, we can build a more inclusive West Virginia — one where self-determination and support go hand in hand for all,” Cottrell said.
Specific session and ticket registration info can be found on the MSCD website.
