For Greene County News

FAIRBORN — Barriers to the educational process can interfere with learning in children and adults, causing those individuals to face many difficulties. But local experts in child development and disability services contend that understanding those barriers can help children and adults overcome the learning challenges they face.

To provide professionals with information about individual and environmental factors that affect learning in children and adults in the Miami Valley, the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine Center for Healthy Communities HealthLink and the Ohio Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Region IV are sponsoring a seminar, “Understanding Barriers to Learning,” 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at the Madison Lakes Learning and Conference Center, 581 Olive Rd. in Dayton. Parking is free.

Participants will learn about locally available resources related to disabilities and learning. Professionals, including social workers, counselors and nurses, can use this information to assist clients and their families.

Presenters include Christine M. Abbuhl, Ph.D., psychologist at Dayton Children’s Hospital; Rhonda Mercs, M.S., LPCC-S, director of the Urban Child Development Resource Center at the University of Dayton; Michelle Sherman, LSW, family advocate at the Urban Child Development Center at the University of Dayton; Vernellia Randall, J.D., professor emeritus at the University of Dayton School of Law; Jennifer Barga, M.Ed., disability and STEM resource support specialist at the Wright State University Office of Disability Services; and Jason Gepperth, M.Ed., disability and STEM resource support specialist at the Wright State University Office of Disability Services.

The Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board has approved 5.5 contact hours for counselors, social workers and marriage and family therapists. The Ohio Board of Nursing accepts social worker/counselor hours for RN licensure renewal.

There is a $40 nonrefundable registration fee. Space is limited. To register online, go to http://medicine.wright.edu/healthlink. Registration closes Feb. 24. For more information, contact Cindy Bradley at 937-775-8248 or [email protected].

The Center for Healthy Communities HealthLink and AHEC Region IV present the series of continuing education quarterly seminars for health care professionals and interested community members.