Instructions for
submitting a proposal

All conference participants, including presenters, will submit proposals, register and pay for the conference using the Internet.   (All selected presenters will receive a conference registration discount). You may submit your proposal using the online survey format.

Complete all required fields on the survey.  Incomplete proposals will not be accepted.  Proposals are due no later than March 23, 2009.

You may submit more than one proposal.  You will receive confirmation that your proposal was submitted successfully. All proposal submitters will receive a letter notifying them of the acceptance or denial of their proposal by April 15, 2009.

Please follow the steps below to submit your proposal online. 
(Question numbers correspond with the online submittal survey.)

• Identify the Proposal’s Primary Submitter  (Q13-Q16)
  

  Identify the person who is proposing the session and with whom all correspondence will occur. Provide the name of the lead speaker and up to four additional speakers (if there will be more than one person involved in the presentation). Please remember to add all speaker’s titles and organization names. These will be included in the conference brochure.

• Select a Session Title and Write a Session Description (Q26-Q28)
  

  Enter the title of your session. Titles must be short, concise, creative and descriptive. Write a session description in 100 words or fewer that covers the session content. Include one to four presentation objectives that state what participants will learn. Conference planners reserve the right to modify session titles and descriptions as needed to meet conference standards.

• Designate a Preferred Format (Q29)
  Choose one of the following formats for your session:

  Workshop: Concurrent breakout sessions featuring individual, group, or panel presentation on program experience/research, promising practices, skill building, policies, procedures or other types of training. Includes time for discussion/questions. Workshops are 75 minutes in length.

  Open Forum: Concurrent breakout sessions featuring a dialogue (not a presentation or lecture) on a specific topic to promote the exchange of ideas and practices among participants. Your role is to be a discussion facilitator rather than a presenter/lecturer. May include sharing of handouts by participants, if desired. Open Forums are 75 minutes in length.

  Roundtable Discussion: Open discussion and informal exchange of ideas in a small group led by you as a facilitator, not as a presenter/lecturer. Discussions are held in the exhibit hall on Tuesday, August 19. Includes the use of handouts as desired. Request either a
  45-minute or 90-minute session.

  Poster Session: Display best practices, research projects, program accomplishments on poster board provided by conference planners, or use your own set-up. A six-foot table is provided. Includes one-on-one Q&A or small group discussions. Sessions are held in the exhibit hall on Tuesday, August 19. Print materials in a professional manner (PowerPoint slide printouts or similar materials).

  Sales of products or services are prohibited in sessions regardless of format. Presenters at poster sessions may hand out product flyers or brochures, and they may describe but not sell products and services. All sales are limited to the exhibit area by paid exhibitors.

• Identify the Population Focus (Q30)
  Identify the population focus of your session (Consider one or any combination.)

  Children with disabilities
  Family caregivers
  Older persons
  Persons with developmental disabilities
  Persons with physical disabilities
  Persons living with HIV/AIDS
  Persons with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias
  Persons with brain injury (acquired or traumatic)
  Persons with chronic medical conditions
  Persons who are medically fragile
  Persons with mental illness
  

• Select a Conference Strategy (Q31)
  Select one of the conference strategies that address CHOICES which corresponds most closely with your session:

  Community connections
  Health, wellness and long-term support
  Own place to live
   Important long-term relationships
  Control over supports
  Employment earnings and stable income
  Safety

• Identify the audience level for your presentation (Q32 – Select only one.)

  Basic: Introductory material. Audience needs no prior knowledge
  of topic.

  Intermediate: Material builds on existing knowledge and goes well beyond basics. Audience needs some background knowledge of topic.

  Advanced: Complex, in-depth, or highly technical material. Audience needs advanced understanding of topic

• Prerequisite:  (Q33)

  If you selected either the “Intermediate” or “Advanced” audience level, describe what prior knowledge or experience your intended audience should have to derive the greatest benefit from your presentation. (25 words or less)

• Who is the target audience for your presentation? (Q34 -Select all that apply)
  • Educators
  • State staff
  • County staff: direct service
  • Aging only
  • County staff: supervisors/managers
  • Disabilities only
  • Provider staff: direct service
  • Aging and disabilities
  • Provider staff: supervisors/managers
  • Other
• If you selected “Other” above, enter the audience category.

If you have questions, please contact the Odyssey hotline 1-800-882-6262 or
e-mail DHS.Odysseyconference@state.mn.us.