August 2025 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice

“Regulate & Advocate: Supporting Parents of Neurodivergent Youth at Home and in School”

with Christy Sprotte

Thursday, August 21st, 2025 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT

Facilitator:
  • Christy Sprotte

Christy Sprotte, Ed.S., CPPS, is currently a parent peer advocate supporting families whose children have significant mental health needs.  As a former school psychologist, she has over 20 years of experience in assessing and supporting neurodivergent youth with Autism, ADHD, and related needs.  Christy is also a certified mindfulness teacher who supports families in promoting more peace + presence in their homes by teaching skills to promote nervous system regulation.  Christy is a Midwest mom to two amazing neurodivergent children.  She loves crafting, cats, and coffee (not necessarily in that order). 

Description:

You play a powerful role in walking alongside parents of neurodivergent youth—offering connection, hope, and lived wisdom. This presentation will deepen your understanding of neurodivergence, and the complex challenges families often face, from emotional regulation struggles to navigating medical and educational systems that can feel overwhelming and isolating.

We will explore how nervous system dysregulation impacts both neurodivergent children and their caregivers, and discover trauma-informed, practical tools you can use—and share—to support co-regulation, build resilience, and foster a sense of calm and connection. We’ll also cover key school-based supports, including IEPs and 504 plans, and ways to empower parents as effective advocates within the educational system.

Ideal for parent peer specialists, peer specialists, community advocates, and clinicians working with neurodivergent families, this interactive session offers hands-on tools, real-life scenarios, and space for reflection.

Feedback Survey/CEH Information:

We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, September 4th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on September 11th, 2025. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time. 

This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

May 2024 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice

“Meet Me Where I’m At”
with Michelle Uetz and Amy Polsin

Thursday, May 16th, 2024 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT

Facilitator:
  • Michelle Uetz
    Michelle Uetz is a Certified Parent Peer Specialist (CPPS). Michelle is the Owner/Director of Rocky Hill Parent Peer Specialists LLC and contracts with counties to support parents and families receiving mental health and substance use support. Michelle currently has eight team members who work with her to support parents and families in 20 counties. Prior to supporting families Michelle used her Master of Education degree to teach high school Special Education, Biology, and Health for 17 years. She was in the first group of CPPS Trainers and continues to be a CPPS trainer. Michelle served as Co-Chair of the WI Certified Peer Specialist Advisory Committee for two years and served on the committee for five years. Michelle lost her sister to suicide. She and her husband had guardianship of her cousin’s girls who had experienced significant trauma and mental health challenges for three years. Additionally, she manages her own depression and anxiety. Michelle and her husband live in River Falls, WI. They have three boys who are young adults.
  • Amy Polsin
    Amy Polsin has been a parent peer specialist with Wisconsin Family Ties (WFT) since 2008. In her role, she supports families involved with Coordinated Service Teams (CST) and the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) and the Children Long Term Support waiver (CLTS). Amy has used her lived experience to provide support and hope to parents. Amy is a parent of two children, she shares her experience raising children with mental health needs with the parents she supports to promote and advocate for better outcomes for families.
Description:

Meeting parents where they are includes spatially, emotionally, socially, financially, physically, culturally, and more. We will walk through our experiences as parents and as certified parent peer specialists to provide insight, strategies and perspectives when supporting parent and families by meeting them where they are at during all phases of recovery.

Feedback Survey/CEH Information:

We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, May 30th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on June 6th, 2024. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time. 

This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

February 2022 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice:

“‘Something’s Changed’: When Youth are Struggling (Pandemic Impact Series)” ~ February 17th, 2022 from 1:30pm-3pm CST

Guest facilitators: Carmella Glenn of WI Department of Health Services and Kaziah Anderson of Just Dane

Carmella is CPS and CPS trainer and the Peer Run Respite & Peer Services Coordinator at the Division of Care and Treatment Services. Kaziah is a CPS and CPPS and is studying Community and Nonprofit Leadership at UW-Madison, with a focus on adolescent development and the effects of parental incarceration on children and families.

Description:

Guest facilitators, Carmella Glenn, CPS, CPS Trainer and Kaziah Anderson, CPS, CPPS, will facilitate a discussion on how those in peer specialist and parent peer specialist roles can respond to better support youth and our communities. The guest facilitators will also share how those in peer support roles have done just that with community collaborators and partners at East High School in Madison, WI in recent months.

When the violence at East High School escalated to the point of police macing students, Mom’s On A Mission (M.O.M.’s) was formed by 4 mothers of EHS students, who are also alumni of EHS. These M.O.M.s began forming a group to encourage the community to come out and support the students at EHS, in order for them to feel safe and supported. Some of the M.O.M.’s who were available, along with other community members, began going to lunch everyday to support the students, and the daily violence ended.

We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, March 3rd. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on March 10th, 2022. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEU credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.

This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

November 30th, 2021

November Supervisors of CPS & CPPS Community of Practice

“Supporting Parenting CPS & CPPS Employees” ~ November 30th, 2021 from 12 pm-1:30 pm CST

Guest facilitators: Paula Buege, CPS & CPPS trainer, RISE Wisconsin

Description:

This is the first of a Pandemic Impacts Series for WIPSEI Communities of Practice. Parents face unique stresses and challenges in today’s workplaces. They also possess unique strengths and bring valuable insights to our work in peer support as part of supporting the next generation. Come discuss how we can better support CPS & CPPS employees who are parents in the context of lessons learned from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30 pm on Tuesday, December 14th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30 pm on December 21st, 2021. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEU credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.

This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.