Training
Offering exceptional training on a variety of industry-related topics.
MORA has provided quality trainings throughout Minnesota for over 25 years.
Since its establishment, MORA’s training department has worked with over 15,000 individuals. MORA places a high value on quality training and skill development. We bring our expertise to more than 150 organizations throughout Minnesota, teaching with person-centered values and broadening our impact on the lives of people living with disabilities. We offer in-person and virtual sessions for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professionals (QIDPs), Social Workers, Nurses, Positive Supports Specialists, leadership in disability services, and parents/guardians/family members.
Customized Training
For questions, or to discuss our customized training options.
Find a Class
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Classes Offered
Positive Support Core Training
Our core training will teach you how to stay safe while following mandated regulations. Participants will learn behavior prevention, de-escalation techniques, and physical intervention techniques. This class covers all 13 competencies required by the 245 A, C, & D Positive Support Rule. Participants should come dressed in attire and shoes suitable for physical activities.
8 hours
Positive Support Core Refresher Training
Our core training refresher will teach you how to stay safe while following mandated regulations. In this 4-hour mandatory refresher class, participants will learn behavior prevention, de-escalation, physical intervention techniques, and much more. This class covers all 13 competencies required by the 245 A, C, & D Positive Support Rule. Participants should come dressed in attire and shoes suitable for physical activities.
4 hours
Prevention and Physical Intervention
This interactive, hands-on course will focus primarily on the technical skills needed to keep people safe. We will spend much of the class on our feet, learning to block, release, redirect, and restrain. We will also spend a short amount of time discussing proactive and preventative techniques. Please dress comfortably and wear footwear that allows you to move around safely.
3 hours
Medication Administration
Medication Administration training is for unlicensed personnel to learn how to safely administer medications. Topics include rules and regulations, classifications of medications, how medications affect the body, desired effects of medications, potential side effects of medications, and procedures for administering and documenting medications.
6 hours
Family Behavior Support Training
This 3-hour course is tailored to meet your family’s specific needs. We will spend the first portion exploring many different aspects of prevention and de-escalation of challenging behavior; a basic understanding of human behavior, self-management, consistency, structure, routine, and positive support strategies, as well de-escalation and environmental modifications. The last half of the course is the hands-on component, where we will teach you how to physically intervene when needed to protect people from harm. Please dress comfortably and wear footwear that allows you to move around safely.
3 hours
Assistive Technology
The What, Why, and How of Assistive technology. Are you helping the people you support to live their best lives? Are you allowing them the dignity of risk? Do you have annual conversations about how Assistive technology could help people reach their goals? This class will get you started on the way to answering “yes” to all of these questions.
2 hours
Resiliency in the Human Services Field
With the stressors in the human services world, resilience is needed more now than ever before. You will be able to experience and walk away with usable tools to share with your teams and help bring resilience to each person you employ and provide services to.
1.5 hours
Training Team
Derek Rust is a Training Specialist at Mount Olivet Rolling Acres (MORA). He has supported people within the field of disability services for over 27 years, 19 of those years with MORA. Derek attended Minnesota State University in Mankato and earned two degrees while continuing to further his career in the field. Derek began working as a Direct Support Professional and has several years of experience managing group homes and day program settings. He has now been supporting people and their caregivers through the training that he provides. With each training, Derek brings knowledge, passion, and energy, which keeps audiences engaged and entertained.
Kit Piltingsrud is a Training Specialist and Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) at Mount Olivet Rolling Acres (MORA). She worked as a Direct Support Professional for a few years while pursuing a music degree, which left a mark on her. Kit went back to college and got a master’s degree in Developmental Disabilities and Special Education. She worked for 12 years as a special education teacher for children with developmental disabilities at the High School and Transition levels. She then spent 10 years supervising residential group homes for adults with developmental disabilities before coming to MORA. Kit is a member of MN-NEAT (Minnesota Networking and Education in Assistive Technology), a group consisting of professionals with varying types of expertise in assistive technology. Kit brings a passion for Person-Centered services and advocacy with a wealth of knowledge in the field of disability services. (Edit this however you would like)
“Derek is very knowledgeable on the topic of behavior management. Staff have used many of the techniques that are taught in class in real life situations, and they are effective and very useful.”
– ACR Homes
“Heather and I just received a preview of the mission video and every time I watch it, I sob. Kit was exactly perfect in it, and we are so appreciative of Kit doing that when you were having such a hard week. Thanks again for making this video happen!”
– Former Supervisor
“I was apprehensive of the Physical Intervention training, but Derek quickly put me at ease with his professional, friendly nature. Derek has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and he shared suggestions that I can implement. I really enjoyed learning from Derek, and I came away with confidence that I can work through more difficult situations.”
– Parent
“Kudos to Kit. Kit is part of the MN Neat, a volunteer organization, who are providing a virtual seminar this morning from 9-12. Kit Piltingsrud did a great job talking about [her agency] and shared information about assistive technology.”
– Seminar Attendee
“MORA was very helpful in giving us better tools to best handle our child’s behavioral issues. She has moderate diffuse developmental delay and being a teenager is now hard to control, so the input they gave my husband and I was very helpful.”
– Parent