Keystone Human Services

The Power of Roles
2025-07-15 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-21 09:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Online
The Power of Roles
This workshop gives participants a practical introduction to the principles of Social Role Valorization. Through a combination of multimedia presentation and small group discussion, participants will learn about the phenomenon of social devaluation. This event includes discussion of how people with disabilities and other devalued groups have been systematically hurt and harmed by society, and what the impact of that devaluation has been. Participants will also learn about ways to help people have better lives by supporting them to achieve positive valued social roles. We will discuss practical strategies to make this a reality for the people you support.
*KHS employees should register for this workshop through Relias.*
Registration

Ideas That Matter
2025-07-18 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-07-26 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-01 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-08 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-05 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-12 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-03 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-10 09:00 - 12:00 and 6 more dates | Online
Ideas That Matter
Ideas that Matter is a half-day workshop aimed at offering a very brief look into some of Keystone Human Services’ foundational principles. We begin by exploring the history of disability, including how people with disabilities have been treated and thought about throughout history. We will take time to consider the threads and consequences of historical mindsets on the treatment of people today.
Looking forward, we discuss KHS’s vision statement in a small group format, sharing insights into how it resonates with and impacts our work individually and collectively. The session ends with a glimpse into the ideas of Social Role Valorization, a powerful framework for assisting people we serve to gain access to the good things of life.
Part of the New Employee Orientation process, all Keystone Human Services employees are required to attend this core developmental course. Employees should sign up through Relias.

Creating True Home
2025-07-22 09:00 - 13:00 | Online
Creating True Home

“The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.” Maya Angelou
This half day of reflection, discussion, and discovery will focus on the concept of home:

What is the importance and meaning of home?
What does it mean to have one’s own home?
How do we create home for others?

Through small group work, presentation, and discussion, we will explore ways to assess how we are doing in this area, which is central to so much of the work that we do.
Register

Distance Introduction to Social Role Valorization
2025-09-09 09:00 - 2025-09-24 12:30 | Online
Distance Introduction to Social Role Valorization
The Introduction to Social Role Valorization is an intensive workshop which presents the idea of assisting people with disabilities and other devalued conditions to have positive social roles as a productive and helpful response to wounding life experiences. Social Role Valorization is a comprehensive theory which provides insights as to why certain groups of people become devalued in society, what life experiences are likely to befall people once they have become devalued in the eyes of others, why valued social roles are a powerful response in combatting the negative life experiences, and ten essential themes which can guide implementers in pursuing valued social roles by, with, and for those practitioners desire to serve.
This foundational material is essential to those wishing to serve others in meaningful ways, and who are impassioned to make a difference in the lives of others. Many participants experience the learning within this event as the most helpful, inspiring, and clarifying body of knowledge they have been exposed to in their professional development, and it assists in long-term understanding and focus on being of service to others in ways that matter.
The workshop includes pre-recorded as well as live presentations, small and large group live reflection and discussion, online forums and resource materials. Participants should be prepared for significant presentations.
Course Schedule:
Week 1
Day 1: Tuesday, September 9, 2025: 9:00 am to 12:45 pm, live Zoom session with 2 additional hours of independent assignments
Day 2: Wednesday, September 10, 2025: 9:00 am to 2:15 pm, live Zoom session and small group work with 1.5 hours of additional independent assignments
Week 2
Day 3: Tuesday, September 16, 2025: 9:00 am to 2:30 pm, live Zoom session
Day 4: Wednesday, September 17, 2025: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm, live Zoom session with 45 minutes of homework before the next session
Week 3
Day 5: Tuesday, September 23, 2025: 9:00 am to 2:30 pm, a combination of live Zoom session and independent assignments
Day 6: Wednesday, September 24, 2025: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm, live Zoom session
*This course will take place entirely online. Participants must attend every session in order to receive credit for the workshop.*
You will receive a course syllabus in a confirmation email from the Keystone Institute. A manual will be mailed to you prior to the workshop. You will use the manual extensively throughout the workshop.
Register

Ideas That Matter 23
2025-10-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Online
Ideas That Matter
Ideas that Matter 2023 is a half-day workshop aimed at offering a very brief look into some of Keystone Human Services’ foundational principles. We begin by exploring the history of disability, including how people with disabilities have been treated and thought about throughout history. We will take time to consider the threads and consequences of historical mindsets on the treatment of people today.
Looking forward, we discuss KHS’s vision statement in a small group format, sharing insights into how it resonates with and impacts our work individually and collectively. The session ends with a glimpse into the ideas of Social Role Valorization, a powerful framework for assisting people we serve to gain access to the good things of life.
Part of the New Employee Orientation process, all Keystone Human Services employees are required to attend this core developmental course. Employees should sign up through Relias.

Introduction to PASSING
2025-10-20 - 2025-10-24 | TBD, Lancaster, PA, United States
Introduction to PASSING

This five-day workshop is for those who are interested in deepening their knowledge about the principles of Social Role Valorization. This workshop involves learning to use the PASSING assessment tool, which looks at the realities of Social Role Valorization in practice. It emphasizes the impact of services on the lives of the people being served and provides an opportunity to craft a vision of a good service and the foundation from which to design relevant and effective support, service, advocacy, and assess service quality.
The work of PASSING is done in teams, visiting a residential and a “day” service, meeting the people being served, and conducting interviews with service administrators. The workshop involves extensive personal reflection and analysis, group conciliation, and thought-provoking discussion. The week’s work is conducted under the guidance of an experienced team leader.
Prior attendance at a three- or four-day Introduction to a full Social Role Valorization theory course, either online or in-person, is required to register for this event.
This workshop includes long days and late nights. Participants can check into the hotel on the afternoon of Sunday October 19, 2025.
Register
Venue:
Spark by Hilton Lancaster
150 Granite Run Drive
Lancaster, PA 17601
(Please note, the hotel is in the process of switching from a Fairfield by Marriot to Spark by Hilton Lancaster.)
PASSING Faculty
Erica Baker-Tinsley
Erica Baker-Tinsley is a Professor and Coordinator of the Developmental Services Worker Program at Loyalist College in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. Before beginning her teaching career, she worked as a Family Support Coordinator providing support to people with intellectual disabilities and their families. It was through that work that Erica was first introduced to Social Role Valorization. Over the past 25 years, she has been involved in teaching SRV to service workers, administrators, families, and students at both high school and post-secondary levels.
In addition to SRV, Erica is passionate about community development approaches that build strong communities where all members are welcomed and supported. Through her involvement in various non-profit organizations, Erica has engaged in advocacy work promoting education, food security, and affordable, secure housing. Erica has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Disability Studies from Ryerson University and a Master of Arts Degree in Community Development from the University of Victoria. She is currently a Board Director of the Southern Ontario Training Group, and a member of the Social Role Valorization Development, Training and Safeguarding Council.
Pam Seetoo
Pam has worked to assist people to live rich, full community lives since 1990. Over the course of her life’s work, she has assisted people to leave institutions and establish themselves in their communities, supported children and families within foster care and host home programs, provided service leadership, and focused on values-based education and facilitation.
Throughout her career, Pam has worked to educate others about the effects of social devaluation of vulnerable populations. She facilitates many presentations at a variety of Social Role Valorization (SRV) and related workshops, leads small group learning and has been a team leader at PASSING events. She develops and organizes an extraordinary employee development program for the Keystone Institute and serves as a mentor and role model to many others. She has a strong interest in preserving and safeguarding the personal histories of people with disability and has developed workshops around this topic. Pam has been accredited as an SRV teacher by the North American Social Role Valorization Council.
Elizabeth Neuville
Elizabeth “Betsy” Neuville serves dual roles as Executive Director of the Keystone Institute and Director of Keystone Institute India. She has over 30 years of experience as a human service worker, administrator, agency director, evaluator, educator, and personal advocate, as well as extensive experience in designing and developing supports for people with disability, meaningful quality measurements, and extraordinary employee development programs.
She began her work with people with disability in 1986 as a support worker in a small community home for three men who had recently left an institution, and has continued her commitment to personal human service ever since. In 1988, she was hired by Keystone Human Services to help 20 people leave institutions and establish themselves in their home communities in Pennsylvania, US. She spent her first year with those 20 people and their families planning and envisioning new lives outside the institution, and she continue to walk alongside them as they entered their new lives and created a positive future.
Betsy served as Executive Director for KHS’s office in Lancaster, PA for many years, designing and directing supports for adults and children with developmental disabilities and/or mental disorders. She has assisted hundreds of people to leave institutions and begin lives as valued and contributing members of their communities. Equally important, she has been involved with the closure of several large governmental institutions, and she established the use of person-directed processes to assist people to envision full, rich community lives. She played an important role in building KHS’s reputation as an organization that will successfully support people whom others have given up on. She has mentored a great number of passionate change agents to carry on this work.
Betsy has worked extensively with the ideas of Normalization and Social Role Valorization (SRV) and provides training and consultation both nationally and internationally. She is fully accredited by the North American Social Role Valorization Council as a senior trainer of SRV. She has taught SRV and PASSING in Canada, across the United States, Ireland, the UK, Holland, Turkey, India, Azerbaijan, Romania, and the Republic of Moldova. She studied under the mentorship of Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger, the developer and foremost proponent of Social Role Valorization, and has, in turn, mentored and supported a generation of people committed to personal human service to others. She remains closely connected to people with disability, and holds particular interest in the historical treatment of people with disabilities.
She began using the tools and techniques of Person Directed Planning in 1992 to help people move toward better lives, and has extensively studied and used the work of Beth Mount in Personal Futures Planning and Jack Pearpoint in PATH and MAPS. She has taught Person Directed Planning techniques across North America, and in deinstitutionalization projects in Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Azerbaijan. She has developed techniques which merge traditional Person Directed Planning with Social Role Valorization and Model Coherency, increasing the likelihood that such processes will identify and meet true needs, as well as incorporate valued social roles. In 2013, she co-wrote the implementation plan for best practice in Person Directed Planning and positive behavior support for the class action settlement agreement Jensen v State of Minnesota, and has extensively evaluated current practice in this area for the federal court monitor.
She also develops material and teaches on many topics beyond SRV and Person Directed Planning, including Hospitality, American Eugenics, Moral Treatment, Organizational Values in Action, and many other areas. She leads the Keystone Institute in their work of developing top quality workshops and events relating to not only what their work is all about, but why it really matters.
Betsy divides her time equally between India and the US.
Maggie Jacobson

Maggie Jacobson is the Director of Training at Community Ventures in Living, a non-profit human service agency in Lafayette, Indiana. She is deeply committed to supporting people to have access to full, meaningful lives through valued social roles.
Maggie was first introduced to SRV in the late 1990s as a student in high school and has been continuing this education ever since. She is passionate about facilitating learning opportunities for others and believes that the concepts of SRV can help build truly integrative communities for all.
Maggie lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her husband, daughter, and two grumpy pets.

The Power of Roles
2025-11-04 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-03 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-17 09:00 - 16:00 | Online
The Power of Roles
This workshop gives participants a practical introduction to the principles of Social Role Valorization. Through a combination of multimedia presentation and small group discussion, participants will learn about the phenomenon of social devaluation. This event includes discussion of how people with disabilities and other devalued groups have been systematically hurt and harmed by society, and what the impact of that devaluation has been. Participants will also learn about ways to help people have better lives by supporting them to achieve positive valued social roles. We will discuss practical strategies to make this a reality for the people you support.
*This workshop takes place in two parts over two separate days via Zoom. It is necessary to attend both parts to receive credit for this workshop. KHS employees should register for this workshop through Relias.*
Register here

Ideas That Matter 24
2025-11-07 09:00 - 12:00 | Online
Ideas That Matter
Ideas that Matter 2024 is a half-day workshop aimed at offering a very brief look into some of Keystone Human Services’ foundational principles. We begin by exploring the history of disability, including how people with disabilities have been treated and thought about throughout history. We will take time to consider the threads and consequences of historical mindsets on the treatment of people today.
Looking forward, we discuss KHS’s vision statement in a small group format, sharing insights into how it resonates with and impacts our work individually and collectively. The session ends with a glimpse into the ideas of Social Role Valorization, a powerful framework for assisting people we serve to gain access to the good things of life.
Part of the New Employee Orientation process, all Keystone Human Services employees are required to attend this core developmental course. Employees should sign up through Relias.

SRV Study Group: Fire Through Dry Grass
2025-12-02 09:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Online Platform
SRV Study Group: Fire Through Dry Grass
Join us for a live screening and an in-depth discussion on the documentary Fire Through Dry Grass, an exposé that reveals the harsh realities faced by residents of Coler Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. This powerful film tells the story of a group of disabled artists and residents who courageously stood up against the City of New York to protect the lives of over 500 vulnerable nursing home residents on Roosevelt Island in New York City.
The film invites us to think again about the current realities of institutionalization, abuse, neglect, deep woundedness, and expressions of these wounds. Nursing home residents provide first-hand accounts, documenting the horrifying scenes inside Coler with their cell phones. The creators used every creative resource available to them to resist devaluation in all its forms and to advocate for life – for themselves and others at Coler Hospital.
Through the lens of SRV, we will explore how this film uncovers both the historical and ongoing devaluation of vulnerable populations. We will discuss practical applications of SRV principles demonstrated in the film and consider how art and valued social roles, as exemplified in the film, can counteract devaluation and shift our perceptions and attitudes toward people behind nursing home walls.
Register

SRV Refresher Course
2025-12-09 09:00 - 2025-12-10 13:30 | Online
SRV Refresher Course
Haven’t been to SRV for a while and are looking for a refresher course? Join us as we review the themes of Social Role Valorization and discuss how we have used these ideas over our years of serving others. A series of short presentations will be followed by chances to illustrate, discuss, and share ideas and struggles. Join us to learn about the several new themes of SRV, sharpen your grasp of the principles, recommit to using and teaching the ideas, and do it all in a relaxed atmosphere.
Prior attendance at a 3- or 4-day Introduction to Social Role Valorization workshop is required to register for this event.
This workshop will take place virtually on Zoom. You will receive a Zoom link in the confirmation email close to the date of the workshop.
12/9 and 12/10 Registration
Day 1 December 9, 2025 9:00 am – 1:30 pm EDT
Day 2 December 10, 2025 9:00 am – 1:30 pm EDT

The Power of Roles
2026-01-07 09:00 - 16:00 | Online
The Power of Roles
This workshop gives participants a practical introduction to the principles of Social Role Valorization. Through a combination of multimedia presentation and small group discussion, participants will learn about the phenomenon of social devaluation. This event includes discussion of how people with disabilities and other devalued groups have been systematically hurt and harmed by society, and what the impact of that devaluation has been. Participants will also learn about ways to help people have better lives by supporting them to achieve positive valued social roles. We will discuss practical strategies to make this a reality for the people you support.
*This workshop takes place via Zoom. KHS employees should register for this workshop through Relias.*
Register

SRV Office Hours
2026-01-14 11:00 - 13:00 | Keystone Institute, Second Floor – KI Library, 3700 Vartan Way, Harrisburg, PA, 17110, United States
SRV Office Hours
January 14 2026 @ 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST
Keystone Institute is offering monthly SRV office hours – a dedicated space for conversation, reflection, and support around Social Role Valorization.
Whether you are:

Navigating implementation challenges
Exploring role enhancement strategies
Wonding how to apply the Culturally Valued Analogue
seeking clarity on model coherency, positive compensation, or social imagery

Keystone Institute staff are here to:

Listen and understand the issues you’re facing
Offer insight grounded in SRV theory and practice
Support your efforts to craft and sustain valued social roles

Office hours are available the second Wednesday of the month, both in person and on Microsoft Teams. No registration is required. Just drop in.

The Power of Roles
2026-01-20 09:00 - 2026-01-22 12:00 | Online
The Power of Roles
This workshop gives participants a practical introduction to the principles of Social Role Valorization. Through a combination of multimedia presentation and small group discussion, participants will learn about the phenomenon of social devaluation. This event includes discussion of how people with disabilities and other devalued groups have been systematically hurt and harmed by society, and what the impact of that devaluation has been. Participants will also learn about ways to help people have better lives by supporting them to achieve positive valued social roles. We will discuss practical strategies to make this a reality for the people you support.
*This workshop takes place in two parts over two separate days via Zoom. It is necessary to attend both parts to receive credit for this workshop. KHS employees should register for this workshop through Relias.*
1/20 and 1/22 Registration
Day 1: January 20, 2026 9:00 am – 12:00 pm EST
Day 2: January 22, 2026 9:00 am – 12:00 pm EST

Distance Introduction to Social Role Valorization
2026-01-27 - 2026-02-05 | Online
Distance Introduction to Social Role Valorization
Date: January 27, 2026 – February 5 2026
The Introduction to Social Role Valorization is an intensive workshop which presents the idea of assisting people with disabilities and other devalued conditions to have positive social roles as a productive and helpful response to wounding life experiences. Social Role Valorization is a comprehensive theory which provides insights as to why certain groups of people become devalued in society, what life experiences are likely to befall people once they have become devalued in the eyes of others, why valued social roles are a powerful response in combatting the negative life experiences, and ten essential themes which can guide implementers in pursuing valued social roles by, with, and for those practitioners desire to serve.
This foundational material is essential to those wishing to serve others in meaningful ways, and who are impassioned to make a difference in the lives of others. Many participants experience the learning within this event as the most helpful, inspiring, and clarifying body of knowledge they have been exposed to in their professional development, and it assists in long-term understanding and focus on being of service to others in ways that matter.
The workshop includes pre-recorded as well as live presentations, small and large group live reflection and discussion, online forums and resource materials. Participants should be prepared for significant presentations.
Course Schedule:
Week 1
Day 1: Tuesday, January 27, 2026, 9:00 am to 12:45 pm with additional individual assignment/work
Day 2: Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm with additional individual assignment/work
Day 3: Thursday, January 29, 2026, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm
Week 2
Day 4: Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 9:00 am to 12:30 pm with additional individual assignment/work
Day 5: Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm
Day 6: Thursday, February 5, 2026, 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
*This course will take place entirely online. Participants must attend every session in order to receive credit for the workshop.*
You will receive a course syllabus in a confirmation email from the Keystone Institute. A manual will be mailed to you prior to the workshop. You will use the manual extensively throughout the workshop.
Register here
