Aging with Autism Conference - December 11 & 12 - Long Island

[Guest guest]

AGING WITH AUTISM: PREPARING FOR AND FACING VARIOUS

TRANSITIONS THROUGHOUT ADULTHOOD CONFERENCE

Thursday, December 11, 2008 and Friday December 12, 2008

Melville marriott Long Island

1350 Old Walt Whitman Road, melville, ny

Join Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI), Eden II Programs, and Nassau-Suffolk Services for Autism (NSSA) for a collaborative groundbreaking two-day conference on Long Island that will aim to educate, and enlighten us all to the intrinsic issues of a population growing older with autism.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO RECEIVE A CONFERENCE BROCHURE,

CONTACT OR definingthefuture@.... The brochure can be viewed and downloaded at www.nssainfo.org, www.eden2.org, and www.ddiinfo.org.

Exhibit/Vendor, Journal Advertisement, and Sponsorship Opportunities are available.

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AGING WITH AUTISM: PREPARING FOR AND FACING VARIOUS

TRANSITIONS THROUGHOUT ADULTHOOD

Thursday, December 11, 2008 - Day 1

7:45 a.m.-8:45 a.m. Check In & Registration – Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.-9:15 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:15 a.m.-10:15 a.m. KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: We’re All Getting Older: OMRDD Service Provision and Support to the Aging Population

COMMISSIONER DIANA JONES RITTER, OMRDD

The New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) currently supports 17,000 people with autism or disabilities within the Autism Spectrum Disorder, providing both residential and day services. Throughout the entire population of people we serve, the fastest growing age group is people over 50 years of age. In fact, the average age of individuals we serve in residential settings will be 50 by 2025. The population of older adults living with autism is expected to rise. Commissioner Ritter will discuss OMRDD services for people with Autism with an emphasis on support for successful aging in community as part of a life-long continuum of services.

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSION 1

1. Addressing Sexuality & Sexuality Education for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism: Bringing the Birds & Bees Down to Earth

LISA MITCHELL, LCSW-R

This workshop will address sexuality issues, and provide sexuality education for individuals with High Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Areas of focus include: reasons why individuals with ASDs need sexuality education; key concepts to teach, including preparation for puberty; relationship and social skill training and abuse prevention; teaching and communication tips; activities to use when providing sexuality education and training; and ways to address sexually maladaptive behavior.

2. Optimizing Outcomes in the Hospital Environment for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Developmental Disabilities

JAMES POWELL, MD

The goal of this lecture is to demonstrate the unique needs and requirements for services that individuals with Autism and Developmental Disabilities require in the hospital setting. Many encounters that our patients face inside the hospital require insight and experience to maximize outcomes. This presentation will outline the most common reasons patients are evaluated and admitted to a hospital setting. Case presentations will be utilized to show practitioners, staff, and families how to not only ensure that your patients are receiving the care they deserve, but also to help minimize risk and poorer outcomes.

3. The Comprehensive Guide to Transitional Services: The Aging-Out Process

IRENE CAVANAGH, MS Ed

This presentation will provide information about transition services. Learning what steps are imperative to take in order to make a smooth transition from district into the adult world will be discussed in detail. Attendees will be given a guide which will include a well detailed outline of which steps need to be taken at each age to complete the transition process, a guide to understanding supports and services, as well as a complete list of service providers in the Long Island region. Attendees will be guided on how and when to apply for Medicaid and what services will be available for individuals aging out into the adult world.

4. Creating and Identifying Opportunities For The Continuation of Learning Throughout Adulthood: A Practical Approach for Home, Day Programs, and Vocational and Community Settings

PETER GERHARDT, EdD, JASON WATSON

There is often an inaccurate perception that learning ends when an individual transitions from a school program into adulthood. To the contrary, some of the most important learning can and should take place throughout adulthood. There must be a practical approach to identifying the many teachable opportunities that staff and families are presented with on a daily basis. This presentation will address the identification of these opportunities and it will explore many examples of how learning opportunities during daily activities are developed into individualized program goals.

12:00 p.m.-1:15 p.m. LUNCH

1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. GENERAL SESSION: Quality of Life - The Ultimate Goal of All We Do

TED CARR, PhD

There is one truly meaningful and attainable goal for adults with ASD: good quality of life (QOL). QOL is multidimensional and includes material well-being (e.g., being employed); health and safety (e.g., access to medical services); social well-being (e.g., friendship, not isolation); emotional well-being (e.g., positive mood); leisure and recreation (e.g., life in the community); and autonomy (e.g., being allowed to make choices). When we focus our efforts on identifying the elements of a good QOL for people with ASD and take steps to achieve this positive outcome, we are treating people as full-fledged human beings and not as members of a diagnostic category. We are treating them as we would wish to be treated. QOL shifts our focus away from psychopathology and towards a meaningful existence.

2:45 p.m.-4:15 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSION 2

5. Sexuality & Sexuality Education for More Challenged Learners On The Autism Spectrum: Bringing the Birds & Bees Down to Earth

LISA MITCHELL, LCSW-R

Like all people, women, men and young persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) require accurate, age-appropriate information about sexuality, and have the right to learn all they can to become sexually healthy individuals. This workshop will address sexuality issues, and provide sexuality education for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders of all ages. Areas of focus include: reasons why individuals with ASDs need sexuality education; key concepts to teach, including preparation for puberty; relationship and social skill training and abuse prevention; teaching and communication tips; activities to use when providing sexuality education and training; and ways to address sexually maladaptive behavior.

6. Growing Older with Autism: Pharmaceutical and Behavioral Challenges and Transitions

MAGERY SATISH, MD

Many individuals with autism show behavioral regression during adolescence as well as middle age. This presentation is aimed at recognizing issues as they arise and utilizing medical and behavioral interventions to improve outcomes.

7. Understanding Self Determination For Persons’ With Asperger’s And High Functioning Autism

Giuliano, OMRDD LIDDSO, panel of consumers and family members

Self-Determination is a method by which people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities will be given the opportunity to achieve additional control and direction over the services that support them in community living. A person who elects to participate in the Self-Determination program should have a clear concept of his or her life goals, and have a freely chosen circle of support consisting of family, friends and others who will help him or her determine a support plan and budget based on needs and choices that are available and meet the criterion set forth in the person's Individualized Service Plan (ISP). This presentation will provide an overview of Self-Determination and will include an open discussion with individuals who are currently using the program and their family members.

8. The Parent Perspective: Facing the Issues of Living with a Family Member Aging with Autism Parent Panel

AGING WITH AUTISM: PREPARING FOR AND FACING VARIOUS

TRANSITIONS THROUGHOUT ADULTHOOD

Friday, December 12, 2008 - Day 2

7:45 a.m.-8:45 a.m. Check In & Registration – Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.-9:15 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:15 a.m.-10:15 a.m. KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Adolescents and Adults With Autism: What Constitutes Evidence-Based Practice?

PETER GERHARDT, Ed.D

In 1983 Mesibov wrote, “A major difficulty confronting those interested in adolescents and adults with autism is a lack of empirical data.â€. Unfortunately, 25 years later the needs of adolescents and adults on the spectrum remain poorly researched and often misunderstood. This presentation will provide an overview of the current research; discuss some of the challenges to the translation of effective research into evidence-based practice; and, offer recommendations for both future research and practice initiatives.

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSION 1

9. The Key to a Quality of Life: Effective Communication

JOANNE GERENSER, PhD, CCC-SLP

Communication has been broadly defined as the process of meaningful interaction among human beings. Deficits in communication skills are consistent with ASD, across all levels of functioning. In fact, it can be argued that autism is a severe disorder of communication. This presentation will review the core issues in ASD that impact the development of effective communication skills as well as the impact that limited communication skills have on all other aspects of functioning. The focus will be specifically on these issues as they affect adolescents and adults with ASD. Implications for intervention, program development and policy will be discussed.

10. The Road to Long Term Incarceration; Signs To Look For and Strategies To Prevent The Adolescent or Adult With ASD From Entering The Criminal Justice System

LAWRENCE SUTTON, PhD

Individuals with autism can be arrested and, in some cases, end up in jail. In one study, over 60% of adolescents in a sexual offender jail were individuals with an autism spectrum disorder. Through case history reports, many of these individuals appeared to get themselves into trouble by either following the direction of a designing other (someone who took advantage of them); misreading the non-verbal cues of another; or, in some cases, taking someone’s comments literally. Some individuals with ASD have run into trouble when routines or rules are changed, such as when the time was changed to clean the restrooms and a 23 year old man was charged and fired for work place violence when he confronted the custodian who was cleaning the restroom. This workshop will review case histories and outline how some individuals ended up in juvenile or adult jails. Identification of common reasons or issues that led to incarceration including: issues of friendship and courtship; the need for and availability of realistic community resources; and promising practices in the rehabilitation of individuals so that certain behaviors do not need to occur again will be reviewed.

11. Film Presentation: "Letting Go: When Your Child Leaves Home"

MIKE GRADY, MA

This film will explore the complex issues involved when considering residential placement for individuals on the spectrum. This film will address adults with autism living at home or in non-family settings; positive and negative aspects of residential status; residential versus home care supports. This film won the 2008 Autism Society of America's " Excellence in Media" award and is appropriate for family members, professionals, and direct care workers.

12. CommunityWorks: A Pre-Vocational Community Based Program For Creating Meaningful Learning Opportunities For Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

JERI KENDLE, DANIEL OPENDEN, PhD, BCBA

Current unemployment rates for adults with autism hover around 90 percent, largely a result of their social challenges and lack of training. Many adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) can be successfully employed, often with minimal support and assistance. One key to success is exposing them to pre-vocational work opportunities while they are in middle and high school. CommunityWorks is a peer mentoring program created to provide adolescents ages 13-18 with ASDs with training, mentoring and work experiences in collaboration with local community venues. Since January 2008 CommunityWorks has enrolled over 75 adolescents into our programs and provided more than 4,300 individual hours of service to non-profit organizations in Phoenix, Arizona.

12:00 p.m.-1:15 p.m. LUNCH

1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. GENERAL SESSION: “Aging With Autism Spectrum Disorderâ€: Consumer Panel: A panel of consumers on the autism spectrum will discuss some of the challenges they face as adults living with ASD. A question and answer period will be provided.

2:30-4:00 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSION 2

13. Panel Discussion: Promoting Vocational, Community Access, And Recreation and Leisure Skills For Individuals Requiring Significant Supports

SUE DAVIS, MS Ed, RANDY HOROWITZ, MS Ed, SAS, JASON WATSON

Cognitive functioning, levels of challenging behaviors as well as speech and language skills vary widely in individuals on the autism spectrum. It has been estimated that 60-70 % of individual with autism function in the range of mental retardation. In addition, approximately 30 % of individuals with autism may not develop functional speech. Meeting the needs of those individuals with significant cognitive, linguistic, and behavioral challenges can be quite difficult for providers, but is even more complex when working with adolescents and adults with ASD as they navigate the areas of employment, recreation, and leisure and community integration. This workshop will provide an overview of programs uniquely designed for individuals with ASD who require significant supports. Specifically, a blended day service model of day habilitation, pre-vocational, and supported employment will be discussed. In addition, a model for promoting recreation and leisure skills will be discussed. The focus of this workshop will be specifically on access to the community.

14. Are We Preparing Students with ASD for Life After High School?

MARY McDONALD, PhD, BCBA , NICOLE WEIDENBAUM MS Ed, SAS

As more students with autism are graduating high school, it often becomes apparent that there are many areas that still need a great deal of attention in order for them to become successful adults. Often the constraints of the school setting may limit students' opportunities to practice these skills and they may also lack instructional time in these areas. This session will provide an overview of specific areas of need for adolescents and young adults that are often overlooked, considered to be of less importance, or simply not addressed during the school day. We will discuss the relevance of these important skills in everyday life, the community, and the job market.

15. Residential Issues for Adolescents and Adults with Autism

EILEEN HOPKINS, PhD

The size and specific type of residence are important considerations in creating a safe and happy home for individuals with autism. Importantly, however, what is needed to provide truly effective residential supports to adolescents and adults with autism extends far beyond the physical qualities of the house. Ensuring the individual’s health and safety are critical clinical concerns, as are supporting the person in maximizing their quality of life through promoting independence, inclusion, and on-going skill development. This presentation will orient attendees to important options, principles, and practices in the area of residential services, with the goal of building skills to provide quality services and supports to individuals with autism in residential settings. Topics including needs assessment and program development; addressing dietary, health, and medical needs; developing opportunities for meaningful community inclusion; and promoting overall happiness and quality of life will be discussed. A program staffing model found to be effective in delivering quality residential services will be reviewed, and time will be provided for participants to share ideas and practices they have found to be effective.

16. Special Considerations In The Management Of Challenging Behavior In Adults On The Spectrum

FRANK CICERO, PhD, BCBA

Understanding and treating problem behavior is a challenge in children on the autistic spectrum. Treating problem behavior in adolescents and adults on the spectrum can often be an even greater challenge. Issues within this population including age, size, reinforcement history, long term medications, lack of professional resources, paucity of empirical research, limitations in parental involvement or ability, and less intense staffing ratios in day programs, all contribute to the challenge. This workshop will discuss issues that are faced when dealing with challenging behavior in an adolescent and adult population and will provide the audience with some modifications that can be made to behavior intervention programs in order to make them practical and effective.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

Please complete registration form, detach and mail along with payment information to:

Aging With Autism: PREPARING FOR AND FACING VARIOUS TRANSITIONS THROUGHOUT ADULTHOOD c/o Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism (NSSA)80 Hauppauge RoadCommack, NY 11725

Registration forms may be faxed to:

For further information, contact or e-mail: agingwithautism@...

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Check One: Parent Professional Student

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Conference registration fee covers attendance, conference materials, continental

breakfast, and lunch

Conference Registration Fee (check one):

Professional Rate:

___ $125 Conference Day One only

___ $125 Conference Day Two only

___ $185 Two-Day Conference Fee

Parent Rate:

___ $95 Conference Day One only

___ $95 Conference Day Two only

___ $145 Two-Day Conference Fee

Walk-in attendee fees will increase $25 for each rate above

REFUND POLICY: No refunds after December 1, 2008. All refunds subject to $20 processing fee.

Breakout Session Choices: Every effort will be made to accommodate your choices; however, seating is limited and will be determined on a first-come first-served basis.

Session 1 (circle one): 1 2 3 4

Session 2 (circle one): 5 6 7 8

Session 3 (circle one): 9 10 11 12

Session 4 (circle one): 13 14 15 16

Payment Method:

Purchase Order Payment: Please enclose your purchase order with your registration form.

Check Payment: Please make all checks payable to NSSA

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Melville Marriott Long Island Hotel: 1350 Old Walt Whitman Road, Melville, NY 11747 Tel: . Ask for autism conference

The Melville Marriott is please to be holding rooms for the upcoming Aging with Autism: PREPARING FOR AND FACING VARIOUS TRANSITIONS THROUGHOUT ADULTHOOD conference, December 11, 2008-December 12, 2008 at the group rate of $159 (per room/per night). Get the Moviefone Toolbar. Showtimes, theaters, movie news more!