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 631-462-0386 OR definingthefuture@.... The brochure can be

viewed and downloaded at _www.nssainfo.org_ (http://www.nssainfo.org/) ,

_www.eden2.org_ (http://www.eden2.org/) , and www.ddiinfo.org.

Exhibit/Vendor, Journal Advertisement, and Sponsorship Opportunities are

available.

___________________________________

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_ (http://www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1534/autism.html)

living at _home_ (http://www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1349/home.html) 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 Road

Commack, NY 11725

Registration forms may be faxed to: 631-462-4201

For further information, contact 631-462-0386 or e-mail:

agingwithautism@...

Name:

Title:

Organization:

Check One: Parent Professional Student

Street Address:

______________________________

City: State: Zipcode:

Phone Number:

Email Address:

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

Charge Card Payment: Visa MasterCard American

Express

Card Number: ___________________________

Security Code : _________________ Expiration Date: /

/

Signature

__________________________

Melville Marriott Long Island Hotel: 1350 Old Walt Whitman Road, Melville,

NY 11747 Tel: 800-228-9290. 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).

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