Supporting People With Autism

Supporting People With Autism Sponsored by Central Virginia Training Center & Commonwealth Autism Service One Day Conference Sessions Repeated Over Two Days. Attend Either Day: September 28 or 29, 2009 Florence Elston Inn & Conference Center Located at Sweet Briar College, Amherst, Virginia Fifth Annual Fall Conference For People Who Support Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities To allow greater participation without overcrowding and to contain costs, the sessions on September 28 are repeated on September 29. Pick the day most convenient for you. Conference Focus Autism is the nation s fastest growing developmental disorder affecting one in 150 individuals and affects four times more males than females. Research shows that in Virginia children are not usually diagnosed until the age of six and that during the past eight years, Virginia schools have experienced a 400% increase in the number of children with autism. These statistics have profound implications for support professionals and the services they provide in the community. CVTC is honored to sponsor this year s conference, Supporting People With Autism, along with Commonwealth Autism Service. The sessions will be repeated on September 28 and 29 in an effort to keep the fees as low as possible and to allow for greater participation. This year s conference offers many diverse sessions that will give participants insights into the mysteries surrounding autism. Dr. Gena Barnhill, a noted author, professor and mother of an adult son with Asperger syndrome will help participants unravel the puzzle of autism. She will also discuss what research offers for those who have been diagnosed within one of the autism spectrum disorder categories. Experts in the field from across the Commonwealth will provide current information on critical topics including but not limited to supported employment, social security benefits, sexuality issues, teaching techniques, music therapy, augmentative communication, microboards and the application of functional behavior assessments to decrease problem behaviors. Participants will have the opportunity to hear directly from staff of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, regarding the future of autism services in Virginia. A special feature of this year s program includes an endnote presentation from David Hamrick, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. David will share his personal story describing how autism has impacted his life. We look forward to returning to the Florence Elston Inn & Conference Center located on the beautiful campus of Sweet Briar College. I hope to see you there! Carolyn Robinson, Conference Coordinator

Conference At A Glance 8:15 AM Registration 8:45 AM Welcome Paul Davies, Vice President for Finance and Administration, Sweet Briar College Carolyn Robinson, Ed.D., Director, Staff Development and Training, CVTC 9:00 AM Keynote Address: Life in the World of Autism Speaker: Gena Barnhill 10:15 AM Break 10:30 AM Concurrent Session 1 Select One Residential Supports for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder; Carol Schall Day 1: Supported Employment for Customized Employment for Individuals With Autism; Paul Wehman Day 2: Social Security Disabilities Benefits: The Top Ten Myths; Jennifer McDonough A Look at Possibilities - The Future of Autism Services in Virginia; Panel: Heidi Lawyer; David Hamrick, Kathy May, Lee Price, John Toscano Sexuality Instruction for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Place to Start; Megan Atthowe Video Modeling/Self Modeling; Sally Chappel 11:45 AM Lunch (included in the conference registration) 1:00 PM Concurrent Session 2 Select One 2:15 PM Break A Look at Possibilities - The Future of Autism Services in Virginia; Panel: Heidi Lawyer; David Hamrick, Kathy May, Lee Price, John Toscano Sexuality Instruction for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Place to Start; Megan Atthowe The Importance of Functional Behavioral Assessment in Designing Behavior Intervention Plans; Gena Barnhill Music Therapy and Autism; Rachel Reynolds How to Set Up Microboards; Mac MacArthur-Fox 2:30 PM Concurrent Session 3 Select One 3:45 PM Break Residential Supports for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder; Carol Schall Day 1: Supported Employment for Customized Employment for Individuals With Autism; Paul Wehman Day 2: Employment Best Practices: Skills, Values, and Strategies for Successful Job Development and Outcomes; Jennifer McDonough Video Modeling/Self Modeling; Sally Chappel A Dual Perspective: From a Parent and Professional in the Field of Asperger Syndrome and Autism; Gena Barnhill Augmentative Communication; Rachel Reynolds How to Set Up Microboards; Mac MacArthur-Fox 4:00 PM Endnote Address: Living With Autism Speaker: David Hamrick 4:45 PM Evaluation 5:00 PM Adjourn

Keynote Synopsis Life in the World of Autism There is not a day that goes by without some mention of autism in the media, whether it is information on the staggering prevalence rates, new possible cures, or new proposed legislation regarding medical benefits and health care. We are living in an exciting time with amazing technological advances that allow us to access information quickly and yet there are still so many unanswered questions in the field of autism spectrum disorders. What do we currently know about autism spectrum disorders and what does the future hold? These issues will be addressed in this keynote presentation. Time: 9:00 AM Presenter: Gena Barnhill Concurrent Session Synopses Residential Supports for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder As the number of individuals identified with ASD increases, and as the Commonwealth of Virginia develops services, residential service providers will have to increase their knowledge and skills serving this group of individuals. In this session, Carol will review the characteristics of ASD in adulthood and describe the necessary supports and services needed to increase community living options for individuals with ASD. Times: 10:30 AM, 2:30 PM Presenter: Carol Schall Supported Employment for Customized Employment for Individuals With Autism Individuals with autism have unique behavioral, social, and communication support needs which can make competitive employment very challenging. In this presentation we discuss how supported and customized employment can be effective when using evidenced-based work strategies, internships, assistive technology, and business relationships. Case studies will be presented. Times: 10:30 AM, 2:30 PM (Day 1, September 28 only) Presenter: Paul Wehman Social Security Disabilities Benefits: The Top Ten Myths One of the biggest barriers to employment for individuals with disabilities is understanding how their Social Security benefits and medical coverage will be affected if they choose to work. It is important for service providers to have a basic understanding of the Social Security programs and work incentives so they may assist individuals in tackling these barriers. This session will discuss an overview of the SSA disability programs, work incentives, and share resources available in the community. Times: 10:30 AM (Day 2, September 29 only) Presenter: Jennifer McDonough Employment Best Practices: Skills, Values, and Strategies for Successful Job Development and Outcomes In order to find employment for the individuals we serve we must believe in their abilities. How do you describe the customers you serve? How do you portray them when talking to businesses? How do you talk about your services and organization to businesses? We must know not only our organization, but also our customers both individuals with disabilities and businesses to make the best match for successful employment outcomes. This session will discuss the values, best practices, and tips for working with businesses to be successful. Time: 2:30 PM (Day 2, September 29 only) Presenter: Jennifer McDonough

Concurrent Session Synopses A Look at Possibilities - The Future of Autism Services in Virginia A panel will take a look at the current state in Virginia through the eyes of those who are experiencing both the opportunities and the disappointments, explore the needs and the gaps that exist, and speak to the direction that the Commonwealth is now taking to begin the process of developing a more comprehensive developmental disability system that can respond to these needs. Each presenter will speak for fifteen minutes and then there will be fifteen minutes reserved at the end for interactive discussion with the audience. Times: 10:30 AM, 1:00 PM Panel Moderator: Heidi Lawyer Panel Members: David Hamrick, Kathy May, Lee Price, John Toscano Sexuality Instruction for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Place to Start Many caregivers share questions and concerns about how to help individuals with autism with sexuality yet are not sure where to start. This presentation will provide an introduction to sexuality instruction for individuals with autism. We will examine common myths, explore the reasons for teaching these topics, and cover general teaching tips. Examples of strategies used to teach basic concepts of sexuality such as discriminating appropriate public/private behavior and tolerating health care exams will be shared, along with information about existing resources in this area of instruction. The position asserted will be that we as care providers can do much to support individuals with autism if we teach key competencies in this challenging but important area. Note: This presentation will discuss sensitive subjects and will include language and images of a sexual nature. Times: 10:30 AM, 1:00 PM Presenter: Megan Atthowe Video Modeling/Self Modeling Video modeling (VM) and video self modeling (VSM) are evidence-based techniques that help individuals with autism spectrum disorders learn essential skills in the areas of communication, social, daily living, and more. Using only positive examples VM and VSM give persons the opportunity to view others or themselves performing a task just beyond their present functioning level using creative editing of videos. This session will provide participants an overview of video modeling and video self modeling including research, examples, and steps for implementation. Times: 10:30 AM, 2:30 PM Presenter: Sally Chappel The Importance of Functional Behavioral Assessment in Designing Behavior Intervention Plans Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) is a valuable tool to use to determine the purpose of an individual s problem behavior. Until we know the function of the individual s behavior, we cannot design appropriate interventions to make the problem behavior irrelevant, inefficient, and ineffective. In fact, we may make the behavior worse if we apply interventions that are not based on FBA. We also need to use the results of FBA to design strategies, such as teaching an alternative or replacement behavior and teaching the person prosocial skills to get his or her needs met. Thinking functionally about an individual s behavior also can help us avoid blaming the person for his or her behavior and instead focus on what we can do to change variables in the person s environment to promote success. This workshop will discuss the underlying principles and methods of conducting a functional behavioral assessment. Time: 1:00 PM Presenter: Gena Barnhill

Concurrent Session Synopses A Dual Perspective: From a Parent and Professional in the Field of Asperger Syndrome and Autism Parents and professionals have described the experience of living and working with individuals with autism and Asperger syndrome (AS) as a roller coaster ride. The ups and downs are often dramatic and unexpected. Gena is a professional in the field of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the mother of an adult son who was finally correctly diagnosed with Asperger syndrome at age 21. She will discuss living and working with individuals with ASD from her perspective as a parent and as a professional school psychologist and autism consultant. In addition to sharing her family s arduous journey in getting the correct diagnosis for her son, she will offer suggestions to parents and professionals based on the current research that has examined parents coping strategies and her personal experiences from her unique perspective as a parent and professional. Time: 2:30 PM Presenter: Gena Barnhill Music Therapy and Autism Music Therapy is an evidence-based adjunctive therapy that has been used with individuals with a variety of special needs for decades. This presentation will give a brief overview of what a music therapist does in different settings as well as how music therapists specifically work with individuals with autism. Information regarding music therapy assessment, ideas for music adaptations for individuals with special education needs, and resources for finding and utilizing music therapy resources and services will also be shared. Time: 1:00 PM Presenter: Rachel Reynolds Augmentative Communication This presentation will provide a beginner s overview of the different types of Augmentative Communication tools that are available for individuals with communication needs ranging from low to high tech. Topics of discussion will include myths about augmentative communication, assessment tools and procedures, resources for equipment and curriculum, and case studies for individuals with a variety of ages. Time: 2:30 PM Presenter: Rachel Reynolds How to Set Up Microboards Microboards are an exciting support option for some people with disabilities, including some people on the autism spectrum. Mac will provide an overview of circles of support and microboards and will include some personal stories of what those support networks look like currently for some people with autism spectrum disabilities. Times: 1:00 PM, 2:30 PM Presenter: Mac MacArthur-Fox Endnote Address Synopsis Living With Autism Although nonverbal until the age of four, David Hamrick is an articulate and inspirational speaker who can give insight into autism which may be of assistance in promoting a clearer understanding about the condition and in dispelling some misconceptions. Mr. Hamrick was diagnosed with autism at the age of three yet graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina State University with a BS Degree and a Master s Degree in Meteorology; and is currently a Meteorologist, Mr. Hamrick will be speaking about living with autism. Time: 4:00 PM Presenter: David Hamrick

About the Presenters Megan Atthowe, MSN, RN, BCBA Megan is chief program officer at the Virginia Institute of Autism in Charlottesville. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a Registered Nurse. Megan has worked in psychiatric inpatient and private day school settings and has focused her work primarily on serving individuals with autism. She serves on the board of directors of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment. Gena P. Barnhill, Ph.D., NCSP Gena, author of Right Address Wrong Planet: Children with Asperger Syndrome Becoming Adults, is an assistant professor of special education at Lynchburg College and coordinator of the Autism Certificate Program. Gena is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst, as well as the mother of an adult son with Asperger Syndrome. She has worked with children with special needs for over 30 years as a registered nurse, school counselor, and school psychologist. In addition to publishing over 25 articles in peerreviewed journals, she has presented on autism and Asperger syndrome at over 100 conferences. Sally Chappel, M.Ed. Sally is a Coordinator at the Virginia Department of Education s Region 5 Training and Technical Assistance Center at JMU. She is also the co-chair of the Shenandoah Valley Autism Partnership. For over 20 years Sally has taught, supported, learned from, and taught others about students and adults with autism spectrum disorders. She has also been involved in the field of transition of students with disabilities for over 25 years. In both roles she has been a teacher, friend, administrator, consultant, trainer, coordinator, facilitator, and adjunct instructor. David Hamrick, BS, MS David is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service who has high-functioning autism. He was placed in a special education program primarily for people with autism and then mainstreamed into regular classrooms. He then attended a private high school in Williamsburg. David graduated with a degree in meteorology (magna cum laude) from North Carolina State University in 2003 and a has a MS degree in meteorology. David is very active in the autism community. He has been a board member of The Autism Program of Virginia; served as an officer of a Virginia autism society chapter in Newport News; and is a graduate of the Virginia Partners in Policymaking program in 2006. He has been a frequent presenter at autism conferences throughout Virginia and neighboring states sharing how autism has personally influenced him. Heidi Lawyer Ms. Lawyer has served as Executive Director of the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, the Commonwealth s DD Planning Council, since 2003. She has worked to increase the Board s involvement in and influence on public policy issues relating to full community inclusion for individuals with developmental disabilities. She entered the disability field as a policy analyst with the Department of Rehabilitative Services in 1992, shortly after her oldest son Danny, now 23, was diagnosed with autism. When Danny was 6, Ms. Lawyer successfully litigated the need for extended school year services for her son, creating a precedent in the Eastern District of Virginia. In 1996, Ms. Lawyer was one of the co-founders of the Autism Program of Virginia (now Commonwealth Autism Services) and served as Board President from 1997 2001. Mac MacArthur-Fox Mac has been with the T/TAC at Radford University since 1999 and has both undergraduate and graduate degrees in special education. Mac has taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in a variety of settings and has worked in the adult service system, facilitating community support for folks with intellectual disabilities. Mac's interests and primary areas of focus are secondary transition, person-centered practices, family involvement, positive behavior support, and inclusive practices. Kathy May Kathy is the Director of the Northern Virginia Initiative of Voices for Virginia s Children, a statewide multi-issue children s policy organization that champions public policies to improve the lives of children in Virginia. She has over 15 years of experience working in non-profits and agencies with the mission of cultivating and sharing the knowledge necessary to enhance child development and family well-being. Prior to joining Voices, Kathy was the Director of Advocacy at The Arc of Northern Virginia. She was a co-founder of a national non-profit, FRAXA Research Foundation, which funds research aimed at finding treatments and a cure for fragile X.

Jennifer Todd McDonough, BA, East Carolina University; MS, VCU Jennifer has been a faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and working in the field of employment for people with disabilities for over 10 years. She is the Associate Director of Training at the VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center where she provides technical assistance on employment issues for individuals with disabilities. She is also the Project Coordinator for the Vocational Rehabilitation Service Models for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders DRRP. She provides technical assistance and disseminates resources nationally to individuals interested in pursuing self-employment. C. Lee Price, Director, Office of Developmental Services, DBHDS Mr. Price joined the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (formerly DMHMRSAS) in 2004, as the Director of the Office of Mental Retardation (now the Office of Developmental Services). Prior to that, he was the Richmond division manager for Community Residences, Inc., a private, non-profit organization, serving adults with intellectual disabilities in Arlington. He also served as the mental retardation services director for the Middle Peninsula-Northern Neck CSB during a six year period that witnessed unprecedented growth in services which doubled the number of individuals served during his tenure. Earlier, as the director of Camp Baker Services for the Arc of Richmond, he developed one of the area s first center-based respite care programs, in-home residential support services, and other year round services and supports. Rachel Reynolds, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCABA, MT-BC Rachel is a Licensed Speech Language Pathologist, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and Board Certified Music Therapist who has worked with students with special needs for over twelve years. She has previously worked for Commonwealth Autism Service and Stafford County Public Schools as well as a variety of individual consulting and therapy contracts. She served on the Virginia Autism Council for two years. She has presented at various conferences and workshops including professional development trainings for Stafford County Schools, Regional and National Music Therapy Conferences, and Commonwealth Autism Service s annual conferences. Rachel currently owns and operates a children s enrichment center in Richmond, Virginia (Romp n Roll). Carol Schall, Ph.D. Dr. Schall is a Assistant Professor of Special Education and Disability Policy Director at the Virginia Autism Resource Center, at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has been supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorders for over 25 years. She is co-editor and author of a book on Autism and the Transition to Adulthood: Success Beyond the Classroom from Paul H. Brookes Publishing. Her research interests include autism and transition services, positive behavior supports, and training for parents and professionals. John A. Toscano, MSW, MBA John has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Commonwealth Autism Service since 2002, having come to Virginia from three years of working internationally in autism. He started his experience in autism in 1981 and developed a large residential and day service for adults in New York. Concurrent with his work in autism, John also was a full-time faculty member in social work for 18 years in New York. John has consulted with autism services both in the US and across Europe, and has spoken at numerous local, state, national, and international conferences. His particular areas of interest include paradigms of care and the rights of people with autism, bridging the gap between agency ethos and practice, program design and implementation, and bio-medical interventions in autism. He is also a grandfather to Joey - a 10 year old with autism. Paul Wehman, Ph.D. Dr. Wehman is Professor of Physical Medicine with a joint appointment in the Department of Special Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. He helped to development supported employment at VCU in the early 1980s. He has published over 200 articles and authored or edited 40 books, most recently Autism and the Transition to Adulthood by Paul Brookes Publishing Company. He was a recipient of the Kennedy Foundation Award in Mental Retardation in 1990 and also received the President s Committee on Employment for Persons with Disabilities Award in 1992. Dr. Wehman was recognized as one of the 50 most influential special educators of the millennium by the Remedial and Special Education Journal in December, 2000. He is also Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Conference Specifics Conference Registration To register, please complete the attached registration form, print it, and return with your check to the address below no later than September 14. Be sure to mark which day you will be attending along with your concurrent session selections. Send registration form to: Dianne Young Central Virginia Training Center P.O. Box 1098 Lynchburg, VA 24505 Make checks payable to Central Virginia Training Center. Sorry, we are unable to accept credit card payments. As space is limited, it is recommended that you register early. Slots for the concurrent sessions will be filled in the order we receive registrations. In the event a session is filled, you will be registered for your second choice selection. Cost The cost of the conference is $95. The registration fee includes conference handouts, lunch, and morning and afternoon refreshments all catered by Sweet Briar College. Registrations must be postmarked by September 11. Late registrations will be accepted until September 18 at a cost of $105. Refunds/Cancellations Refunds of registration fees are honored when notification of your withdrawal is received no later than September 16 th. After this date no refunds will be made; however, substitutions will be accepted at any time. Please call or e- mail as soon as possible if you have substitutions. Accommodations Limited lodging is available at the Florence Elston Inn on the campus of Sweet Briar College. A discounted rate of $77 (includes tax) per night for single or double occupancy is available for conference participants until September 13. After that date, the conference rate is not guaranteed. All rooms are non-smoking and a continental breakfast is included. You may make a reservation by calling 434.381.6207 or toll free at 1.866.388.6207. Give the name of the conference and this conference number: 132458 when registering. Location The Florence Elston Inn and Conference Center, located on the 3,250 acre campus of Sweet Briar College in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, provides state of the art conference facilities and meeting rooms in an ideal learning and working environment. Directions The conference center is located on Route 29, 12 miles north of Lynchburg and 45 miles south of Charlottesville. The center is 100 miles west of Richmond and 165 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. If you need directions to the conference center, go to the college website, http://www.about.sbc.edu/ driving_directions.html?travel. There you will find a link to SBC s location on an interactive Google map. You can enter your starting location and get detailed directions to the campus. If you are using Map Quest, Rand McNally, or another mapping program to get directions from your area, you will need the following physical address: Sweet Briar College, Sweet Briar Road Amherst, VA 24521 (near 24595). For more info about the conference center, check out their website at www.elstoninn.com. For more lodging choices and directions go to: www.traveltoday.com/hotels/lynchburg/va/usa. For More Conference Information For general information, contact Carolyn Robinson, Conference Coordinator, at 434.947.6871 or e-mail Carolyn.Robinson@dbhds.virginia.gov. If you have questions regarding conference registration, contact Dianne Young at 434.947.2149 or e-mail Dianne.Young@dbhds.virginia.gov.

Conference Registration Form This registration form may be filled in on your computer; however, it cannot be submitted via e-mail. Clicking the Reset button clears the form. Complete and print the form for each conference attendee and mail to CVTC along with registration fees no later than September 11, 2009. Mail to: Dianne Young Central Virginia Training Center P.O. Box 1098 Lynchburg, VA 24505 Check which day you will be attending: September 28 September 29 Name: Position: Agency: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: E-mail: Method of Payment Cost: $95 per person for one day conference. Registration must be postmarked no later than September 11. Late registrations will be accepted until September 18 at a cost of $105. Check enclosed payable to Central Virginia Training Center in the amount of $. Check in the amount of $ will be mailed and postmarked no later than: September 11 September 18 Include a copy of the registration form with the check. Vegetarian lunch requested Special accommodation needed: The conference will begin with the Keynote Address at 9:00 AM and will conclude with the Endnote Address at 4:00 PM. Concurrent Session Selection Space is limited in the concurrent sessions. Slots will be filled in the order in which we receive the registrations. Please mark one first choice selection and one second choice selection for each time slot. 10:30 AM 1st Choice 2nd Choice Session 1 Residential Supports for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder; Schall Day 1: Supported Employment for Customized Employment for Individuals With Autism; Wehman Day 2: Social Security Disabilities Benefits: The Top Ten Myths; McDonough A Look at Possibilities - The Future of Autism Services in Virginia; Panel Sexuality Instruction for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder; Atthowe Video Modeling/Self Modeling; Chappel 1:00 PM 1st Choice 2nd Choice Session 2 A Look at Possibilities - The Future of Autism Services in Virginia; Panel Sexuality Instruction for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder; Atthowe Importance of Functional Behavioral Assessment in Designing Behavior Intervention Plans; Barnhill Music Therapy and Autism; Reynolds How to Set Up Microboards; MacArthur-Fox 2:30 PM 1st Choice 2nd Choice Session 3 Residential Supports for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder; Schall Day 1: Supported Employment for Customized Employment for Individuals With Autism; Wehman Day 2: Employment Best Practices: Skills, Values, and Strategies; McDonough Video Modeling/Self Modeling; Chappel Dual Perspective: From a Parent & Professional in the Field of Asperger Syndrome & Autism; Barnhill Augmentative Communication; Reynolds How to Set Up Microboards; MacArthur-Fox