Turning Points: An Afternoon of Discuss ions
For Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Sunday, November 8, 2015
1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Canon McMillan High School Auditorium
314 Elm Street Extension
Canonsburg, PA 15317

Presenters and Topics Include:

Shawn McGill

Relationship Issues
Luciana Randall Legal Issues
Aprilynn Artz Employment Issues

Sponsored by Washington County Women's Council
The following workshops take place in our Community Education Room at:
35 Wilson Street, Suite 101
Etna, PA 15223

412-781-4116
Anxiety and Autism Spectrum Disorder:
How to Keep Calm and Carry On
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Presented by:
Sarah Laughlin, Ph.D. &
Holly Gastgeb, Ph.D.


About Our Speakers:
Sarah Laughlin, Ph.D. is a Clinical-Developmental Psychologist.  She has worked with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for over ten years.  She began her career in 2003, working as a teacher and behavior specialist at the New England Center for Children (NECC) in Southborough, Massachusetts.  Following this, Dr. Laughlin worked within the Autism Program at Yale University School of Medicine.  She then completed doctoral training at the University of Pittsburgh and clinical internship at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) within the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.  Since returning to Pittsburgh from North Carolina in 2014, Dr. Laughlin has worked as a member of the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) Program, affiliated with the Children's Hospital of UPMC.  She is currently completing a postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) where she continues to serve children and families through psychological assessment and treatment.  At AGH, she has been charged with the long-term goal of developing diagnostic and intervention programming for individuals with autism and related disorders within the Department of Psychiatry. 
 
Holly Gastgeb, Ph.D. is a Clinical and Developmental Psychologist with over ten years of experience diagnosing, assessing, designing and implementing interventions, and conducting research with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from toddlerhood through adulthood. Dr. Gastgeb is the Licensed Clinical Psychologist for the Pitt Early Autism Study at the University of  Pittsburgh, performs assessments for the Autism & Development Disorders Inpatient Research Collaborative (ADDIRC) Pittsburgh site at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC), and performs psychological assessment services including evaluations for ADHD, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and other emotional and behavioral difficulties at Associates in Behavioral Diagnostics and Treatment (AIBDT). She is also the CEO of Rufus Robot, Inc., a virtual company that makes mobile applications for children with ASD and other learning differences. Dr. Gastgeb has presented her research at fourteen national and international autism and child development conferences and has published nine research articles in top peer-reviewed journals.


Program Description:
This workshop will give an overview of the diagnostic features, diagnostic methods, common issues, intervention strategies, and community resources relevant to the care of children and adolescents with co-occurring anxiety and ASD.  More specifically, the presenters will speak about updates to diagnostic criteria based on the DSM-5 and discuss common issues experienced by those with these diagnoses.  The presenters will provide information about what comprises an optimal diagnostic evaluation and effective treatment.  The workshop will provide the opportunity for audience members to practice intervention strategies they may use to assist those with ASD and anxiety.  Finally, the presenters will provide information about how to connect with relevant community resources and service providers.

Service Animal Identification and
ADA Titles I, II, and III

Thursday, November 5, 2015
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Presented by:
Brian Rogers and Bob Amelio

About Our Speaker:
Brian Rogers has over 24 years of experience in Civil Engineering as it relates to the ADA and accessibility, 20 years of teaching experience with children with disabilities, 5 of those as a PA registered teacher.
 
Bob Amelio has 28 years life experience dealing with a mobility disability which gives a unique perspective to performing accessibility surveys and ADA trainings for the past 14 years. He is a Certified Accessibility Inspector/Plans Examiner.
 
Brian and Bob run the Community Accessibility Program at LVCIL. The program has helped numerous businesses and outdoor facilities become accessible utilizing the latest standards, technology, and interactive teaching style. Some of the places that have benefited from the program are: Blair County and surrounding municipalities, Lehigh University, DeSales University, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Wildlands Conservancy, Lehigh Valley Zoo, Good Shepherd Hospital, Lehigh Valley Community Emergency Response Team, Lehigh County Animal Response Team, Allentown Parks and Recreation, and many more.

Program Description:
This training will take you through interactive PowerPoint's with question and answer sessions. We will discuss the various types of animals out there and what the difference is between a service animal, emotional support animal, or therapy animal.
 
The second half we will discuss the three main portions of the ADA:

Title I Employment, Title II Public accommodation, Title III Private Entity.


We will discuss the ADA laws as they pertain to each title.

The Social Scoop!
Promoting Social Competence

Tuesday, November 10, 2015
9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Presented by:
Michelle Lubetsky, M.Ed., BCBA

About Our Speaker:
Michelle Lubetsky is a certified Social Mentor through Social Thinking, Inc. and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She is employed as a Training and Consultation Coordinator at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit where she supports educators to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Mrs. Lubetsky has taught general, special, and higher education, and she has expertise in the areas of autism and supports for students with complex needs. She has presented at numerous professional seminars, both locally and nationally, and is a contributing author to the text, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Oxford Press, 2011.

Program Description:
This session will address the needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders or related disorders to evaluate social situations AND apply appropriate social responses. Sample instructional tools will be shared. References include the works of Michelle Garcia Winner, Think Social, and Scott Bellini, Building Social Competence.

The Next Generation:
Social Skills and Video Modeling 
 in the Digital World

Thursday, November 12, 2015
2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Presented by:
Ann Ellison, M.A., BCBA
Maria Brown, M.S., BCBA

About Our Speaker:
Ann Ellison, M.A., BCBA has been helping children and families affected by Autism for more than 25 years. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Northwest PA Autism Society and is the Behavior Services Coordinator at the Barber National Institute in Erie Pennsylvania.
 
Maria Brown, M.S., BCBA has been working with individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental health concerns for 14 years.  Maria has held various positions at the Barber National Institute in Erie Pennsylvania, and is currently focusing on social skill development in her work with children with ASD.

Program Description:
The evidence-based practices of Social Stories (Carol Gray) and Video Modeling are among the most effective interventions for social skill development. This session will present an evolution of these strategies into the digital world which can easily be replicated in homes, schools or clinics. Social skill development is an important area of growth for many individuals living with autism.  The ability to understand others and perform expected behaviors is key to successful relationships, employment and inclusion.   Two of the most effective interventions for social skill development are the evidence based practices of Social Stories (Carol Gray) and Video Modeling.  This session will present an evolution of these strategies into the digital world which can easily be replicated in homes, schools or clinics.
 
The accessibility of digital technology continues to change society, self expression and learning.  Some students with Autism Spectrum Disorders are fluent in the use of technology; others may be left behind as the revolution progresses.   In 2013, the Barber National Institute received a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts to develop a digital arts program with the dual goal of expanding the creative use of technology while addressing key curriculum issues in an approved private school serving special needs students.  In this innovative project, a collaboration among students, teachers and a professional artist resulted in the creation of multimedia projects focused on social development.  The evidence based practices of social stories (Carol Gray) and Video Modeling were used to create content for the projects and the artist brought creative and technical expertise to the endeavor.  The result was exciting.  The project was presented at the national VSA/Kennedy Center, conference, Intersections, in the summer of 2014. 
 
In this session, participants will learn the key features of an effective social story and some of the ways that social stories can be used with individuals across the spectrum.   Examples of social stories and the basic concepts relevant to video modeling will be discussed.   Clinical guidelines for the application of these strategies to social skill development will be included.    The use of various digital media and applications including i-book, i-movie, Book Creator and Comic Life were integral in this project and will be presented as possible creative tools.    Tips on the how to use the applications, store data and take effective video will help familiarize participants with the possibilities and challenges of these tools.   Finally, participants will have an opportunity to apply these ideas to their own situation through the development of a project.   Through the use of a story board, participants will be guided through the development of a basic social story or video modeling project to take home.