This week:

Understanding Mental Health Problems and ASD – Evidence-Based Case Conceptualization to Inform Treatment Planning

Jonathan Weiss, PhD, CPsych

This presentation is part of a free training series developed for mental health clinicians experienced in CBT with an interest in adaptations relevant to neurodevelopmental disabilities (e.g., autism, ADHD, learning disability).

Learning Objectives:

Recognize common emotional and behavioual problems associated with ASD
Differentiate mental health problems from ASD symptoms
Conceptualize common case frameworks that can inform CBT planning
Consider ethical issues in working with individuals with ASD using a CBT framework – including a panel discussion

As part of ACT’s Online Mental Health and Autism Project, we are launching a dozen new online videos this Fall/Winter season at Autism Videos @ ACT.

Watch video

Dr. Weiss holds the Canadian Institute of Health Research Chair in Autism Spectrum Disorders Treatment and Care Research. He is a Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at York University in Toronto.

Dr. Weiss’ research focuses on the prevention and treatment of mental health problems in people with ASD and/or intellectual disabilities across the lifespan. He is interested in their health service needs, their emergency service use, and their experiences of psychiatric crisis. Among other research areas, Dr. Weiss is interested in cognitive-behavioural and social skill interventions to promote resilience and improve the mental health of children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Watch Dr. Weiss speak on Thriving in Youth in ASD: What Does it Take? from October 2015.

Next week’s video: A panel discussion on the perspectives of Adults with ASD.

Diagnosing & Managing ASD in Adults

The University of British Columbia is responding to the chronic shortage of mental health professionals trained to work with adults with ASD with a two-day course from an international expert in autism, Dr. Anthony Bailey, MBBS, DCH, MRCPsych, FRCPC. Professor and Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, UBC.

Registration has now opened for Diagnosing & Managing Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults
Feb 1-2 (Fri-Sat), 0900–1630
UBC Robson Square ,Vancouver – also available via web streaming.

Target audience: psychiatrists, family physicians, other mental health care professionals
Up to 10.5 Mainpro+/MOC Section 1
View course content details
Register here

ACT recently launched a 30 minute presentation by Dr. Bailey as part of the Online Mental Health and Autism Project on the Role of Medications in the Management of ASD

Pilot Project to Identify Best Treatments for Autism

The Laurel Foundation is requesting the help of the autism community in completing a short five-question Pilot Survey. The objective is to create a metadata analysis project with individualized web based therapy programs for children with ASD. The project will involve thousands of families anonymously inputting information about their child’s treatment and its effectiveness to find the most efficient strategies for her/his specific challenges. At this stage they are determining if families would like such a program to be set up and are willing to provide the data to form the information pool.

As a first step, they are asking five simple questions to shape the project with the goal of empowering families to identify and access the best treatments available.

Complete the survey here.

Autism in the News

Get the latest on ACT’s Facebook page

Vancouver teacher is schooling educators on the value of inclusive classrooms – The Globe and Mail

How history forgot the woman who defined autism – Spectrum News

Kelowna mom goes extra mile to help special needs son adjust to school life – Global News

Sensory issues in autism may have sex-specific roots – Spectrum News

Theatre class helping people with autism break out of their shells – CTV News

Dos and Don’ts of Classroom Decorations – Edutopia

Neighbor builds shelter for boy with autism to wait for school bus – Lincoln Journal Star

Dads open up about autism in new film – Community Care Review

Expecting autistic people to ‘fit in’ is cruel and unproductive; value us for our strengths – The Conversation

Small town unites to prevent autistic neighbor from becoming homeless – Yahoo

NDP government ‘open’ to alternative pay options for special needs educators – Global News

Upcoming ACT Events

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Social Stories with Carol Gray

July 19 & 20, 2018
Nanaimo, BC

Carol Gray, Founder and Innovator, Social Stories Satellite Schools and Services, and Carol’s Club

Introduction to ASD – Practical Applications – POPARD

Kenneth Cole, PhD, RPsych
July 30 – August 3, 2018 – Surrey
October 29 – November 2, 2018 – Vancouver

Social Thinking Conference

August 16 & 17, 2018 – Vancouver

Michelle Garcia Winner, MA, CCC-SLP
Pamela Crooke, PhD, CCC-SLP

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Non-Aversive Strategies to Assist Individuals with Autism and Challenging Behaviours

Friday, August 24
Vancouver, BC, & Web Streaming!
Andrew McDonnell, PhD, Clinical Psychologist

Managing the Anxious Symptoms of Children and Adolescents with ASD: Practical Strategies

Thursday & Friday, September 27 & 28
Vancouver, BC
Judy Reaven, PhD

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Setting the Stage for Success: Positive Behaviour Support in School, Home and Community

Friday & Saturday, October 19 & 20, 2018
Vancouver, BC, & Web Streaming
Lynn Kern Koegel, CCC-SLP
Ilene Schwartz, Ph.D., BCBA-D

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INVESTing in Girls and Women with ASD

Friday, November 2nd
Vancouver, BC & Web Streaming!
Dori Zener, MSW, RSW

Register for any two events and save $50.

Register for any two ACT Events and receive $50 off. Use coupon code 50off2 to at checkout when you register for any two different events at checkout or contact ACT to register by phone.

Cannot be combined with other discounts or bursaries.

Bursaries

Bursaries for those most in need, including para-professionals, parents who have children with special needs, adults with ASD, and professionals who need to travel outside of their home regions are also available, to the best of our financial ability. Bursaries are also available for webstreaming – internationally and Canada!

For information on how to apply for an ACT bursary, please visit the Bursaries FAQ page

Special Needs Community Events – July & August

Pacific Autism Family Network Summer Camp (ages 6-10)

Monday, July 16 – Friday, July 27, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Richmond

FREE SFU Social Science Camp for children ages 7-12

Saturday, July 21, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Burnaby

Identifying Mental Health and Obesity Related Risk Factors in ASD – FREE Parent Workshop

Saturday, July 21, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Burnaby

Pacific Autism Family Network Summer Camp (ages 6-10)

Monday, July 30 – Friday, August 10, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Richmond

What? Me Worry?

Monday, August 13 – Friday, August 17, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Surrey

Temple Grandin: Developing Individuals with Different Minds

Friday, August 17, 7:00 pm – 9:45 pm
Vancouver

Participate in Autism Research: Volunteers Needed
Parent Training through Telepractice

Are you a Japanese parent(s) of a child with Autism living within two hours’ drive from Vancouver whose child exhibit problem behaviour at home? Researchers at the University of British Columbia are looking for a Japanese- speaking parent(s) of a 3- to 6-year-old child with autism who is willing to receive parent training via telepractice to improve the child’s behaviour in a home routine.

Telepractice involves the use of telecommunication technology to link a professional with a client who lives at a far distance. The video camera on the computer monitor is employed by users to communicate by sight and sound in real time. The study will last up to nine months. You will receive weekly training from a UBC graduate student researcher to implement a behaviour support plan collaboratively created with you. The effectiveness of procedure in terms of improvement in child behaviour and parent implementation of the plan, as well as acceptability and feasibility of the plan will be examined.

If you are interested in the study, please contact Serina Ando (sando@alumni.ubc.ca) for more information.

Parent and Child Early (PACE) Coaching Project

PACE is poised to start the implementation phase of this important project in a number of communities across B.C. Researchers will evaluate an evidence-based parent coaching intervention for children aged 15 to 30 months who are at risk of, or diagnosed with ASD. ACT has been involved in the project since 2015 when it accepted the responsibility from the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development to administer funding for this important research initiative.

Visit the Parent and Child Early Coaching Project page to find out more, including a video overview of the project, the latest quarterly PACE newsletter, and contact information.