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Lectures and Special Events Archive

Spring 2023 Conference - CANCELLED

Spring 2022 Conference

Spring 2021 Conference

Fall 2020 Lectures and Events

CEASD Friday Friendly Forums

 

The Center for Excellence on Autism Spectrum Disorders is happy to present Friday Friendly Forums, a series of conversations with Center staff on a variety of autism spectrum disorder topics:

Friendly Forum 1
Structure and Flexibility: This is the first Friday Friendly Forum in a series.  This series is intended to provide support for families and caregivers of children with ASD as they navigate the homeschooling experience.

Friendly Forum 2
Virtual PPT Meetings: Dr. Kimberly Bean & Dr. Kari Sassu share considerations for attending a virtual Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting.

Friendly Forum 3
Transitioning to Homeschooling: In this Friday Friendly Forum, members of the Center team meet with parents to discuss the tribulations and triumphs associated with transitioning to homeschooling. 

Friendly Forum 4
Supporting Communication: Dr. Barbara Cook provides guidance on ways to support communication for individuals with ASD during this time of social isolation and beyond.

Friendly Forum 5
Self-Care for the Caregiver: Dr. Kari Sassu discusses the concept of self-care and its importance, especially as it relates to those caring for children with special needs during this time of added complexity.

Friendly Forum 6
Collecting and Sharing Critical Information with School Teams: In this Friendly Forum, Kari Sassu is joined by Center team members Deb Puglia and Karen Meers, who present information about how parents and caregivers can collect data in the home setting to inform their children's school experiences.

Friendly Forum 7
Sharing Strategies with Short-Term Caregivers & Babysitters: This week's Friendly Forum provides strategies that can be shared with babysitters and short-term caregivers of children/ adolescents with autism. It offers a glimpse into the more comprehensive training, "Sit for Autism," available through the Center. Kim Bean and Deb Puglia join Kari Sassu in this week's forum to provide these tips.

SCSU CCD PEERS Virtual Program

 

Young Adult Social Skills program based on the UCLA PEERS program (an evidence-based caregiver assisted social skills intervention for youth 18– 21 years old with Autism Spectrum Disorders)
A program for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders who use spoken language and do not present with an intellectual disability.

Topics Include: conversational skills, dating skills, handling peer pressure, appropriate use of humor, electronic communication, handling teasing, bullying and disagreements with peers, and good sportsmanship.

WHEN: Sessions will be held via a Zoom platform weekly on Mondays from 6:00pm – 7:00pm. The first session will be on June 16th, with a final session on July 27th. Participant and their caregiver may attend together but will be in different groups using the Zoom platform.

Sponsored by:

The Center for Communication Disorders @ Southern Connecticut State University, Davis Hall, Fitch Street, New Haven CT 06515
COST: No cost

WHO to contact to register: Dr. Barbara Cook @ 203-392-7119 or email at cookb5@southernct.edu.

Title IX Meets ADA: The Case of Autism

 

Friday, April 17, 2020 10 am - 12 pm
Discussion via online meeting
Online meeting login will be sent 15 min prior to starting
To register, email asd-center@southernct.edu

Join us on Friday, April 17, for a discussion facilitated by Jane Brown, Ed.D., Director of College Autism Spectrum, Yale School of Medicine, Ellen B. Keane, J.D., and Fred Volkmar, MD, Center Director. 

Behavior and conduct issues get increasingly complicated when students with autism are involved. Though a small number of college students with autism will have conduct issues on campus, complex social understanding can necessitate accommodations while retaining the integrity of conduct codes. This discussion will center on the nature of the issues while attempting to reconcile diverse perspectives of the ADA and Title IX.

The Changing Face of Autism: A Developmental Perspective

 

Friday, April 10, 2020 12:00-1:00 PM
Discussion via online meeting
 A discussion with Fred Volkmar, M.D., Goodwin Family Professor and Director, SCSU Center for Excellence on Autism Spectrum Disorders and Harris Professor, Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine.

Important changes have emerged over the last several decades in the long- term outcome of autism, with more adults able to achieve personal independence and self-sufficiency. Many students are now attending college and entering the work force, which has led to more opportunities for adolescents and adults, but has also underscored some of the challenges they and their families face.
This presentation will review factors that have contributed to improved outcome, including earlier diagnosis and improved intervention. Changes in outcome in relation to individual characteristics, models of intervention, and other variables will be summarized. Issues of co-morbidity; challenges for transitions to college, work, and personal lives; and areas of current needs will be identified.

Below, you can find the slides and an audio recording of the presentation:

The Changing Face of Autism Slides

The Changing Face of Autism Audio Recording
 

 

Youth on the Autism Spectrum: Jobs, College and Beyond

 

The Centers of Excellence on Autism Spectrum Disorders at Southern Connecticut State University & Yale University hosted a conference on October 27, 2019 at Southern Connecticut State University. Speakers included: Jane Brown, Peter Gerhardt, Gary Mayerson, John Miller, Fred Volkmar, Ernst Vanbergeijk, Michael Storz, Barbara Cook, Kimberly Bean, and others.

As part of ReelAbilities Film Festival, two film shorts on ASD (Bumblees & Autism in Love) were shown during lunch.

 

Below you will find selected presentations from the Conference: