Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: From Understanding to Implementation

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Delivery: Synchronous virtual classroom via Zoom

Social workers play a critical role in supporting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as well as their families. Given the influx of individuals being diagnosed with ASD, and the need for social workers to be equipped to address the myriad of challenges that individuals on the autism spectrum encounter across the lifespan.  These challenges can include support regarding social skills, employment assistance, navigating community resources, mental health awareness, and other crucial aspects for both the individuals and their families.

This workshop provides a foundation on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the continuum in which this disorder manifests. Empirically supported techniques and strategies will be discussed as social workers strive to provide meaningful opportunities to engage and support individuals with ASD and their families.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to articulate the continuum of characteristics, symptoms, and behaviors associated with ASD.
• Participants will be able to identify factors to look for when assessing a student/client who is undergoing stress, frustration, and/or agitation.
• Participants will be able to recognize and identify the A, B, C (e.g., antecedent, behavior, consequence of the behavior) associated with behavior.
• Participants will be given tools and develop an understanding of how to create behavior plans, self-monitoring systems, and visual schedules for students with ASD.
• Participants will be able to recognize the variance in complexities and challenges that commonly exist for individuals with ASD and their parental caregivers / families.
• Participants will be able to articulate strategies and techniques to support individuals with ASD in a variety of settings (e.g., school, home, work, social setting).

This workshop is applicable to social work professionals working with individuals with ASD and/or their families who are practicing in school, clinical, and organizational settings. This workshop is relevant to social workers of all levels who work with children, adolescents, and even adults with ASD. It is also relevant to those looking to better support families caring for loved ones with ASD.

Instructor

Christina Marsack-Topolewski, LMSW, PhD is an associate professor of Social Work in the College of Health and Human Services at Eastern Michigan University. She received a Bachelor of Science in Special Education, specializing in Cognitive Impairments, from Wayne State University. She trained under a specialized fellowship at the University of Michigan and received a Master’s in Social Work specializing in aging from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Marsack-Topolewski received her PhD in Social Work with a dual title in Gerontology from Wayne State University. She has worked with individuals with various intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)for over 20 years. Her research focuses on individuals with IDDs, their caregivers, advance care planning, service delivery, and service utilization. She has over 65 publications in national and international journals, mainly focusing on individuals with IDDs, advance care planning, caregiving, and aging. In addition, she has presented her work locally, nationally, and internationally.

Dr. Marsack-Topolewski has been the lead on multiple grant-funded programs tailoring services to individuals with IDDs, older adults, and chronic illnesses. In 2019, she was appointed to the National Task Group on Intellectual Disability and Dementia Practices. She serves as both a board member and co-chair of Membership Affairs. Over the past 3 years, she has provided testimony at the state-level (Michigan) to advocate for two house bills that would provide protections against exploitation for vulnerable adults, such as individuals with IDDs.

Cost | CEUs

Program Cost: $145

Discount Rate: $130  (*See discount policy information on FAQ page to see if you qualify.)

CEUs: 6 and/or Act 48 Credit