2009 Conference
7th Annual Milestones Organization Autism/Asperger's Conference
Life-Long Strategies for Success
Cleveland, Ohio

Keynote: Brenda Smith Myles, PhD

Monday, June 15, 2009
8:30 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. (7:30 a.m. registration)
At Executive Caterers at Landerhaven
6111 Landerhaven Drive, Mayfield Heights, Ohio 44124

This conference is for you if you are a . . .
special educator • inclusion teacher • classroom aide • speech therapist • occupational therapist • psychologist • social worker • nurse • music or art therapist • physical therapist • school counselor • parent or relative of individual with autism spectrum disorder • behavioral therapist

Targeted workshops for parents and professionals working with young children, elementary, middle and high school, as well as adults with autism, Asperger’s or social communication challenges.

Learn techniques to implement right away at home, school, and in the community

• You will learn how to:
• Develop behavior support plans
• Target and teach social skills across the age spans
• Increase functional communication
• Manage behaviors in the classroom
• Grow interests into potential employment possibilities
• Manage vocational struggles
• Navigate the medical maze
• Access services and understand individual’s rights
• Use animation to learn hard language concepts
• Behavioral strategies for home and school
• Transition from childhood to adulthood
• Guide teens through puberty
• Helpful hints for educators working with students

Monday, June 15, 2009
7:30 Registration/Tea & Coffee Only

8:30- Barbara Yavorcik, Autism Society of Ohio and Ohio Autism Coalition

9:00- 10:30 pm - Keynote Speaker: Brenda Smith Myles, PhD

10:45- 12:15 pm – Workshops A

A-1
Making Your Child/Student’s Daily Program Meaningful: CAPS
Brenda Smith Myles, PhD
Author and recipient of the 2004 Autism Society of America’s Outstanding Professional Award and the 2006 Princeton Fellowship Award.
(All ages track)

A-2
Medical Research: Myths & Facts
Max Wiznitzer, MD
Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital
(All ages track)

A-3
Basics of Behavioral Intervention for Children (Hands-On Session)
Kiersten Johnson, Milestones Autism Organization
Michelle Nameth Connor, MEd, ABA Consulting
(Early Intervention/Elementary and Middle/High School tracks)

A-4
Musical Play to Ease Their Way: Music Therapy for Young Children with ASD
Ronna Kaplan, MA, MT-BC
Cleveland Music School Settlement
Marcia E. Humpal, MEd, MT-BC
Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
(Early Intervention/Elementary track)

A-5
Functional Communication: A Reason to Talk
Jill Jackson, MA, CCC-SLP
Beachwood City Schools
(Early Intervention/Elementary and Middle/High School tracks)

A-6
Vocational Struggles for the Adult with Asperger’s: A Work in Progress
Kurt Jensen, PsyD
Private Practice
Norm Szylakowski
Dave’s Markets
(Middle/High School and Adult tracks)

A-7
Guiding Your Teen with Autism through Puberty
Nevada Reed, MD
KidsLink Neurobehavioral Center
(Middle/High School track)

A-8
Using ABA to Teach Pretend Play to Young Children
(Advanced research based - BCBA)
Connie Wong, PhD
Cleveland State University
(Early Intervention/Elementary track)

12:15 - 1:15 Lunch
Exhibits and Poster Sessions Open

1:30-3:00 pm - Workshops B

B-1
Asperger’s Syndrome and Difficult Moments: Practical Solutions for Tantrums, Rage & Meltdowns
Brenda Smith Myles, PhD
Author and recipient of the 2004 Autism Society of America’s Outstanding Professional Award and the 2006 Princeton Fellowship Award.
(All ages track)

B-2
Foundations for Life Long Social Independence
Jay Berk, PhD, Private Practice
(All ages track)

B-3
Strategies to Promote Success – Token Boards and Effective Shadowing
(Hands-on Make and Take Session)
Kiersten Johnson, Milestones Autism Organization
Michelle Nameth Connor, MEd, ABA Consulting
(Early Intervention/Elementary and Middle/High School tracks)

B-4
Inclusion in Boy Scout and Religious Programming
Matt Baker, Boy Scouts of America; Cara Marker Daily, PhD, Inner Health Ministries Child Center;
Laurie Gross-Kammer, Gross Schechter Day School
(All ages track)

B-5
ASD’s and MFE’s: Understanding the Process
Michelle DePolo, PsyD
KidsLink Neurobehavioral Center
(Early Intervention/Elementary and Middle/High School tracks)

B-6
It Can Be Done! A Manageable Process for Developing Behavior Support Plans
Jaclyn Crissinger, MA, Positive Education Program
Karl Ruppelt MEd, Positive Education Program
(All ages track)

B-7
Medical Transitioning from Adolescence to Adulthood
Garey Noritz, MD, MetroHealth Hospital
(Middle/High School and Adult tracks)

B-8
Using Token Economies and DRO as Reinforcement-Based Interventions for Students with Autism (Advanced research based - BCBA)
Jennifer Sweeney, MA, BCBA, Solutions Behavioral Consulting; Leah Gongola, PhD, Youngstown State University
(All ages track)

3:15- 4:45 pm - Workshops C

C-1
Simple Strategies That Work: Helpful Hints for All Educators of Students With Asperger’s Syndrome, High-functioning Autism, and Related Disabilities
Brenda Smith Myles, PhD
Author and recipient of the 2004 Autism Society of America’s Outstanding Professional Award and the 2006 Princeton Fellowship Award.
(All ages track)

C-2
Practical Solutions for School Based Group Social Intervention
Nicole Gerami, MA, CCC-SLP
Western Reserve Speech and Language Partners
Speech Language Pathologist
Orange City Schools
(Early Intervention/Elementary and Middle/High School tracks)

C-3
Behavior Strategies for Peer Inclusion at Home and in the Classroom (Hands-On Session)
Kiersten Johnson, Milestones Autism Organization
Michelle Nameth Connor, MEd, ABA Consulting
(Early Intervention/Elementary and Middle/High School tracks)

C-4
It Takes More Than a Village: Navigating the Medical Maze
Julie Knapp, PhD, Cleveland Clinic
Steven Wexberg, MD, Cleveland Clinic
(All ages track)

C-5
Growing Interests into Possible Vocations
Madeline Rosenshein, MEd, OCALI
(Middle/High School and Adult tracks)

C-6
Does Animation Improve the Acquisition of Hard to Learn Language Concepts?
Howard Shane, PhD, Monarch Center for Autism, Boston Children’s Hospital Collaboration and Harvard Medical School
(All ages track)

C-7
Fascinating and Frustrating: Proactive Strategies to Support Positive Behavior of K-4 Students with ASD
Scott Gossett, Achievement Centers for Children
Marianne Canter, MEd, Achieve Consulting
(Early Intervention/Elementary track)

C-8
Using ABA Technology to Evaluate Non-Behavioral Treatments
(Advanced research based - BCBA)
Suzann Fleming, MA, BCBA
Chagrin City Schools
(All ages track)

Conference Registration Fees

2009 Conference Brochure

Scholarships
A limited amount of conference scholarship aid is available. For a scholarship application, please download the Scholarship Form, email infomilestones@yahoo.com or call 216.371.4765.

Changes/Cancellations
Cancellations will be accepted in writing until June 12, 2008 and
refunds granted minus 30% of administrative costs. Substitutions for
original registrants are acceptable.

Professional Development (CEU's) Offered
.6 CEUs for Speech Languague Pathologists on various levels: professional and related areas is pending through ASHA.

Professional development credit for 6 contact hours are also available for occupational therapy, education, social work, counseling, psychology, MRDD-CPD and toward BCBA. General attendance will also be available. Please call 216-371-4765 to verify approval.

Workshop Selection
Over the course of the conference, there are three workshop time slots with multiple options per time slot. Please choose one topic for each workshop time slot.

Meals

Registration fees include a buffet lunch. The meal includes vegetarian options if requested. It will not be possible to arrange for special meals on-site.

Advertising/Exhibiting/Sponsorship Information
We invite you to promote your organization at the 2009 Conference Life-Long Stragegies for Success: School, Home, Community and Work. Opportunities are available to be a conference sponsor, exhibitor at the conference, and advertiser in the conference binder. Your message will reach 600 attendees.

Download our advertising, sponsorship, and exhibiting participation letter and form

Interactive Form- complete and email back to infomilestones@yahoo.com

Contact infomilestones@yahoo.com for further information or to indicate your interest.

Conference Location and Directions
Executive Caterers at Landerhaven
6111 Landerhaven Drive,
Mayfield Heights, OH 44124

From 80 East/ 90 East or I-90 West
Take I-90 East or I-90 West to I-271 South. Exit 32 Brainard/Cedar Road. Make a left onto Brainard Road, Left onto Cedar Road, Left onto Lander Road (not Landerbrook). Right onto Landerhaven Drive. Follow signs into Landerhaven, turn left into parking lot.

From I-71 North or I-480 East or I-480 West
Travel to I-271 North. Exit 32 at Brainard/Cedar Road. At the top of the exit, make a Right onto Brainard Road. Left onto Cedar Road (it says Cedar East). Left onto Lander Road (not Landerbrook). Right onto Landerhaven Drive. Follow signs into Landerhaven, turn left into parking lot.

From I-80 West
Travel to I-480 West, then I-271 North. Exit 32 at Brainard/Cedar Road. At the top of the exit, make a Right onto Brainard Road. Left onto Cedar Road (it says Cedar East). Left onto Lander Road (not Landerbrook). Right onto Landerhaven Drive. Follow signs into Landerhaven, turn left into parking lot.

There is ample free parking on the grounds.

Questions/Special Assistance
Please call Milestones Organization at 216-371-4765 or email at infomilestones@yahoo.com.