8:45- 10:15

Keynote, No More Meltdowns: Handling and Preventing Out of Control Behaviors

Jed Baker, PhD

1. To understand the reasons for social skill deficits and disruptive behaviors in children with social-communication problems.

2. To learn strategies to deal effectively with meltdowns and be able to put together an effective behavior plan to prevent frustrations.

Jed Baker, PhD , Director of the Social Skills Training Project, has been a clinical psychologist since 1992. He is a behavioral consultant for several New Jersey School systems, where he provides social skills training for students with pervasive developmental disorders and learning disabilities. He directs and supervises social skills training for students at Millburn Public Schools. In addition, he writes, lectures, and provides training across the country on the topic of social skills training for individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome and related Pervasive Developmental Disorders. He has recently published both a manual on social skills training for children with Asperger’s Syndrome and a social skill picture book to aid in social skills training. Author of: The Social Skills Picture Books Series for Children and Adolescents; for High School and Beyond; Preparing for Life.

10:30- 12:00 pm – Workshops A

A-1, Key Components of Social Skills Training: Motivation, Skill acquisition, Generalization, and Peer Sensitivity

Jed Baker, PhD

1. To understand the key components to put together a social skills training program in schools or at home.

2. To learn ways to motivate verbal and non-verbal students to want to socialize.

3. To understand how to generalize skills into natural/relevant settings.

4. To learn how to create programs for typical peers to accept students with disabilities and model positive behaviors.

A-2, Panel Presentation: Adults Living with Asperger's (Sissies Need Not Apply)

Kurt Jensen, PsyD, Private practice

1. Participants will learn the primary symptoms of AS and how they interfere with daily routines and the completion of goal-directed behaviors.

2. Participants will learn at least 10 interventions that AS adults can use to better navigate the trials and tribulations that often accompany this disorder.

3. Participants will learn at least 15 issues that AS college students typically confront and at least 8 strategies/accommodations they can use to master these challenges.

4. Participants will learn at least 7 issues that AS adults often deal with in the workplace and at least 7 accommodations that employers can use to address these issues.

5. Participants will learn recent research findings on how well AS adults fare in college, in the workplace, and in their efforts to pursue independent living.

6. Participants will learn panel members’ thoughts and opinions about the issues outlined above, and their recommendations on how family members and friends can best offer support to AS adults.

Kurt Jensen, PsyD is a consulting psychologist and the President of Jensen Assessments, LLC. Since receiving his Doctorate from Wright State University's School of Professional Psychology in 1988, Dr. Jensen has worked with hundreds of children, adolescents, and adults with Asperger’s, ADHD, and High-Functioning Autism. He has presented on AS, ADHD, and other psychology-related topics to thousands of parents and professionals; he’s published in scientific journals and texts, has been interviewed numerous times on radio and television programs, and has been quoted extensively in newspapers, magazines, and other media. Dr. Jensen runs a therapy/education/support group for young adults with AS that has continued since 2005 on Cleveland’s east side. His favorite science fiction hero is Star War’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard, though he has yet to memorize the Rail/Rapid Transit schedule for RTA.

A-3, Technology to Support Social Communication

Melissa Baker MS CCC-SLP and Lauren Stafford, Monarch Services at Bellefaire JCB

1. Participants will learn how technology can be used to optimize social communication experiences across functioning levels.

2. Participants will learn how technology can improve comprehensive visual language programming for students on the Autism Spectrum.

Melissa Baker, MS CCC-SLP , is a speech language pathologist with over ten years of experience in the field of Autism. She has worked in a variety of private and public school settings in both Massachusetts and Ohio. She has worked as a speech pathologist at the Monarch School for five years and has been the speech therapy department supervisor for the last three years. As a supervisor at Monarch School, Ms. Baker has worked closely with developers in creating leading edge software for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She is also part of a collaborative team that works directly with Dr. Howard Shane and his colleagues from Boston Children’s Hospital.

Lauren Stafford is an Intervention Specialist with ten years of experience in the field of Autism. She has worked with students in public and private school settings in Virginia and Ohio. Ms. Stafford has worked as an Intervention Specialist for Monarch School for 7 years. She has been an Academic Supervisor for 4 years, acting as Entry Year Coordinator, LPDC Chairperson, Data Coordinator, and collaborator with Curriculum Design with Boston Children's Hospital. Ms. Stafford is also the Director of Instructional Design for Monarch Teaching Technologies. She is working with Dr. Howard Shane, Monarch staff, and developers to create innovative web based programming that is driven by visual language.

A-4, Panel: Navigating the System: Practical Tips for Getting Residential Services

Steve McPeak, MA, North Coast Homes (Facilitator); Chris Filler, OCALI; Susan Joseph, MS, Geauga CCBMRDD; Ray Gonzalaz LISW, PLAN

In this panel discussion, important issues related to residential options and services will be discussed by a variety of stakeholders. The representative of parent concerns and family participation in the residential process will focus on several important issues including:

1. Participants will learn how to select the type of residential services that will best suit the individual and the family

2. Participants will learn how to prepare early to access needed services and supports

3. Participants will learn how to include residential issues on the student’s transition plan

4. Participants will learn tips on choosing a provider(s)

5. Participants will learn how to communicate their expectations for care/support of your young adult as well as the expectations for family involvement.

Chris Filler is a registered nurse and the Transition Coordinator for the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI). Chris has worked with individuals with autism and developmental disabilities and their families for 18 years. She has served as an Early Intervention Service Coordinator, Family Resource Specialist, and Autism Consultant for Lincoln Way SERRC, and as a private consultant for many school districts throughout the state of Ohio. She is also a past president of the Autism Society of Ohio. Chris has presented for State and National conferences in the area of autism spectrum disorders, behavior supports, sensory processing supports, and parent-professional collaboration. Chris now works for OCALI as the Transition Coordinator where her efforts are towards the development of supports and resources for students with ASD transitioning to the adult world. Chris has two children, one of which is an adult with autism.

Steve McPeak, is the President and CEO of the North Coast Community Homes (NCCH), Steve has, over the past 22 years, developed 182 homes in four counties for 924 individuals with mental retardation or severe mental illness. For the past 33 years Steve McPeake has dedicated his professional and his volunteer careers to the improvement of the quality of life for individuals with mental disabilities. During the course of this endeavor, Steve has worked with city and municipal officials in four counties. NCCH owns and maintains properties in 43 of the 58 municipalities in Cuyahoga County, and thirteen additional communities in Lake, Stark and Summit Counties.

Susan Joseph, M.S., is the director of community and residential support service at the Geauga county Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. Ms. Joseph is a member of Administrative Management Team, responsible for directing professional staff members who perform the functions of services and support administration, including intake/eligibility, quality assurance activities, and investigation of major unusual incidents, family support services, as well as crisis intervention and behavior management, social work services, maintenance of county board IIFand waiting list. She worked four years as a Case Management Level 3 Certification at ODMRDD.

Ray Gonzalaz, LISW, is the Executive Director of PLAN (Planned Lifetime Assistance Network) of Northeast Ohio, Inc., a grass roots organization that provides home based, family center social work on a fee-for-service basis to families who have disabled a family member(s). With more than thirty years experience in providing services to people who are recovering from mental illnesses, Mr. Gonzalez is also responsible for bringing Cognitive Enhancement Therapy (CET), a revolutionary new psychiatric rehabilitation intervention to Cleveland that teaches people how to be socially wise and vocationally effective. PLAN provides a wide range of other recovery based programs including supportive housing, social and recreational activities and vocational opportunities.

A-5, Developing Expressive Communication in Non-Verbal Individuals

Jocelyn Mills, MA, Geauga County Schools, KidsLink Neurobehavioral Center

1. The learner will gain knowledge of types of communication disorders in the ASDs population

2. The learner will gain knowledge of levels of language development

3. The learner will gain knowledge of types of speech and language therapies available

4. The learner will gain knowledge of strategies for enhancing language in the home and the critical role of the caregiver

Jocelyn Mills, MA, received her master’s degree in speech language pathology from Kent State University in 2002 and her master’s degree is school administration in 2005 from Cleveland State University. Currently she is a doctoral candidate, completing her PhD in education from Cleveland State University. Ms. Mills has served as the coordinator of speech and language services at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism, and was a classroom teacher for children with multiple handicaps. She has been working with people with a diagnosis of ASDs for over 10 years. Currently, Ms. Mills is the director of autism services for Geauga County Schools and is also a member of KidsLink Neurobehavioral Center in Twinsburg where she provides speech and language therapy, behavioral therapy, and clinical evaluations for children on the autism spectrum. She also serves as a board member for the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the National Autism Association, and is currently involved in research and has presented and the local and national levels.

A-6, Self-monitoring Behavior in the Classroom Setting, BCBA

Robin Ludwig, MA, BCBA, KidsLink Neurobehavioral Center

1. Participants will gain a basic understanding of the research supporting self-monitoring as an effective strategy to change behavior

2. Participants will gain a basic understanding of the procedures to implement a self-monitoring system in the classroom setting

Robin Ludwig is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She earned her BA in psychology from Case Western Reserve University in 2001. Her MA was earned through the Special Education, Applied Behavior Analysis program at Ohio State University. Robin’s master’s thesis research was titled Smiley Faces and Spinners: Effects of Self-Monitoring with an Indiscriminable Contingency of Reinforcement on the On-task Behavior and Academic Productivity of Kindergarteners During Independent Seatwork. Robin has worked in the field of Autism for the past ten years. She worked as a Case Supervisor and Clinical Supervisor at Columbus Children’s Hospital Autism Center, Intensive Behavioral Intervention Program until August 2001 providing ABA programming for young children with Autism. She is currently employed as Autism/Behavioral Consultant for the Geauga County Educational Service Center as well as Behavior Analyst/ABA Consultant for KidsLink Neurobehavioral Center in Twinsburg.

12:00 - 1:15 Lunch/Exhibitors/Award Ceremony

1:30-3:00 pm - Workshops B

B-1, Social Skill Training Strategies and Sample Peer Sensitivity Programs

Jed Baker, PhD

1. To learn several strategies for teaching skills to students with different levels of language ability.

2. To incorporate visual strategies to teach skills to students with receptive language challenges.

B-2, Improving Social Awareness in Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome

Christine Barry, PhD, University Hospitals

1. To identify socialization issues associated with AS.

2. To gain a better understanding of how neuropsychological testing can assist in further clarifying social-communication weaknesses associated with AS.

3. To identify useful intervention strategies and resources that target social weaknesses in children/adolescents with AS.

Christine T. Barry, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and a Pediatric Neuropsychologist with University Hospitals and CASE Medical School. As a neuropsychologist, she provides a wide range of services to children with neurobiological disorders and their families. She has specialized in treatment and neuropsychological evaluation of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders/Asperger’s Syndrome for the past 15 years. She is interested in increasing awareness of autism and frequently conducts seminars on this topic. In addition, she consults with school systems and hospitals throughout the area. As an associate professor, Dr. Barry works with residents, medical students, graduate students and other interested professionals on identification and treatment of neurobiological disorders in childhood with an emphasis on autism. Dr. Barry has written an article on neurobehavioral symptoms in children with traumatic brain injury and has coauthored several articles and a journal chapter. Dr. Barry has served as a reviewer for several journals, has written and presented widely on childhood learning and socialization problems, and is an active member of numerous professional organizations.

B-3, Medical Concerns and Medications for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum

Nevada Reed PhD, KidsLink Neurobehavioral Center 

1. To identify the components of a medical diagnostic work-up for autism spectrum disorders.

2. To discuss recent research on the neurobiologic basis of autism.

3. To outline strategies for medical treatment planning and medication use for children on the autism spectrum.

Nevada Reed, PhD , completed medical school at Washington University School of Medicine. She finished her Pediatrics residency and Pediatric Neurology Fellowship at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. She came to Akron Children’s Hospital in 2003 as a staff child neurologist and was named medical director of the Autism Program. During her years at Akron Children’s, she developed an inter-disciplinary autism assessment team. Dr. Reed was appointed by the Governor to serve on the Ohio Autism Taskforce and now serves in a three-year appointed position on the Advisory Board for the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence disabilities (OCALI). She also serves on the professional advisory board of the Akron Chapter of the Autism Society of America. Dr. Reed recently opened a multi-disciplinary private practice in Twinsburg called KidsLink Neurobehavioral Center. KidsLink focuses on the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities. 

B-4, Panel: Preparing Students with Asperger’s Syndrome and High Functioning for the Post Secondary Educational Environment

Chris Filler, OCALI; Gretchen Walsh, MS,Ed, Notre Dame College, Gerald Gillinov, M.Ed, Cleveland State University, Parent and Student

In this panel discussion, important issues will be reviewed related to the successful transition to post-secondary education (college and other educational programs following graduation). 

1. Participants will learn about the difference in the accommodations, modifications, and supports that one can expect between high school and college

2. Participants will learn how to frequently challenges that face many of our students with autism/Asperger’s Syndrome in post-secondary educational environments

3. Participants will learn what the school/IEP team can do to prepare the student to face these challenges

4. Participants will learn what families and community can do to prepare the student for the post-secondary education setting

5. Participants will learn how to choose the right college/university/educational program for an individual 

Chris Filler, Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence

Gretchen Walsh, director of the Academic Support Center at Notre Dame College, developed the Learning Differences Program in August, 2005. She has an extensive background as both an instructor and a counselor. Originally a Vocation Rehabilitation Counselor with the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, she later turned to teaching. For the past ten years, she has been a part of the Developmental Education at Cuyahoga Community College with the Learning Center, ACCESS, and the English Department. Additionally, she has presented numerous workshops on the Use of Adaptive Equipment, Study Skills and Reading Improvement. Ms. Walsh has an undergraduate degree in History and English from John Carroll University and a Master’s in Education with a Specialization in Reading and Literacy.

Gerald Gillinov is currently the Disability Specialist at Cleveland State University. Mr. Gillinov earned a Masters of Education in Rehabilitation Counseling from Kent State University. He has been part of the Office of Disability services for more than 28 years. Besides providing, services and accommodations, Mr. Gillinov has served as academic advisor for many students with disabilities as well as for under prepared students. For many years, Mr. Gillinov has coordinated placement testing and has also taught several remedial math classes.

B-5, Treatment of Anxiety with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Michelle DePolo, PsyD, KidsLink NeuroBehavioral Center, Akron Children's Hospital

1. Participants will learn about the basic principles of CBT and how it is used in treatment of anxiety.

2. Participants will learn how to differentiate types of anxiety and understand their comorbidity with autism spectrum disorders.

2. Participants will learn how CBT is modified for work with children with autistic spectrum disorders who have anxiety/irrational fears.

Michelle DePolo, PsyD , is a child clinical psychologist and was appointed to the medical staff of Akron Children’s Hospital in January 2005. Dr. DePolo currently serves as Clinical Director of the Autism Program in the NeuroDevelopmental Center. Dr. DePolo is also in practice at KidsLink NeuroBehavioral Center located in Twinsburg, Ohio. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the diagnosis and treatment of Autistic Spectrum Disorders at The Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism. Following her post-doctoral training, she was appointed to the medical staff at The Cleveland Clinic, where she served as a pediatric psychologist for approximately 2 years. Dr. DePolo has worked extensively with children who have autistic spectrum disorders in the areas of psychological diagnostic evaluation, educational assessment and intervention programming, functional behavior assessment and behavioral treatment, social skills intervention/groups, feeding disorders treatment and anxiety treatment.

B-6, Development of Early Social-Communication Skills: Joint Attention and Symbolic Play, BCBA

Connie Wong, PhD, Cleveland State University

1. Participants will describe the importance of targeting joint attention and symbolic play in teaching young children with autism.

2. Participants will define joint attention and symbolic play and have knowledge of the developmental sequence for teaching those skills to young children with autism. 

Connie Wong, PhD , is an assistant professor of Early Childhood Special Education in the Department of Teacher Education at Cleveland State University. Dr. Wong’s research focuses on atypical development, specifically the early social-cognitive development of children with autism through teacher-child and parent-child interactions. She is currently the principal investigator of a treatment research project funded by Autism Speaks and is in the process of developing an autism certificate program at Cleveland State University. Dr. Wong has presented at several national conferences, including the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR), and was a recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) predoctoral training grant at UCLA. Her prior experience also includes being a special education classroom teacher for children with moderate to intensive needs and a preschool teacher for a pilot autism intensive/ integrative classroom for Los Angeles Unified School District. 

B-7, ABA Mythbusters: Applying ABA in Any Situation

Kiersten Johnson, Milestones Organization and Michelle Connor, M.Ed, ABA Consulting for Children with Autism

1. Participants will learn practical way to use ABA throughout the day

2. Participants will learn proactive techniques to create success

3. Participants will get ideas for fun interactive activities

Kiersten Johnson , Behavioral Consultant for Milestones Organization, earned a B.A. in Psychology, with a special interest in autism and early intervention, from Hiram College. She continued her course of study toward a Masters degree in early childhood education at Nova Southeastern University, Florida, and earned a Certificate in Education from Hiram College. For seven years Kiersten worked as a behavior therapist and trainer, managing and implementing home ABA programs for families with children on the autism spectrum. Kiersten’s specialty is training and supervising ABA tutors and helping parents implement behavioral programs.

Michelle Connor, M.Ed., has been using Applied Behavior Analysis for seven years.  She received her Master’s degree in Special Education from Cleveland State University.  Previously, she taught in a cross-categorical special education classroom.   Currently,  Michelle is a private consultant and behavior therapist for children with autism in the Cleveland area.  She believes that ABA provides a strong backbone for learning in any environment and with any child.  

3:15- 4:45 pm - Workshops C

C-1, Sample Social Skills Lessons: Conversation, Play, Conflict Management/Teasing, Friendship, Dating, and Employment Skills

Jed Baker, PhD

1. To understand specific ways to teach conversational skills, play skills, conflict management and teasing, friendship building skills, dating and employment skills.

C-2, Managing Behaviors in a Pre-K - 3rd Grade Classroom

Scott Gossett, Achievement Centers for Children

1. Identify and understand the function(s) of behavior

2. Design and the implement visual strategies to support positive behavior

Scott Gossett is the Autism Program Coordinator for the Achievement Centers for Children in Cleveland, Ohio. He has worked with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their families in a variety of roles for the past 17 years. He has been a residential supervisor for WNC Group homes for Autistic Persons, in Asheville North Carolina, Program Director of the Autism Society of North Carolina Summer Program, Qualified Developmental Disabilities Professional (QDDP), autism consultant, and teaching assistant in a classroom for students with ASD. He is an instructor for the Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) model for the Achievement Centers. Scott has worked extensively with children, adolescents and adults with ASD. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina - Asheville, with a major in Psychology. Scott has extensive training in TEACCH methodology. He is also trained in DIR (Floortime) and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) as well. 

C-3, Visual Language Across the Age Spans

Howard Shane PhD, Monarch Services/Boston Children's Hospital Collaboration and Harvard Medical School

1. The participant will learn the importance of using visual language when teaching persons with ASD

2. The participant will learn how to use the Teaching Language Concepts Approach

3. The participant will learn how to use The Element Directive Approach

Howard Shane , PhD, received an M.A. in speech pathology/audiology from the University of Massachusetts and a Ph.D. in speech pathology from Syracuse University. He is Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Center for Communication Enhancement, and the Director of the Monarch School/Children's Hospital Boston Collaboration. He is a Fellow of the American Speech and Hearing Association, has received the Honors of the Association from that organization, and a recipient of the Goldenson Award for Innovations in Technology from United Cerebral Palsy Association. He has authored numerous papers and chapters and has produced numerous computer innovations.

C-4, Panel: Planning for Employment for Students with ASD

Madeline Rosenshein, OCALI (Facilitator), Joe Decapite MA, Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Development Disabilities; Andrea Johnson M.Ed, Jewish Family Services Association; Dave Finley and Rhonda Gielow, Tip Productions (Employer)

1. Participants will learn about the assets and challenges that students with ASD bring to the employment marketplace

2. Participants will learn the key preparation, training and job seeking skills for individuals with ASD.

3. Participates will learn accommodations and strategies that promote job success for individuals with ASD.

4. Participants will learn statewide initiatives and resources specifically geared toward transition for individuals with ASD.

Madeline Rosenshein, Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (While at the Cuyahoga Special Education Service Center (CSESC), Ms. Rosenshein worked for over 20 years to provide transition training, collaborative project planning and networking meetings to the school transition personnel for the 34 districts in Cuyahoga County. While at CSESC, Ms. Rosenshein also provided technology training and consultation to district staff and students on how to differentiate instruction and curriculum using technology. For the last six years she has been teaching technology courses via distance learning for Bowling Green State University. She now consults with OCALI, a state resource center about transition to work issues for students with autism and is writing an online course on employment and transition guidelines for individuals with autism. Ms. Rosenshein was a key member of a task force that developed a statewide survey about transition issues for individuals with autism. Previously she directed a computer programming and job placement program for adults with disabilities in the College of Business at Kent State University. She has directed a comprehensive vocational training and job placement program for adults with disabilities in University Circle and worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor and manager.

Joe Decapite has been employed by Cuyahoga County Board of MR/DD for 16 years, the last 7 as Director of Employment Services.  Prior to that, Mr. Decapite served as the Habilitation Manager/ Community Rehabilitation Agencies for 9 years managing CCBMR/DD’s contract services with community providers.   Mr. Decapite also spent 12 years in the mental health field managing residential and day programs.  Mr. Decapite has a Master’s degrees in both Social Work and Public Administration from Ohio State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Kent State University.  Mr. Decapite is a Licensed Independent Social Worker by the State of Ohio and a member of the National Rehabilitation Association.

Dave Finley , General Manager, and Rhonda Gielow, Owner, Tip Products is a company that works with CCBMRDD to employ adults with ASD.

Andrea Johnson has been with Jewish Family Services Association (JFSA) working in their vocational rehabilitation employment division known as the Training and Placement Program (TAPP) for the past 8 years. She specializes in vocational evaluation and career assessment and has worked with adults and youth diagnosed with many different disabilities in a number of different capacities.  Prior to working for JFSA, Ms. Johnson worked as a Educational Training and Development Coordinator for the College of Education at Cleveland State University.  In her position, she was responsible for working with local businesses, higher education, the Cleveland Public Schools, and other non-profit agencies to assist in the development and the implementation of school-to-work programming. Ms. Johnson has also served as a visiting professor at C.S.U. teaching undergraduate coursework. Ms. Johnson holds a bachelor's of arts degree and master's degree in education from Cleveland State University.

C-5, The How of Writing

Donna Levine MA, Private School Consultant

1. Participants will learn how to break down the writing process into manageable parts for students

2. Participants will learn how to transfer students writing skills to the proficiency, state testing, essay, report writing, SAT, ACT, and college essay writing formats

3. Participants will learn how to use graphic organizers as a tool for bridging crafting skills into the writing process

4. Participants will learn how to build students skills sequentially from elementary grades through high school

Donna Levine worked as an intervention specialist for over thirty-one years in the Beachwood Public Schools. She currently serves as a consultant for private school systems, as well as working with individual students, primarily in the areas of reading, writing, organization and test-taking strategies. Ms. Levine is the author of the writing handbook, Write On! , which guides teachers in the ôhowö of teaching writing to students through a highly visual format. The book addresses grades 2 to 12. Ms. Levine also provides workshop presentations and tutorial services. Her work with children has spanned from the regular classroom to small group work with children who have been identified with a specific learning disability, autism, dyslexia, as well as "reluctant learners." She has also given presentations for SDE (Staff Development for Educators) and the regional libraries throughout Cuyahoga County. 

C-6, Behavior Therapy Beyond Childhood, BCBA

Leslie Sinclair MA CCC/SLP, BCBA , Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism

1. Learners will be able to describe the current literature and relate knowledge of the gaps in research as it relates to applied behavior analysis and older students with autism.

2. Learners will be able to describe the breadth of applied behavior analysis as it is applied to the adult neuro-typical population and examine the myths of the construct that ABA only works with younger kids with autism.

3. Learners will examine and describe how applied behavioral techniques can be implemented to build skills which prepare the individual for adulthood.

Leslie Sinclair, a licensed speech/language pathologist and board-certified behavior analyst, is Program Director for The Cleveland Clinic’s Children’s Hospital Center for Autism, a multi-faceted clinical/educational program for children with autism from earliest diagnosis to age 23. She is president of the Ohio Autism Consortium on Applied Behavior Analysis and is a member of the Association for Applied Behavior Analysis, the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association, and the Autism Society of America. Ms. Sinclair served as an advisory member for Governor Taft’s Task Force on Autism and is a lead author on the Medicaid Services Waiver for Young children with Autism. Her research interests include outcomes measurement in children receiving intensive, evidenced-based early intervention, and collaboration with physicians on investigating secondary medical conditions as causes of specific behaviors in children with autism. She was named National Special Educator of The Year in 2004 by the National Association of Private Schools for Exceptional Students. Ms. Sinclair is a published author and frequent lecturer on autism-related topics and a reviewer for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

C-7, Managing Depression and Hormonal Changes in Adolescence

Max Wiznitzer, MD, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital and Case Western Reserve University

1. Participants will learn how to manage depression and hormonal changes in adolescents with ASD.

Max Wiznitzer , MD, graduated from Northwestern University Medical School. He is a Pediatric Neurologist at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital and Associate Professior in the Pediatric and Neurology Departments at Case Medical School. Dr. Wiznitzer was an NIH fellow in higher cortical functions at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed a Child Neurology fellowship at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, as well as a Developmental Pediatrics Fellowship at Cincinnati Center for Developmental Disorders. Dr. Wiznitzer has served on numerous panels and task forces on the local, state, and national levels, including the Ohio Autism Task Force which produced the Service Provider Guidelines.