YAP Autism Institute

Consultation / Training & Education / Community Resource Development

The mission of the Youth Advocate Programs Autism Institute is to develop and share positive information and community resources to support individuals with autism and their families in desirable, inclusive settings. The Autism Institute realizes this mission through:

• Easy-to-use publications and resource guides
• Events and opportunities for parents, self-advocates, and staff to share their experiences
• An "inside-out" approach that emphasizes the viewpoint of the person with autism
• Partnerships and collaborations with a full spectrum of autism stakeholders
• Consultations in support of specific individuals

Among the trainings currently offered by the YAP Autism Institute are:

What is Autism?
Basic overview and information about the history and our evolving understanding of autism; discussion of sensorimotor differences and of recent research which suggests how people with autism, when respectfully understood and accommodated, can enjoy warm and satisfying relationships and live the lives they choose.

The Inside-Out Perspective
An overview of the autism spectrum from the perspective of those who experience it. Discussion of what is considered best practice in supporting individuasl with autism in communication, sensory sensitivities, mental health and movement differences.

Engaging in Passions
Discussion of interventions that follow the child's lead and engage those interests that hold a child's attention and foster participation, learning and inclusion. Without this, the relationships can not take place, progress will not occur and successful termination of services could not happen.

Communication, Language, Speech
How to distinguish and approach these three domains; what the research tells us about best practices for establishing reliable means of communication, fostering language and literacy, and providing alternatives to speech, if needed.

Accommodating the Sensorimotor Differences of People on the Autism Spectrum
Recognizing and understanding various types of sensorimotor differences and the ways in which respectful, individualized accommodations and supports can be developed through relationships.

Neuro-typical Kids/Peers
A workshop that focuses on teaching peers what autism is and how we are all special so peers gain an understanding.

Siblings
How to work with siblings and bring the familly together.

Community Resources
Integrating back into the community; how to reach out to the community, discussing self-determination, and engaging passions within the community.

Autism and Mental Health
Differential diagnosis; identifying and treating MH issues experienced by people with autism; the family context of Mental Health challenges and interventions; fostering resilience in people on the spectrum and their families.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: a hidden Mental Health challenge
Prevention, recognition, and treatment; approaches for individuals who communicate by means other than speech; considerations in supporting and alleviating the symptoms of persons with PTSD.

Social Skills Development for Children on the Autism Spectrum
A review of recent research on the development of social behavior; exploration of ways to find and follow a child's natural motivations and interests; consideration of how to successfully include children with autism in community settings as well as support positive and productive social interactions between child and caregiver.

Positive Approaches to Challenging Behavior
How to think about and recognize the functions of behavior; how to identify and evaluate triggers and stressors in the environment; and how to create positive supports that are socially meaningful and meaningful to the individual with disabilities.

Coercive Interventions: Strategies for Prevention
An overview of the field that highlights current advances and gaps in research, policy, and practice concerning the use of restraint, seclusion, and aversives; what elements have and have not proven effective for promoting safety; discussion of differences between the MH and MR/DD systems; emphasis on the importance of organizational culture and leadership in framing choices about how to respond to behavior that challenges us.

Myths and Facts About School Inclusion
An exploration of common apprehensions and misapprehensions about inclusion; what education law provides and why; how to create the types of supports, accommodations, and classroom resources that can make inclusion meaningful and successful for all learners.

YAP Autism Institute consultations and trainings are designed to fit the needs of:

• Families
• Schools
• Community groups
• Non-profit organizations
• Health care providers
• Human services agencies
• Public systems (e.g. child welfare, juvenile justice)
• First responders (e.g. police, fire, emergency personnel)
• Employers of people with autism/developmental differences

HOW TO REACH US

To contact YAP concerning autism services, trainings or consultations, please e-mail Jessica Carlton-Humenik, Pennsylvania Director of Autism and Developmental Differences, at JCarlton@yapinc.org, or Janet Crawford, Vice-President, National Autism and Developmental Disabilities Programs/Vice-President, Autism Institute, at jcrawford@yapinc.org.