Strategies to Support System-Involved Youth with Autism

Nicole Klasey, Psy.D. and Nancy Acosta

Training Description

Autism and related disorders are being diagnosed more frequently. It’s important for those who support system involved youth on the autism spectrum to understand related diagnoses in order to most effectively support them towards improved outcomes. This training will provide an overview of autism as well as strategies for supporting system-involved youth on the spectrum.

Learning Objective

1. Participants will be able to identify at least 1 indicator that a system-involved youth may be on the autism spectrum.

2. Participants will be able to identify at least 1 strategy to support system-involved youth with autism.

3. Participants will be able to identify at least 1 strategy to support caregivers of system-involved youth with autism.

Agenda

10:00am-10:15am  Introduction and welcome

10:15am-11:45am  Autism overview

· Stigmas of autism

· Statistics of autism diagnosis

· Autism DSM-V criteria

· Warning signs of autism

11:45am-12:00pm  Break (CE hours will not be offered for this time)

12:00pm-1:45pm  Engagement strategies and practice:

· Warning signs of autism

· Available treatment options

· Resources for families

· Supporting system involved youth on the spectrum in the classroom

· Vignettes

1:45pm-2:00pm  Wrap-up and Closing

Meet Our Trainer

Nicole Klasey is a clinical psychologist who has worked with trauma survivors for 14 years. She currently consults with agencies on trauma-informed care, programming for commercially sexually exploited youth, vicarious trauma, and leadership development. Nicole has been training multidisciplinary audiences on trauma-related topics since 2015 and provides guest lectures at local universities on human trafficking.

Nancy Acosta is a bilingual therapist who has 7 years of experience working with trauma at a sexual assault center. She has provided services to children and adults in various settings including outpatient community mental health centers, college counseling centers, crisis centers, and in an integrated behavioral health setting. She has completed training in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy as well as Cognitive Processing Therapy. She has experience providing training and supervision to doctoral level graduate students in trauma related topics including crisis intervention, vicarious trauma, and grounding techniques. In addition to developing a training manual for a student training program at a rape and crisis center, she also has experience supervising practicum students and providing support to staff and advocates. Nancy has experience working as a behavioral health consultant with multidisciplinary staff to improve recognition, treatment and management of behavioral problems and conditions.

This course meets the qualifications for (3.75) BBS CE hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.