Supporting System-Involved Youth Diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum with Social Skills & Emotional Regulation

Laura S. Anderson

Training Description

As a field, we continue to learn more and more about autism spectrum disorders. Many of the training courses offered are focused on identifying autism, and/or the importance of very early interventions. For those who support system-involved youth, it is important to understand how an autism diagnosis can impact behavior and social skills in older youth. While there is no one way that autism “looks”, the focus of the training will be identifying two areas that older children with an autism diagnosis often struggle. We will focus on identifying strategies to support social and emotional regulation skills development for neurodiverse system-involved youth.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

· Identify five symptoms of autism that make social skills and emotional regulation challenging for system-involved teens.

· Explain three strategies for helping system-involved teens diagnosed on the autism spectrum manage social situations.

· Explain three strategies for helping system-involved teens diagnosed on the autism spectrum regulate emotions.

Agenda

12:00 -12:15pm  Introduction

12:15-12:30pm  Explore symptoms of autism

12:30-12:45pm  Ways autism impacts particular social skills challenges in system-involved teens

12:45-1:00pm  Exploring common social situations challenges

1:00-1:15pm  Focus on the way autism shapes behavioral outbursts

1:15-1:30pm  Explore common triggers for behavioral outbursts for system-involved teens diagnosed on the autism spectrum

1:30-1:45pm  Introduction to the sensory system and its relationship to autism

1:45-2:00pm  Break (CE hours will not be offered for this time)

2:00-2:15pm  Strategies that help manage social situations for system-involved teens diagnosed on the autism spectrum

2:15-2:30pm  Introduction to first case example exploring emotional regulation challenges specifically

2:30-2:45pm  Practice with specific visual tools to use for emotional regulation in first case example

2:45-3:00pm  Differentiating use of tools for prevention of de-escalation vs use of tools in strategies once escalation has begun

3:00-3:15pm  Practice with service and/or support planning for emotional regulation in first case example

3:15-3:30pm  Introduction to second case exploring social skills planning and development

3:30-3:45pm  Practice with specific visual tools to use for social skills planning to use in second case example

3:45-4:00pm  Practice with service and/or suport planning for second case

4:00-4:15pm  Summary & Wrap-up

Meet Our Trainer

Dr. Laura S. Anderson is a clinical child and family psychologist who is licensed in Hawaii and California, and she has worked with youth and families for over twenty years. Dr. Anderson is currently based primarily in Hawaii, Her areas of expertise include school-based behavioral health, assessment, support for adoptive families, support for gender expansive youth and their families, foster care consultation, and the provision of cross-culturally sensitive care. She is lucky to have had wonderful clinical mentors and enjoys teaching others things she has learned “in the trenches” of direct service to children, adolescents, families, schools, and various other agencies. Dr. Anderson enjoys working with kids, families, and systems as they overcome barriers, build on their strengths, and thrive.

This course meets the qualifications for (4.0) 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.