I will be presenting at the MACMH annual spring conference with a couple of my colleagues (Emily Kafle and Ashley Witt) on the following:  Serving “ASD Plus” Individuals in Schools - Addressing the Needs of Students who have Autism Spectrum Disorders and Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders--Individuals with comorbid Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and psychiatric illness present particular challenges to practitioners who have the responsibility of meeting their needs. Focusing solely on ASD approaches, or on approaches targeting the specific comorbidity, can have limited effectiveness. This workshop will explore practical interventions that therapists may use to assist individuals with comorbid ASD and psychiatric illness.

Learning Objectives for the Presentation:  By the end of this presentation the learner will be able to:

• Distinguish between features of Autism Spectrum Disorders and possible Co-occurring Psychiatric Illnesses
• Describe the impact of Autism Spectrum Disorders on the expression of common Co-occurring Psychiatric Illness (e.g., Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder)
• Describe Evidence Based Practices for working with individuals who exhibit co-occurring Autism Spectrum Disorders and Psychiatric Illnesses
• Describe possible modifications that may need to be made to Evidence Based Practices to make them effective in working with individuals with co-occurring Autism Spectrum Disorders and Psychiatric Illnesses

Outline for the Presentation:

1. Introduction of presenters
2. Clinical Presentation of Autism Spectrum Disorders
   1. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--5th Edition Criteria
3. Common Areas Impacted in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders that May Affect Mental Health
   1. Thinking About Others Thinking
   2. Social Communication
   3. Abstract Language
   4. Emotional Control
   5. Mental Flexibility
   6. Boundary Awareness
   7. Executive Functions
   8. Impulsivity
   9. Aggressions/Anger
   10. Perseveration/Rumination/Noncompliance
   11. Regulation
   12. Control
   13. Connection
4. Commonly Co-occurring Disorders
   1. Language Delays
   2. Cognitive Delays
   3. Attention Disorders
   4. Neurological Disorders--e.g., seizures
   5. Learning Disorders
   6. Medical Comorbidities (Sleep, GI)
5. Co-occurring Psychiatric Disorders
   1. Anxiety
   2. Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
   3. Depression
   4. Bipolar Disorder
   5. Attention Deficit Disorder
   6. Schizophrenia/Schizoaffective Disorders
      1. Thought Disorders
   7. Oppositional Defiant Disorder
   8. Tic Disorders
   9. Gender Dysphoria
6. Differentiating ASD from Commonly Co-occurring Psychiatric Disorders
   1. Autism Spectrum Disorders vs. ADHD
   2. Autism Spectrum Disorders vs. OCD
   3. Autism Spectrum Disorders vs. Schizophrenia/Psychosis
   4. Autism Spectrum Disorders vs. Depression
   5. Autism Spectrum Disorders vs. Bipolar Disorder
   6. Autism Spectrum Disorders vs. Oppositional Defiant Disorder
7. Examining the Impact of ASD on the Expression of Co-occurring Psychiatric Disorders
   1. Anxiety and Autism
   2. Depression and Autism
   3. Thought Disorder and Autism
   4. OCD and Autism
   5. ODD and Autism
8. Evidence Based Practices for Working with Individuals with ASD and Commonly Co-occurring Psychiatric Disorders
   1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
   2. Mindfulness
   3. Relational Approaches
9. Modifying Evidence Based Practices to Make Them Effective in Working with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Co-occurring Psychiatric Illnesses
10. Questions and Answers

I hope I will see you there.

I just added a resources area to the website.  Under this, right now, I have links to my Pinterest page (Autism Treatment Ideas) and my LibraryThing page.  The LibraryThing page has catalogs of books in a number of areas, including:  ASD, Cognition and Executive Function, Feeding, Social Neuroscience, Social Competency/Thinking/Skills, and Transition.  I hope you will find this helpful in identifying resources that may be of assistance to you.

I want to welcome people to my new website, and my new office on Ford Parkway.  Over time, I hope to post on subjects related to books and interventions that may be of interest to individuals, caregivers, and professionals.  I specialize in working with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and with working with Cognitive and Executive Functioning Skills.