In this webinar, Dr. Christine Wu Nordahl will provide an overview of current research focused on understanding autism in girls and women. Topics will include biological and clinical theories about: -the difference in the sex ratio of autism -current insights into neurobiological sex differences in autism -unique challenges faced by autistic girls and women

Content Development for Social Media will help participants plan messaging campaigns for social media to promote & disseminate public health communications during and post-COVID-19. Content will focus specifically on reaching neurodivergent populations and those with multiple intersectional marginalized identities.

This webinar is to celebrate the end of the academic year and share professional development tips with outgoing and continuing trainees in the Emerging Leaders Community, including advice on staying engaged with the AUCD network. Participants can also expect to hear from alumni trainees on how their training experience has helped them achieve professional and personal goals.

In this webinar, Dr. Kristen Choi will discuss emerging evidence on using telehealth to deliver therapy to children with autism spectrum disorder (e.g., speech therapy, occupational therapy, applied behavior analysis). Using data from a recent survey of parents in Southern California, the mental health impact of the pandemic on parents and their children will be discussed, as well as how COVID-related stress affected perceptions of telehealth.

Join us for an interactive discussion exploring alumni trainee engagement strategies. The panel will feature former trainees currently serving as LEND program faculty/staff.

Featuring AUCD/CDC's Children's Mental Health Champions, this 90-minute webinar will be to identify specific strategies that address the mental health needs of students across the age span, including the needs of neurodiverse learners. Mental health challenges can be a barrier to inclusion and addressing these challenges can enhance opportunities for participation in educational activities. Our four presenters will touch on topics such as the impact of early stressors on the mental health of young children (preschoolers), working with school providers to address the social/emotional needs of underserved children (early elementary age) post-pandemic, and supporting school personnel to address the mental health needs of neurodiverse learners, with a focus on autistic students (school-aged) with anxiety. The final presentation will focus on supporting transition for adolescents with emotional/behavioral challenges through an introduction to the RENEW Model. This webinar is recommended for K-12 educators, including administrators, school specialists, mental health personnel, community mental health providers, and family members.

Understanding and Reaching your Audience-will help participants identify and reach their target audience in their public health communication efforts during and post-COVID-19. Content will focus specifically on reaching neurodivergent populations and those with multiple intersectional marginalized identities.

Suicide is a leading cause of death in autistic people. Autistic people have significantly higher rates of suicidal thoughts, suicidal behaviors, and deaths by suicide than the general public. Warning signs of imminent suicidal behavior in the general public do not represent the unique needs of the autism community. Misunderstanding a suicide warning sign in an autistic individual can have devastating consequences. The presenters will describe warning signs of suicide for autistic people based on the latest research findings and expert consensus. They will also share information about crisis supports for this population.

Join us for a practical legal discussion tailored for the autism community on the protections offered by mental health parity laws. Learn what insurance practices are prohibited and what you should do if you encounter such prohibited practices.

This month, AIR-P celebrated Autism Acceptance Month with two webinar presentations! We held a back-to-back webinar session as follows. 12-1pm PT / 3-4pm ET: The Intersection of Autism, Health, Poverty and Racial Equity (2022 National Autism Indicators Report (NAIR)). This presentation will be provided by Dr. Lindsay Shea and Dr. Kristy Anderson from Drexel Autism Institute. 1-2pm PT / 4-5pm ET: Why Studying Puberty in Autism Research Matters. This presentation will be provided by Dr. Jenny Mai Phan, postdoctoral fellow at University of Wisconsin Madison.

This presentation blends first-person experiences with practical techniques to help identify and problem-solve for addressing sensory needs in a variety of contexts. Discuss how to develop low-tech, low-cost pre-emptive strategies and contingency plans for sensory needs!

This presentation will discuss clinical and research approaches for developmentally anchored social skills supports across the lifespan. The growing literature on social skills suggests promising clinical and socio-cultural approaches with the potential to improve relationships and reduce the impact of accumulated social disability and isolation across development. We will briefly review the literature and present clinical applications that integrate recent discoveries on social cognitive, pragmatic language, and implementation sciences.

Now more than ever it is critical to be an effective public health messenger. As a member of AUCD's network, you are invited to attend a four-part monthly virtual workshop series (April-July 2022) led by a joint collaboration between researchers at UCLA Health and the Hood Medicine Initiative, sponsored by AUCD through a cooperative agreement with CDC.

In this webinar, AUCD's Emergency Preparedness SIG will meet with Dr. Carol Salas Pagan, Psy.D., a FEMA National Advisory Council (NAC) member. Dr. Pagan will discuss her work with the Council, which advises the FEMA Administrator about emergency management, including preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation for natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other manmade disasters. In addition, she will give an overview of current FEMA initiatives related to disabilities. An interactive question and answer session among AUCD network members will take place after her presentation.

The Disability Policy Seminar is a three-day annual federal legislative conference co-sponsored by The Arc, Autism Society, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, United Cerebral Palsy, and Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (the partners). The Disability Policy Seminar strengthens our federal advocacy efforts by having people from across the country come to Washington, DC to receive training and updates and visit their Members of Congress.