2021 Conference Schedule

Time	Topic	Speaker(s)
8:15 a.m.	Welcome	Judy Reaven, Ph.D.
8:30 a.m.	Supporting the Mental Health of School-Aged Youth with ASD: The Positive Potential of School Partnerships	Judy Reaven, Ph.D.
9:30 a.m.	Break
9:45 a.m.	Fostering Brave Behavior in Adolescents with ASD and Intellectual Disabilities: Important CBT Adaptations	Audrey Blakeley-Smith, Ph.D.
10:45 a.m.	Break
11:00 a.m.	Suicide Prevention for Autistic Adults: Risk Factors, Warning Signs, and Crisis Supports	Brenna Maddox, Ph.D. Lisa Morgan, MEd, CAS
12:00 p.m.	Wrap-up

Supporting the Mental Health of School-Aged Youth with ASD: The Positive Potential of School Partnerships

Handout - Presentation

Handout - Mental Health & Autism for Professionals

Handout - Mental Health, Autism, and Your Child

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the mental health conditions that commonly co-occur in youth with ASD
• Describe the core components of a cognitive behavior therapy program for youth with ASD and anxiety (Facing Your Fears program)
• Describe the benefits of implementing evidence-based interventions in public schools for autistic youth

SPEAKER
Judy Reaven, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics
Associate Director of JFK Partners
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Panelists: 

Rachel S. Kerstiens, School Psychologist, Denver Public Schools; Sue Loeffler, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech/Language Pathologist, Denver Public Schools; Michelle Butler, CCC-SLP, Speech/Language Pathologist, Littleton Public Schools; Jessica Kendall, LCSW, School Social Worker, Cherry Creek School District; Alison Garvey, School Psychologist, Cherry Creek School District

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Fostering Brave Behavior in Adolescents with ASD and Intellectual Disabilities: Important CBT Adaptations

Handout

Learning Objectives:

• Identify common symptoms of anxiety in teens with ASD and ID
• Identify important adaptations to traditional CBT approaches that enhance access and understanding for autistic teens with ID
• Identify strategies that support bravery in daily life and transition to adulthood

SPEAKER
Audrey Blakeley-Smith, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept of Psychiatry 
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Panel to be included

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Suicide Prevention for Autistic Adults: Risk Factors, Warning Signs, and Crisis Supports

Handout

Learning Objectives:

• Describe at least three possible risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in autistic adults
• Discuss at least five key considerations for suicide warning signs when working with autistic adults
• Identify at least two crisis supports and resources for this population

SPEAKERS
Brenna Maddox, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Co-Chair, Autism and Suicide Committee, American Association of Suicidology  

Lisa Morgan, MEd, CAS  
Co-Chair, Autism and Suicide Committee, American Association of Suicidology 

  

2020 Autism Spectrum Disorder Conference 

Conference Handouts:

Research Survey

Navigating Healthy Relationships

Birds Bees Flyer

Working Together to Improve Community MH Svc for Adults on the Autism Spectrum

General MH Tips for Parents of Youth with ASD

Resource Fair Handout

Research Newsletter

Conference Presentations and Archived Recordings:

Navigating Healthy Relationships in Adolescence: Gender Identity, Dating, and Social Safety for Pre-teens and Teens with ASD

Learning Objectives:

• Explore core components of relationship building for adolescents with ASD including gender identity, dating, and social safety.
• Identify challenges for adolescents with ASD in building healthy relationships with others and the particular impact of COVID-19.
• Discuss strategies for skill building and establishing safe and appropriate relationships with others.

Speakers:

Lindsey N. DeVries, Ph.D., Instructor, Developmental Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine  

Caitlin Middleton, Ph.D., Instructor, Developmental Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine  

Handout: 

Navigating healthy relationships

Birds Bees Flyer

Archived Video:

Working Together to Improve Community Mental Health Services for Adults on the Autism Spectrum

Learning Objectives:

• Describe common co-occurring mental health conditions in adults on the autism spectrum.
• Discuss barriers to adults on the autism spectrum receiving quality mental healthcare.
• Identify actionable strategies to improve community mental health services for adults on the autism spectrum.

Speaker: Brenna Maddox, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Handout: Working Together to Improve Community MH Svc for Adults on the Autism Spectrum

Archived Recording: