The UNT WISE e-News Bulletin is published monthly through a grant awarded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration to the Department of Rehabilitation, Social Work & Addictions at the University of North Texas.
Editorial Staff
Editor
Martha Garber
Project Director
Contributing Authors
Margaret J. Cortez
Marcy Haag
Jim Humes
Yvonne Raffini
Zach Sneed
Principal Investigator
Linda Holloway
Any comments about the content or design of this e-Newsletter should be directed to Martha Garber
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Send your comments and story ideas to e-News Bulletin Project Director & Editor, Martha Garber.
From the desk of: Martha Garber
CNN's recount of the radio host's rant about autism sent a chill down my spine as I grasped the depth of ignorance about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is not well understood. According to the 2007 Prevalence of ASD data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 out of 150 children is a child with ASD. Boys are four times more likely to have ASD than girls. Most of the public services and research are focused on the treatment of children. When these children grow up, resources to assist them dwindle. Transition specialists tell me they have a hard time finding competent providers and resources to assist youth with autism transition to school or employment. We must expand our toolboxes and build the competencies needed to provide meaningful services to transitioning youth and adults with autism.
UNTWISE is highlighting Autism Spectrum Disorder this month. This issue of e-news is devoted to autism. We are very pleased to offer a 3-part training series on Autism with Dr. Peter Gerhardt nationally and internationally known for his work on the needs of adults with ASD, the school-to-work transition process, 
and analysis and intervention of problematic behavior. The 3 webinar sessions will cover autism basics, employment, and transition.
Choosing the Right Job
Focusing on the person -- not the disability -- is the key to a good job match. Understanding common characteristics of a disability gives us more information about what kind of jobs and work culture may be more desirable for an individual with ASD or Asperger's Syndrome (AS). Yet there is no substitute for getting to know the individual's likes, dislikes, interests, dreams, aspirations, etc. Below are links to comments and advice on employment:
Autism Research Institute, articles by Dr. Temple Grandin
YouTube Autism Employment Video
Employment suggestions for Adults with AS FROM Adults with AS
ASD Employer Guide
Alpine Learning Group has published a training manual (2008, Supported Employment & Supported Volunteerism Training Manual) for employers of individuals with autism. The manual contains specific instructions for dealing with a variety of scenarios that may arise in the workplace that employs an individual with autism or ASD.
Guide for Transition to Adulthood
Life Journey Through Autism: A Guide for Transition to Adulthood is designed to help transitioning youth with ASD, parents, and professionals introduce the transition process.The guide is a collaborative effort between the Organization for Autism Research, the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center, and Danya International. We found the guide on the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) website.
Professional Support in Supported Employment
Professional support is important to make sure you are in tune with the latest information. Two organizations that you might consider are: Autism Society of America and APSE: The Network on Employment.
Autism Society of America ws founded in 1965. It provides information, referral and advocacy to improve the lives of people affected by autism. ASA's website is rich with information. The organization frequently teams up with other entities to provide professional enrichment events.
APSE is a membership organization formed in 1988 as the Association for Persons in Supported Employment to improve and expand integrated employment opportunities, services, and outcomes for persons experiencing disabilities. Active in advocacy, education, and public policy, APSE offers a wealth of information for consumers, professionals, and employers. Membership in national APSE also provides dues to local chapters. Region 6 has two active chapters in Oklahoma and Texas (Lone Star APSE.)
The latest in a series of Webinars presented by renowned scholars in Rehabilitation is our Autism - 3-part Series. We're delighted to have Dr. Peter Gerhardt, Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Organization for Autism Research host this 3-part series which opens with the basics.
- August 15, Autism - the Basics explains the complex nature of autism and how its onset severely affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others.
- August 22, Autism & Employment focuses on adults and employment, determining an employment goal, working with families and support considerations.
- August 29, Autism & Transition looks at when to begin the transition process, who should be involved, and resources available to help the individual in this process.
All Webinars in this series start at 10:00 AM Central time and last for one hour. The cost is $60.00 for all three sessions with Dr. Gerhardt and the training qualifies for 3 hours of continuing education credits. Our Calendar connects you to more information and registration for Autism - 3-part Series.
Transitions
The Arkansas Division of Blind Services Board of Directors has named Katy Morris as agency Director. Ms. Morris replaces the late James C. Hudson.
Training Schedule
August 12-14, 2008: Certificate in Employment Services, (Session II: Sept 16-18), Dallas, TX
August 15, 22, 29, 2008: Autism, Online Webinar
August 27-28, 2008: Job Coaching, New Orleans, LA
September 5, 2008: Writing Great Business Plans, Online Webinar
October 24, 2008: Customized Job Development, Online Webinar
November 18-19, 2008: Supported Employment: Basic Skills Clinic, Baton Rouge, LA
In case you missed it, our Home Page has a couple of new features you might find helpful as you pursue information on the employment of individuals with disabilities. Our constantly changing News Ticker features news items or announcements pertinent to the work of employment specialists, vocational rehabilitation counselors, job coaches and other community rehabilitation personnel. Check it weekly for the most current news on rehabilitation issues that affect you, your job, and your consumers.
Another new item on our Home Page is the Search Feature. You can use it to quickly access information you may need as you work with consumers.
Upcoming Conferences
2008 Fiscal & Data Management Conference: A toolkit for improving VR performance, August 17-20, 2008, Washington, DC
2008 National Employment & disAbility Conference, September 15-17, 2008, Arlington, VA
Louisiana Rehabilitation Association & Regional NRA Conference, October 1-3, 2008, Baton Rouge, LA
Texas Rehab Action Network Conference, October 2-4, 2008, Dallas, TX
2008 NRA National Training Conference, October 23-26, 2008, St. Louis, MO
CSAVR Fall Conference 2008, November 16-19, 2008, San Diego, CA
This project is in part supported under a grant from the Department of Education. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education and endorsement by the Federal Government should not be assumed.