9th Annual JFK Partners Autism Spectrum Disorder Conference - Webinar - October 1, 8:15 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. (MDT)

The annual JFK Partners Autism Spectrum Disorder Conference will once again be a virtual event in 2021. We are excited to offer topics in response to so many past participants’ requests under the umbrella of “Shining a Light on Mental Health in ASD Across the Life Span

2021 Conference Schedule
8:15 a.m. Welcome
8:30 a.m. Supporting the Mental Health of School-Aged Youth with ASD: The Positive Potential of School Partnerships
9:30 a.m. Break
9:45 a.m. Fostering Brave Behavior in Adolescents with ASD and Intellectual Disabilities: Important CBT Adaptations
10:45 a.m. Break
11:00 a.m. Suicide Prevention for Autistic Adults: Risk Factors, Warning Signs, and Crisis Supports
12:00 p.m. Wrap-up

Supporting the Mental Health of School-Aged Youth with ASD: The Positive Potential of School Partnerships
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; Sue Loeffler, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech/Language Pathologist; Michelle Butler, CCC-SLP, Speech/Language Pathologist; Jessica Kendall, LCSW, School Social Worker; Alison Garvey, School Psychologist

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

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

Closed captioning and Spanish interpretation will be available.
Contact hour certificates (3.5 hours) will be available to those who attend the live webinar and complete the event evaluation.