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On Sunday, April 22, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Center for Autism Research will team up at Lincoln Financial Field to host the 3rd Annual Huddle Up for Autism. There will be special appearances by Eagles players and cheerleaders, field and locker room tours, games, and more! Kids will have the opportunity to speak with an Eagles statistician and learn about how the team calculates its stats! New this year, families have the opportunity to fundraise on behalf of the Center for Autism Research and earn awesome prizes, such as guaranteed autographs from current Eagles players and the opportunity to mingle with Eagles Cheerleaders at an MVP reception.

Fundraise for special Eagles prizes

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Training

A primary barrier in the translation of research into practice is the lack of training programs for community-based practitioners. Furthermore, even the most knowledgeable families and practitioners can benefit from more intensive autism training and learning about the services, supports, and interventions available regionally.

ASERT

The Eastern Region ASERT Consortium, led by CAR, includes a number of training programs for professionals throughout the eastern and northeastern portions of Pennsylvania.

The Early Screening and Diagnosis (ESD) Program, led by Peter Doehring, Ph.D. and Susan Levy, M.D. at CAR, is seeking to increase early identification and decrease waiting lists for diagnosis of young children suspected of having an autism spectrum disorder, especially in typically underserved families and regions. ESD does this by providing extensive training in flexible, innovative, evidence-based protocols tailored to the needs of selected, community-based providers who together constitute an integrated referral network.

Tiered Training in Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and Positive Behavior Supports (PBS), led by Linda Bambara, Ed.D. and Christine Cole, Ph.D. at Lehigh University, provides multi-level evidence-based training in the design and use of PBS and FBA to adult providers. The training provided is consistent with credentials of the Autism Waiver. These trainings range from two-day introductory (Tier 1) workshops, targeting the full range of providers, to an extensive Train-the-Trainer program (Tier 3), designed to increase regional capacity and expertise.

The project to Increase Service to the Latino Community, led by Mary Anne Delaney, M.D. at Drexel University, will build upon current evaluation and medication management programs for Latino and African American populations by providing bilingual case management and therapeutic services, training to clinical doctoral students in use of ASD-specific measures, and support to other regional partners.

The project to Increase Community-Based Inclusion Services for Adults, led by Linda Bambara, Ed.D. and Christine Cole, Ph.D. at Lehigh University, in collaboration with regional adult service programs, is designed to demonstrate how to expand capacity and breadth of services, including community inclusion and job placement, assessment, and supports. The project will use outcome data to evaluate efficacy and will develop a program manual for easy implementation to other regions and programs.

The Train the Trainer Program for Social Skills of College Students with ASD, led by Felicia Hurewitz, Ph.D. and Mary Anne Delaney, M.D. at Drexel University, is developing a peer-to-peer social skills mentoring program for students with ASD attending regional colleges. The program being developed involves typical peers providing modeling and support, in many cases for course credit.

Distinguished Lecture Series: CAR's Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS) features some of the most prominent autism researchers and clinicians in the world. Topics range from immunology to genetics to behavioral interventions. Many of the DLS speakers present two presentations – one for the scientific community and one for the general public. Presentations to the scientific community last an hour with a half-hour networking session preceding them. They are attended by approximately 40-50 area doctors, clinicians, researchers and students, both with and without an autism specialty. Second presentations are held in the evening to provide an opportunity for families and community autism service providers to attend. These presentations are two hours long and are usually filled to capacity (approximately 75-100 guests, depending on the size of the room). All DLS workshops are free of charge. For more information on upcoming speakers, visit our Events page.

Next Steps Workshop

Parents of young children recently diagnosed with ASD, and the professionals who serve them, sometimes find it overwhelming to navigate the range of evaluation and intervention options, especially given the confusing array of services and supports offered publicly and privately. The one-day Next Steps workshop offered by CAR, with the support of community organizations and CHOP's Regional Autism Clinic, is designed to:

Orient parents and professionals to the characteristics of ASD;
Describe the latest research findings;
Summarize the most common intervention methods and programs;
Provide an overview of publicly-funded programs and options; and
Convey the experience of individuals and family members living with ASD.

These workshops include innovative panel discussions intended to respond to specific questions and issues raised by participants. The "Ask the Expert" Panel, including locally identified practitioners experienced in ASD, is prepared to field the full range of questions; the Family Panel, including parents, grandparents, siblings and persons with ASD, discusses the panelists' struggles and successes with the audience. In response to increasing demand, CAR has developed a separate Next Steps workshop tailored specifically to professionals, including teachers, nurses, psychologists, physicians, social workers, and other allied professionals.

The Next Steps core team (Peter Doehring, Deb Dunn, Jennifer Plumb, and Gail Stein) assembles presenters from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and other regional programs, including specialists in developmental and behavioral pediatrics, speech and language issues, occupational therapy, special education law, and advocacy. Next Steps now also provides opportunities for CAR trainees to gain experience in presenting to families and the community.

For information on upcoming Next Steps workshops, visit our Events page or contact Gail Stein.

Pediatrician Education: The average age for an autism diagnosis is three years. However, a reliable diagnosis can be made as early as 18 months of age or even sooner. Research has shown that early intervention can make a huge difference in the outcomes of children on the spectrum. Thus a delay of diagnosis can have serious repercussions for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families. Through a national research endeavor, CAR faculty were involved in developing the First Signs program, which helps train pediatricians to recognize signs of autism and make earlier diagnoses. Locally, CAR has begun to expand this program. CAR staff visits regional pediatrician groups to present an intensive workshop on autism screening and diagnosis, management of autism spectrum disorders, community resources, and the latest research into the causes and treatments for autism.

Other Professional Education