We are offering a four-part series for caregivers on strategies to support success in the virtual learning environment. The series will consist of one-hour sessions on the following topics: – Creating your home learning station: This session will discuss strategies for arranging the environment to support your child’s learning. – Addressing attention and motivation – How to get your child to attend to online learning: This session will explain strategies for increasing your child’s attention to online learning tasks. In addition, attendees will learn how to motivate their children to work on all types of learning tasks within a virtual environment. – IEP & Distance Learning Plans: This session will address individualized education program services and supports in the online environment. Attendees will learn about requesting and accessing services and supports. – Parent Self-care strategies: This presentation will discuss an overview of caregiver mental health and stress. Attendees will also learn some wellness exercises and positive parenting strategies.

These four social learning sessions will focus on common social challenges for children ages 8 to 12 years of age. Each session will all be hosted via Zoom from 4 to 5pm. Children can attend one or all four. Session dates and topics: Thursday, October 29 – Session #1 – Initiating and ending conversations; Thursday, November 5 – Session #2 – Conversational turn-taking; Thursday, November 12 – Session #3 – Staying on topic; Thursday, November 19 – Session #4 – Compromising

Are you an adult with ASD who is interested in learning ways to enter into the dating world? Do you have questions about how to get started? If you answered “YES” then consider attending CARD’s Dating 101 workshop during our Tuesday Night Training (TNT) series on Tuesday, November 10th from 6:30pm -7:30pm. Appropriate for CARD constituents ages 21 and older, register now to learn tools and resources for entering the dating scene with confidence.

MyFriends provides positive, welcoming social opportunities for adults with ASD where they can meet and make friends.To join MyFriends you must: Be a UF-CARD constituent; Be 18 years or older; and contact Ann-Marie Orlando. Weekly ONLINE meetings on Mondays at 12PM

The purpose of these meetings is for parents to have some time to relax, talk, and share about our children and experiences. Please come join us! Please contact Margie Garlin if you are interested in attending. Weekly ONLINE meetings on alternating Wednesday evenings and Friday mornings

Join us ONLINE via Zoom for our monthly support group where we will talk about how to manage daily life. Parents are also welcome to join in. Meetings are held on the first Friday of each month at 5PM.

Join us ONLINE via Zoom to: Learn about CARD’s purpose and how our staff may help you on your journey to better understanding autism and related disabilities through education and support; Receive information and tools to help you get started on your next steps; and Meet other families to build and strengthen your support network. Orientation is usually held on the second Friday of the month at 10:30AM.

Please join us ONLINE for a Housing Discussion of community needs and help us plan for further residential support explorations. Moving out of the family home is one of the biggest milestones in a person’s life. For those with autism and related disabilities, this can be a long and effortful process. Determining the type of physical home as well as necessary support services can be complicated, leaving some families unsure of where to start, while others may have started the process and await a feasible plan to move forward. We hope that these meetings will assist you and your family in planning for this important event and help you gain a better understanding of the housing and residential supports available, including learning a great deal from each other to make a safe, healthy, and happy home.