Autism & UF Conference

2023 Autism & UF: Forward Together Conference

Hosted by

University of Florida Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (UF CARD)
and UF Health Center for Autism & Neurodevelopment (UF Health CAN)

Dates/Times

FRIDAY, June 23, 2023
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Please join us for a poster session which will be held 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

SATURDAY, June 24, 2023
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Please join us for Celebrating Autism in the Arts which will be held 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

Check-in begins at 8:30am on both days.

Location

Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida
3259 Hull Road
Gainesville, FL 32608

About the Conference

This FREE two-day conference will consist of a series of sessions on a variety of topics related to current research and intervention in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Target Audience

Educators, Researchers, Administrators, Professionals, Individuals with ASD & Family Member

Conference Description

The Autism & UF Conference is an annual conference aimed at providing high quality professional development to a variety of professionals, including educators, researchers, mental health counselors, psychologists, occupational, physical, and speech therapists, physicians, and caregivers involved in the lives of individuals with ASD.  This event will consist of two days of sessions on the latest research and intervention in the field of ASD. Topics will include but are not limited to: improving access to and quality of early intervention, comprehensive autism diagnostic evaluations, and using virtual reality in classrooms to support autistic youth.

Poster Session

Participants will have an opportunity to peruse research posters on Friday from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

Registration Deadline

June 23, 2023
Limited to the first 75 in-person participants.
Registration is mandatory.

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. To request accommodations or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Dr. Ann-Marie Orlando at (352) 265-2239 or aorlando@ufl.edu.

Accommodations

UF Health’s list of local hotels & motels
Visit Gainesville’s list of local lodging

Parking

-For individuals without a UF parking decal, parking vouchers will be available at the registration desk.
-For individuals with a valid UF parking decal, “all decal” parking is available in the lot and parking garage in front of the Cultural Plaza.
-Parking is free on Saturdays. Free handicap parking is available near the entrance to the museum.
Parking Map

Venue

Map of Harn Museum

For more information contact:

Ann-Marie Orlando
card-training@ufl.edu
352-265-2230

CEUs

Continuing education units will be available for BCBAs attending the conference. If interested be sure to have your certification number with you and to sign in and out for each of the qualifying sessions listed:

• Improving Access to and Quality of Early Intervention (1.5 CEUs)
• Interdisciplinary Considerations in the Assessment and Treatment of Severe Challenging Behavior (1.5 CEUs)
• Behavior Management Made Easy: Using Group Contingencies to Promote Positive Classroom Behavior (1.5 CEUs)

Inservice Points

Teachers, be sure to contact your ESE District Staff or Staff Development Contact to determine the process for receiving credit.

Keynote: AI-assisted Frameworks for Brain Based Outcomes

Presenter:
Brandon Zielinski, MD, PhD
Chief, Pediatric Neurology at the UF College of Medicine
Dr. Zielenski earned his medical degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, and PhD in Neuroscience from Georgetown University. He completed his neurology and pediatric neurology subspecialty training at the University of California San Francisco. and is a board certified in neurology and psychiatry with a special qualification in pediatric neurology.

Dr. Zielenski is also a UF AI initiative scholar and he studies structure-function relationships in developing brain networks, both in health and neurological disorders affecting children, with a particular focus in autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions. He is passionate about contributing to a patient-centered clinical care service model for neurodevelopmental disorders including autism and expanding the Division of Pediatric Neurology to meet the needs of children and families throughout the state of Florida and beyond.

Improving Access to and Quality of Early Intervention

Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI), one of the two evidence-based interventions for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, has a profound positive effect on the developmental trajectory of children with autism (Hyman et al., 2020). Although the importance of EIBI services has been acknowledged, there are several barriers associated with access to these services. In this presentation, I will describe how I have tried to overcome these barriers as an early intervention scientist-practitioner. In addition to describing the early intervention services I have developed at UF’s Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, I will review a few of my current research lines that aim to improve the quality of care of neurodivergent children.

As a result of this activity participants will be able to describe:
(1) misconceptions about autism spectrum disorder
(2) the benefits of early intervention services
(3) how to improve the quality of early intervention assessment, intervention, and outcomes

Presenter:
Ciobha McKeown, PhD, BCBA
Research Assistant Professor, University of Florida
Dr. Ciobha McKeown is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Florida (UF). She earned her Masters degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from California State University, Northridge in 2016 and her Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2020. Across the past few years, and in collaboration with the Florida Autism Center, Ciobha developed a short-term, intensive early intervention program housed within UF’s Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment. Ciobha has over 12 years of experience providing early intervention services to neurodivergent children. Her research is focused on improving the quality of care of neurodivergent children and extending behavior analytic methodology to at-risk infants. This includes investigating procedures that promote language development, establish and maintain prosocial behavior, and prevent the development of problem behavior.

Interdisciplinary Considerations in the Assessment and Treatment of Severe Challenging Behavior

Individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders who display severe challenging behavior are at significant risk of injury to self and others. Challenging behavior includes, but is not limited to, self-injury, aggression, and property destruction. There are many empirically validated treatments for challenging behavior, but barriers to treatment such as underlying medical concerns may impact their effectiveness. This presentation will focus on identifying barriers that may arise in the treatment of challenging behavior and propose solutions centering around interdisciplinary collaboration.

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:
(1) distinguish between different definitions of severe challenging behavior.
(2) identify barriers to treatment success.
(3) recognize ways that they can participate in interdisciplinary collaboration.

Presenter:
Lindsay Lloveras, PhD, BCBA
Behavior Analyst, UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment (UF Health CAN)
Lindsay obtained her masters degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western New England University in 2018 and her Ph.D. in Behavior Analysis from the University of Florida in 2022. Dr. Lloveras is a Behavior Analyst for the UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment (UF Health CAN) and coordinates the inpatient behavioral consultation program at UF Shands Children’s Hospital. Her primary area of research is in assessment and treatment of behavior disorders, with emphasis on quantitative analysis.

Comprehensive Autism Diagnostic Evaluations

There are a variety of approaches for assessing Autism Spectrum Disorder in youth, including evaluations conducted by medical providers, clinical psychologists, allied health professionals, and school psychologists. This presentation will aim to increase understanding of the similarities and differences, as well as purposes, of different evaluation approaches for Autism Spectrum Disorder. In particular, the components of Comprehensive Autism Diagnostic Evaluations will be further described, as well as the purposes and benefits of this type of evaluation approach.

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:
(1) contrast different types of evaluations for Autism Spectrum Disorder
(2) describe the components of a comprehensive autism diagnostic evaluation
(3) describe the purposes and benefits of a comprehensive autism diagnostic evaluation

Presenter:
Brenda Wiens, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor, University of Florida Department of Clinical and Health Psychology
Dr. Wiens is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida. She completed her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a clinical internship in clinical child and pediatric psychology at the University of Florida. Dr. Wiens’ specialty area is clinical child psychology, and her primary area of clinical interest and practice is assessments for behavioral/emotional concerns and neurodevelopmental disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and language and learning disorders. Dr. Wiens is involved in both the UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment (UF Health CAN) and the UF Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Training Program (UF MDTP). She is a Co-Investigator on the UF project teams for two longitudinal grants studying brain development: Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD; PI’s Cottler and Nixon) and HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD; PI’s Gurka, Scott, and Gurka).

Behavior Management Made Easy: Using Group Contingencies to Promote Positive Classroom Behavior

This presentation will focus on the use of group contingencies as an effective behavior management strategy in the classroom. Group contingencies involve structuring consequences for a group of students based on the behavior of the group as a whole, rather than on individual behavior. The presentation will discuss various types of group contingencies, including dependent, independent, and interdependent, and how they can be used to promote positive behavior in the classroom. Additionally, the presentation will address how to select appropriate goals, how to implement group contingencies effectively, and how to monitor progress. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the benefits of group contingencies and practical strategies for implementing them in their own classrooms.

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:
(1) identify the different types of group contingencies and explain how they can be used to promote positive behavior in the classroom
(2) select appropriate goals for implementing group contingencies, and effectively implement them in their own classrooms
(3) monitor progress and make adjustments as necessary when using group contingencies to promote positive behavior in the classroom

Presenter:
Faris R. Kronfli, PhD
Program Coordinator, University of Florida Behavior Analysis Research Clinic (UF BARC)
Post Doctoral Associate, University of Florida’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (UF CARD)
Faris R. Kronfli received his master’s degree in Behavior Analysis from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2014 and his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Florida in 2019. His research has included the assessment and treatment of problem behavior among at-risk youth and individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While at the University of Florida, Dr. Kronfli helped establish a social skills clinic for adolescents and adults on the spectrum and has continued to focus on developing programs to support individuals as they transition to adulthood. He was the recipient of the 2018 B.F. Skinner Foundation Florida Graduate Student Research Award and the 2019 Christopher Rubow Memorial Award. He is currently the program coordinator for the Behavior Analysis Research Clinic’s school-based consultation program at the University of Florida and a Post Doctoral Associate at the University of Florida’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities.

The Neural Basis of Sensory Processing in Autism

This presentation will include a comprehensive description of sensory processing and the commonly noted symptoms of sensory processing dysfunction in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Emphasis will be placed on describing the role of sensory processing in development, characterizing sensorimotor differences in ASD, exploring the associated areas of the brain responsible for sensorimotor integration, and detailing potential impact of a sensory enriched occupational therapy intervention on remediating underlying neural and behavioral sensorimotor differences in ASD.

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:
(1) define sensory processing.
(2) describe the neural basis of sensory processing in development.
(3) describe the motor symptoms associated with sensory processing in ASD.
(4) discuss the potential impact of occupational therapy intervention on sensory processing in ASD.

Presenter:
Stefanie Bodison, OTD, OTR/L
Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
Director of Sensory Development Lab at the University of Florida
Dr. Bodison is an internationally renowned expert in sensory integration theory, assessment, and intervention. Her research uses neuroimaging methods to investigate the neural correlates of sensory processing as a foundation for the development of sensorimotor skills in neurotypically developing children and those with neurodevelopmental disorders. She has received research grants from the Department of Defense, the NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the Southern California Clinical Translational Science Institute to study developing sensorimotor networks in children with autism, prenatal alcohol exposure, and sensorineural hearing loss. Dr. Bodison has (co)authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters; is an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Occupational Therapy; and has presented over 100 scientific papers and clinical trainings across the globe.

Parental Mental Health and Wellness

Parents of children with disabilities often report increased levels of depression and anxiety. They are at high risk for caregiver stress, burnout, and burden, which are conditions of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. When their mental health needs are not met, it poses a significant risk to their well-being. Consequently, these affect their family’s adaptive functioning, as well as the interrelationships within the family. According to literature, there are three major themes identified as being central to the improvement of parents’ mental health. One of them is professional training in skills development. When parents are provided with resources, strategies, and information regarding their child’s behavior or diagnosis, their stress levels decrease at the same time as their quality-of-life increases. Research also suggests that parental engagement in self-care strategies can provide a healthy coping model for their children. Thus, promoting child self-care and overall wellness. In general, parent self-care is essential to coping with stress, and if these self-care needs are not met, this can negatively influence the parent-child relationship, which can ultimately have an impact on the child’s and parents’ quality of life.

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:
(1) identify risk-factors and red-flags
(2) learn wellness exercises and self-care strategies
(3) explain the importance of parent mental health and parent-child relationships

Presenter:
Regilda Anne Romero, PhD
Assistant Clinical Professor, University of Florida Department of Psychiatry
Adjunct Faculty, University of Florida College of Education School Psychology Doctoral Program
Dr. Romero was born in the Philippines and immigrated to California after college. She received a bachelor’s in psychology from Assumption College, Philippines. She obtained her Master and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from Palo Alto University. Dr. Romero completed her child neuropsychology internship at Virginia Beach Cities Public School (APA-accredited) and her postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology in the Division of Pediatric Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota. She also received fellowship training in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities. After living in MN for 6 years, Dr. Romero relocated to Florida. She began her career in Florida as a private practitioner, conducting developmental/neuropsychological evaluations and providing interventions for children and adults. Currently, Dr. Romero is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Florida, Department of Psychiatry. She is also an adjunct faculty in the College of Education, School Psychology doctoral program.

Using Virtual Reality in Classrooms to Support Autistic Youth

This presentation will outline evidence and examples of using virtual reality with/for autistic people. More specifically, the presentation will outline a case study discussing the benefits of VR, especially when autistic perspectives are included in research. The value and importance of autistic people are not as central as they could/should be in this field. This presentation, therefore, will argue that by embracing inclusion and the voices of autistic groups, researchers and practitioners will be better able to utilize and build VR (and other technological) solutions that are meaningful for this population.

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:
(1) Describe various forms of virtual reality and learn how these have been designed with autistic people;
(2) List the ways VR have been used in academic studies for the benefit of autistic people;
(3) Consider applying virtual reality in classrooms to enable and support autistic youth.

Presenter:
Nigel Newbutt, PhD
Assistant Professor, University of Florida College of Education
Dr. Newbutt is an Assistant Professor in the College of Education. He is interested in examining and developing virtual reality in supporting young autistic people in their daily lives; informed through their input. His agenda is to co-design the future of this field (VR and autism) with autistic communities and other important stakeholders. More than this, he is also interested in developing a range of innovative technologies that can help to enable people with neurodiversity. Dr Newbutt has worked with VR, social robotics and low-technologies in supporting his goals.