Family Support Webinars

Monday, September 11, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. (EST)
Title: Top 5 Strategies to Start the School Year Off Right!
Titulo: ¡Las 5 mejores estrategias para comenzar bien el año escolar!

Presenters: Melissa Dubie, M.S., Educational Consultant at the Indiana Resource Center for Autism and Rebecca Martinez, Ph.D., Psychologist and Director of the Indiana Resource Center for Autism

Description: This will be our first bilingual (English and Spanish) family Zoom meeting. Moving from family summer mode to school mode can be a big transition for families. Melissa will give five strategies families can use to make the school year go smoother and Rebecca will interpret the session in Spanish.

This webinar has concluded.

Monday, October 9, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. (EST)
Title: Shaping Lasting Behavior Change Through the Hot and Cold Game…You’re Getting Warmer, Warmer, and Warmer!

Presenter: Vincent J. LaMarca, M.A., BCBA, Senior Clinical Research Director, Applied Behavior Center for Autism

Overview: Some of the mightiest forms of change come when we reward small improvements over time (also called shaping). This presentation will provide families with various practical examples and useful tips for implementing shaping to improve behaviors in both their child’s and their own lives!

This webinar has concluded.

Monday, November 13, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. (EST)
Title: Connecting and Communicating Through Improv Games

Presenter: Jim Ansaldo, PhD, Research Scholar, Center on Education and Lifelong Learning, Indiana Institute on Disability and Community

Overview: Join Dr. Jim Ansaldo of Camp Yes And for a fun and participatory introduction to improv games that enhance connection and communication.

This webinar has concluded.

Monday, December 11, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. (EST)
Title: How Caregivers Can Secure the Future of Their Dependents with Special Needs

Presenter:  Gordon Homes, CFP, Mass Mutual

Overview: Families with children and other dependents with special needs, no matter their age or disability, face serious questions about how to best prepare for their future well-being.  This workshop addresses critical issues such as protecting government benefit eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Special Needs Trusts, ABLE Accounts, and the importance of a will.

Taking steps now can help improve a loved one’s well-being today and tomorrow.

This webinar has concluded.

Winter/Spring 2024 Webinars

Friday, January 12, 2024 at 12:15 p.m. (EST)
Title: I Need to Sign Up for The Waiver. Where Do I Start?

Presenter: Karly Sciortino-Poulter, Director of The Arc Advocacy Network at The Arc of Indiana. BAJ in Journalism and a BA in Political Science

Overview: When you have a loved one with a disability, everyone tells you to sign up for a waiver, but no one explains what it is or why it’s important. In this session, Karly Sciortino-Poulter from The Arc of Indiana will explain what a Medicaid waiver is, how you qualify, and how you apply. She will also discuss some major changes coming to Medicaid waivers and how you can share your opinions about waivers with state officials.

This webinar has concluded.

Friday, February 9, 2024 at 12:15 p.m. (EST)
Title: Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Presenter: Brett Enneking, PsyD, HSPP and Tybytha Ryan Lengacher, PhD, HSPP, Assistant Professors of Clinical Pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine and Clinical Psychologists

Overview: Research suggests that 1 in 4 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Given that early intervention is key to ensuring optional outcomes for individuals with, early identification is imperative. Learners will learn early warning signs of autism in toddlers as well as the gold standard autism evaluation process. Resources on where to seek out an autism evaluation will be included.

This webinar has concluded.

Friday, March 8, 2024 at 12:15 p.m. (EST)
Title: Yikes! It’s Time to Go to the….

Presenter: Amy Gaffney, Educational Consultant, Indiana Resource Center for Autism

Overview: Appointments always sneak up on us…from doctors to dentists to haircuts. These events can be stressful for children, along with their parents or caregivers. This presentation will share some ideas for strategies to use to help prepare your child for upcoming appointments, so they will be more calm, ready, and successful.

This webinar has concluded.

Friday, April 12, 2024 at 12:15 p.m. (EST)
Title: Career Roadmap for Students on the Spectrum

Presenter: Rachel Gerber, Associate Director and Jan Van Dyke, Sr. Assistant Director of University Relations, Career Development Center, Indiana University

Overview: Rachel Gerber and Jan Van Dyke, career coaches from the Career Development Center at IU, will unveil a step-by-step career guide for college students on the spectrum.  This guide gives students specific action steps that the student can take during each year of college. It will help students discover career direction, choose a major, find an internship and make plans for a professional job search.  Additional resources will also be shared, including:  job listings, reasons to disclose or not disclose your disability in the workplace, organizations advocating for autistic individuals, and companies and organizations with employee recruitment programs.

This webinar has concluded.


Friday, May 10, 2024 at 12:15 p.m. (EST)
Title: Unlocking No-Cost Resources and Technologies: Empowering Students with Autism

Presenter: Jena Fahlbush, M.Ed., PATINS Specialist

Overview: Join Jena Fahlbush to learn about lite-tech solutions and tools to support and empower students with autism at home and at school. Jena will also share how students can trial the tools in the public-school setting at no cost through the PATINS Project’s Assistive Technology Lending Library. 

This webinar has concluded.