Active and Archived SFASA Webinars
2020 Webinar Series
All webinars are free and will be recorded. All webinars feature interactive Q&A following the presentations.
ARCHIVE
Accessing Public Benefits, with Steve Dale
Stephen W. Dale, Esq., LL.M is a dedicated disability rights advocate and principal attorney of the Dale Law Firm, P.C. The firm is dedicated to assisting individuals with disabilities with estate and special needs planning.
This webinar covers the basics of both needs-based programs (Supplemental Security Income, Medi-Cal, Cal Fresh, In Home Support Services) as well as entitlement programs (Supplemental Security Disability Insurance, Child Disability Benefits, Medicare). Steve will also discuss how wage, unearned income, and resources effect medical benefits and continuing entitlement to Social Security benefits and/or eligibility for the SSI program. COVID related issues also are discussed.
Accessing Public Benefits, with Steve Dale
Stephen W. Dale, Esq., LL.M is a dedicated disability rights advocate and principal attorney of the Dale Law Firm, P.C. The firm is dedicated to assisting individuals with disabilities with estate and special needs planning.
This webinar covers the basics of both needs-based programs (Supplemental Security Income, Medi-Cal, Cal Fresh, In Home Support Services) as well as entitlement programs (Supplemental Security Disability Insurance, Child Disability Benefits, Medicare). Steve will also discuss how wage, unearned income, and resources effect medical benefits and continuing entitlement to Social Security benefits and/or eligibility for the SSI program. COVID related issues also are discussed.
ARCHIVE
Regional Center Services During the Coronavirus Crisis: Recording
Our June 3 webinar featured Nancy Bargmann, Director of DDS and DDS staff to discuss regional center supports during this time.
Notes:
DDS coronavirus resources: https://www.dds.ca.gov/corona-virus-information-and-resources/
Email address to DDS for questions related to COVID-19: DDSC19@dds.ca.gov
Office of Clients Rights Advocates: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/what-we-do/programs/office-of-clients-rights-advocacy-ocra
Regional Center Services During the Coronavirus Crisis: Recording
Our June 3 webinar featured Nancy Bargmann, Director of DDS and DDS staff to discuss regional center supports during this time.
Notes:
DDS coronavirus resources: https://www.dds.ca.gov/corona-virus-information-and-resources/
Email address to DDS for questions related to COVID-19: DDSC19@dds.ca.gov
Office of Clients Rights Advocates: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/what-we-do/programs/office-of-clients-rights-advocacy-ocra
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Amy Westling, Executive Director, ARCA, the Association of Regional Center Agencies
Regional Centers, State Policy, and Autism: an Update
While it seems that Sacramento is faraway, important decisions are made there that impact the real world for people with autism and their families. This training will cover the current status of California state policy and Budget issues as they relate to regional centers and the people they serve.
Links to referenced documents:
Amy Westling, Executive Director, ARCA, the Association of Regional Center Agencies
Regional Centers, State Policy, and Autism: an Update
While it seems that Sacramento is faraway, important decisions are made there that impact the real world for people with autism and their families. This training will cover the current status of California state policy and Budget issues as they relate to regional centers and the people they serve.
Links to referenced documents:
ARCHIVE
Steve Keisman, Senior Vice President, Identifor The World’s 1st Game-Based, Career Assessment Tool Designed for Young Adults with ASD…and It’s Free! For parents, students, therapists and teachers— improve the transition to employment process with the individualized information uncovered in the free online platform Identifor.com. In a lively presentation, hear about neurodiverse employment and ways to prepare your child successfully for life once the school bus stops coming from a father and 40-year veteran in the area of special needs, who is helping to move the needle in employment for people with ASD and other cognitive disabilities. Steve has presented at two SFASA conferences about Identifor and Abby, its artificial intelligence avatar that helps youth with ASD navigate their day. |
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ARCHIVE
Mark Gilfix, attorney, Gilfix & LaPoll
Multigenerational Special Needs Planning
Integrated, multigenerational planning will help you provide for a vibrant legal and financial future for your loved one with autism. The webinar will cover core concepts to help you navigate the complex legal, financial, and long-term care issues as you work to optimize your special needs plan, including questions such as: Who will take care of my child financially? Legally? Where will he live? Who will pay for her therapy? How can I be sure the money will last?
Mark Gilfix, attorney, Gilfix & LaPoll
Multigenerational Special Needs Planning
Integrated, multigenerational planning will help you provide for a vibrant legal and financial future for your loved one with autism. The webinar will cover core concepts to help you navigate the complex legal, financial, and long-term care issues as you work to optimize your special needs plan, including questions such as: Who will take care of my child financially? Legally? Where will he live? Who will pay for her therapy? How can I be sure the money will last?
Webinar Archives
Q&A on Medical Cannabis for Autism with David Traver, MD, and Jenni Mai
A Q&A webinar with Dr David Traver, joined by parent advocate Jenni Mai, of Whole Plant Access 4 Autism.
A Q&A webinar with Dr David Traver, joined by parent advocate Jenni Mai, of Whole Plant Access 4 Autism.
Autism and Health Insurance: Live Q&A with Karen Fessel
Executive Director, Mental Health and Autism Insurance Project. mhautism.org
Obtaining medically necessary treatments through health plans is a common challenge for autism families. In this live Q&A, Karen Fessel will address your questions about benefits for ABA, other behavioral treatment, medical treatment, and more, including questions about Medi-Cal.
Watch on YouTube.
Executive Director, Mental Health and Autism Insurance Project. mhautism.org
Obtaining medically necessary treatments through health plans is a common challenge for autism families. In this live Q&A, Karen Fessel will address your questions about benefits for ABA, other behavioral treatment, medical treatment, and more, including questions about Medi-Cal.
Watch on YouTube.
September 27, 2017
Multi-disciplinary Approaches to Serious Challenging Behaviors in Autism Dr. Matt Siegel, Director, Autism & Developmental Disorders Inpatient Research Collaborative, Maine Medical Center Research Institute Details here |
October 26, 2017
Eliminating Restrictive Practices: An Alternative Approach to Managing Physically Aggressive Behavior without Restraint or Seclusion Kim Sanders, President, Ukeru Systems Ukeru's program has helped behavioral health providers and schools reduce the use of restraint, seclusion, and injury with a crisis management program developed by and for behavioral health professionals and paraprofessionals, educators and parents. Details here |
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March 9, 2017
The Autism Job Club: The Neurodiverse Workforce in the New Normal of Employment with Michael Bernick, author and attorney 
Mike's book, Autism Job Club, has its basis in the autism job club based in SF, the job-creation and job-placement efforts the club has undertaken, and similar efforts throughout the U.S.
Mike will review the high unemployment rates among adults with autism and other neurodiverse conditions more than two decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bernick will also explain strategies that, taken together, will reshape employment for adults with autism: the art of the autism job coach; the autism advantage in technology employment; autism employment and the Internet economy; autism employment and the practical/craft economy; autism and extra-governmental job networks; and autism and public service employment. His talk will be followed by live Q&A. About Mike: Michael S. Bernick served as director of the California labor department, the California Employment Development Department, from 1999 through 2004. Since 2004, he has been a Research Fellow with the Milken Institute and Counsel to the Sedgwick law firm, headquartered in San Francisco. He has been involved in job training on the local and state levels for over 34 years. He is a graduate of Harvard College, Oxford University (Balliol College), and the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. Archives: See Mike's slides (PPT) Note: American version of the TV show "Employable Me" contact is Sarah Glaser, Manager of Development at Optomen Productions: sarah.glaser@optomenusa.com |
March 23, 2017
Guy Stuff: Teaching Social Expectations around Hygiene and Puberty to Young Men with Verbal ASD and Aspergers with Ryan Wexelblatt, LSW, Director of the Center for ADHD, Pennsylvania 
Left: Ryan Wexelblatt; Ryan presenting "Guy Stuff" at ASA 2016 In his popular "Guy Stuff" presentation, Ryan will share approaches for teaching social expectations for hygiene and sexuality for young men with Asperger's and verbal ASDs. Please note that this presentation will include mature content relating to sexuality and sexual behavior. Live Q&A will follow. About Ryan: Working in the field of special education since graduating Bryn Mawr College School of Social Work Ryan has dedicated his career to helping children, adolescents and young adults who present with ADHD, social anxiety, Asperger's syndrome, learning differences and higher-verbal autism spectrum diagnoses. Center for ADHD offers innovative programs for boys who need help developing their social-cognitive skills. These programs include Guy Stuff, How to Hang Out, social anxiety groups and Safe, Smart and Social, a program to teach safe and appropriate internet safety and social media use. Archives: Notes: Sexuality page on PHP website here |
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March 30, 2017
Autism and the Criminal Justice System: What Happens When Your Adult Child with ASD Is Detained or Arrested by Police? with Emily Iland and Tom Iland 
People with ASD can be detained, questioned and arrested like anyone else. This is uncharted territory for most parents, so it’s a good idea to know the facts, plan ahead for such a situation and understand how to help protect your adult child's civil rights.
In this webinar you will: 1. Test your understanding of how the criminal justice system works. 2. Learn about police policies and procedures around detaining and arresting suspects (including those with ASD) taking them to jail, charging them with a crime and questioning them. 3. Learn about resources and options to prevent problems, prepare for different situations, and navigate this aspect of the criminal justice system. Live Q&A will follow their presentation. About the presenters: Emily Iland, M.A. is an award-winning author, advocate, film-maker, educator researcher and leader in the autism field. Emily is nationally known for her criminal justice initiatives and specialized training. She has extensive experience training law enforcement and has personally trained more than 4,500 police and sheriffs. Emily is passionate about safety, reducing risk and improving outcomes when autism meets the police. Her new film, BE SAFE The Movie, uses video modeling to explicitly teach young adults with ASD and other disabilities how to interact safely with the police. Thomas Iland, B.S. CPA, Emily's son, is a self-advocate with autism, and professional trainer and presenter. He has been training the police about autism since he was 13 years old, and continues to do so today. Tom is an articulate blogger, writing insightful pieces on a variety of timely topics, and is the author of the upcoming book: Come to Life: Navigating the Transition to Adulthood. See SFASA's Civil Rights Project with interviews and resources. Archives: |
April 6, 2017
Treating Dangerous Behaviors in the Developmentally Disabled with Amy Lutz, journalist and author 
Left: Amy with her son Jonah
In the fall of 2009, Amy and her husband struggled with one of the worst decisions parents could possibly face: whether they could safely keep their autistic ten-year-old son, Jonah, at home any longer. Multiple medication trials, a long procession of behavior modification strategies, and even an almost year-long hospitalization had all failed to control his violent rages. Desperate to stop the attacks that endangered family members, caregivers, and even Jonah himself, Amy and her husband decided to try the controversial procedure of electroconvulsive therapy or ECT. Over the last eight years, Jonah, now 18, has received 260 treatments, and the family has found it to be a lifesaver with few negative side effects. In this webinar, Amy will discuss:
Of interest: • How Shock Therapy is Saving Some Children with Autism, in Spectrum News here • A Dukakis Call for Electroshock Therapy, On Point with Tom Ashbrook (focused on treatment for major depression but gives background about ECT generally, too) here • EASI Foundation (Ending Aggression and Self-Injury In the Developmentally Disabled), co-founded by Amy here • Keynote talk at the SFASA 2015 conference: "Why We Need More Autism Housing Options." • Amy is also the author of the Inspectrum column at Psychology Today: Archives: |
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Thursday, April 27, 2017
Inside UCSF: Latest Advances in Autism Research, and How You Can Help; Plus, an Intro to the UCSF Star Center for Autism with Elliott Sherr, Robert Hendren and Vanessa Hus Bal, researchers, and Whitney Ence 
In this webinar, UCSF researchers will share the latest work from their labs and explain how local families can help advance autism research.
Elliott Sherr, MD, PhD. Dr. Sherr's lab is looking for biomarkers of autism in the blood and also using MRIs to better understand brain pathways in autism. Learn more: https://brain.ucsf.edu/research-studies or email Talia.Berson@ucsf.edu Robert Hendren, DO. Dr. Hendren is investigating pharmacological and biomedical treatments. To learn more about one of his trials, see http://psych.ucsf.edu/CM-AT-autism or Felicia.widjaja@ucsf.edu. Others to be discussed include vasopressin and sulforaphane. Vanessa Hus Bal, PhD. Dr. Hus Bal is researching adults with autism, including the strengths and challenges of adults with limited spoken language. For more information about this research, email LifeSPANLab@ucsf.edu. Whitney Ence, PhD, BCBA. Dr. Ence is Director of Clinical Services at the STAR Center for ASD and NDDs at UCSF. Archives: UCSF genetics clinic: https://www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/clinics/medical_genetics_and_genomics/ UCSF speciality clinic for neurogenetic conditions: http://anp.ucsf.edu/patientcare/neurogenetic May 31, 2017
Inside MIND: A Look into Research at the UC Davis MIND Institute with David Amaral, Judy Van de Water, Christine Nordahl, Irva Hertz-Picciotto, and Sally Rogers 
This webinar features five researchers from the UC Davis MIND Institute, which is located in Sacramento and was founded by autism families as a collaborative international research center, committed to the awareness, understanding, prevention, care, and cures of neurodevelopmental disorders. They will share their latest research and take Q&A.
David G. Amaral, Ph.D., Research Director, The MIND Institute He will describe MIND Institute participation in national collaborative projects such as SPARK and CAMP and will briefly provide an update on the MIND Institute Autism Phenome Project. Judy Van de Water, Ph.D. Dr. Van de Water will review her efforts at looking for biomarkers of autism in the blood and working toward a better understanding of how the gestational environment affects neurodevelopment. Christine Nordahl, Ph.D. Dr. Nordahl will describe the GAIN (Girls with Autism - Imaging of Neurodevelopment )Study. The goal of the GAIN study is to advance the understanding of brain structure and function in girls with autism. With a better understanding of this biology, we hope to be able to find cause(s) and better treatments. Irva Hertz-Piciotto, Ph.D. Dr. Irva Hertz-Picciotto is an epidemiologist who will discuss the state-of-the-science on environmental factors that contribute to risk for ASD, describe the challenges for conducting such studies, and highlight areas of new directions in this research. Sally Rogers, Ph.D. Dr. Rogers specializes in conducting research into autism and other developmental disorders and treating patients with developmental disabilities, especially young children with autism and their families. |
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Panel on Social Opportunities for Bay Area Adults on the Spectrum 
Adults with autism can find themselves socially isolated from their peers and with ongoing need for social coaching and skill building. Our panelists run a wide variety of programs to help create community and skills for these young adults. Panelists include: • Trudy Grable, The BFF Project • Liz Sandoval Kane, Shire House • Greg Yates, AASCEND • Trang Nguyen, Gatepath • Meg Fields, Aspen Network • Jan Johnston-Tyler, EvoLibri • Katy Ankenman, MSW, LCSW, STAR Center UCSF • Lance Scott, The Arc San Francisco (Friends Like Me program) Each panelist discusses his or her organization's programs targeted primarily at adults with verbal ASD. This is not just a pageant of programs, the panelists will also be asked to provide advice for all ASD adults aging out of the school system and into a world of often sparse opportunities to create friendships and social connections. Followed by a Q&A. August 2017 Autism/DD Housing in California: An Overview, with Ashley Kim, Elevare Community 
Ashley Kim of Elevare Community discussed the various forms of housing serving adults with autism and related developmental disabilities. Ashley is formerly the executive director of Villa de Vida, a special needs housing project based in San Diego County. Her talk was followed by live Q&A.
Elevare Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElevareCommunity/ Elevare website: https://www.elevarecommunity.org/ Ashley's slides: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3fmeoxznz0mzhgy/Elevare%20Keynote%20Housing%20Webinar%20PDF%20081717.pdf?dl=0 
December 6, 2017
Managing and De-Escalating Crisis: A Developmental and Person Centered Approach Beth Champ and Sarah Champ, The Community School, Decatur, Georgia Professionals who work with adults on the autism spectrum may experience crisis situations. This webinar presents a model of crisis intervention that respects the personal dignity of the person in crisis as well as strategies for every stage of crisis, from initial signs of distress to recovery and re-connection. Details here 
November 15, 2017
Producing Meaningful Improvements in Problem Behavior of Persons with Autism Gregory P. Hanley, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Professor of Psychology, Director, Behavior Analysis Doctoral Program Western New England University This webinar will cover practical functional assessment process that informs behavioral approaches. The skill-based treatments that are personalized from this process will then be reviewed within the context of several controlled case studies. Details here |
All speakers, dates and details are subject to change. Please check sfautismsociety.org/webinars for updates.
Disclaimer:
Autism Society San Francisco Bay Area (SFASA) and its named partners provide information but this information does not constitute medical or legal information. We provide general information about autism as a service to the community. The information provided in the webinars or elsewhere by us or our presenters is not a recommendation, referral or endorsement of any resource, therapeutic method, or service provider. The information does not replace the advice of medical, legal, or educational professionals. We have not validated and we are not responsible for any information or services provided by third parties. SFASA and its named partners cannot be held responsible for consequences that arise from individual dealings with a professional or organization. Individuals must use independent judgment and assume personal responsibility for what they do with the information provided. Inclusion of any organization does not imply endorsement, and omission does not imply disapproval.
The webinar series is made possible with the generous support of SFASA's Donors' Circle.
Disclaimer:
Autism Society San Francisco Bay Area (SFASA) and its named partners provide information but this information does not constitute medical or legal information. We provide general information about autism as a service to the community. The information provided in the webinars or elsewhere by us or our presenters is not a recommendation, referral or endorsement of any resource, therapeutic method, or service provider. The information does not replace the advice of medical, legal, or educational professionals. We have not validated and we are not responsible for any information or services provided by third parties. SFASA and its named partners cannot be held responsible for consequences that arise from individual dealings with a professional or organization. Individuals must use independent judgment and assume personal responsibility for what they do with the information provided. Inclusion of any organization does not imply endorsement, and omission does not imply disapproval.
The webinar series is made possible with the generous support of SFASA's Donors' Circle.