Previous Events hosted by CARE
Fall 2022 Expert Speaker Series
- Brett Mulder, Psy.D., Director of Teen and Adult Programs at Aspire. "Improving Employment Outcomes For Autistic Adults." This presentations included tips for navigating the job application and interview process as a neurodiverse individual by maximizing unique strengths and minimizing challenges. It also included strategies supportive of professional development, self-advocacy, and communication with supervisors and colleagues.
- Prof. James Lee, Ph.D., University of Washington. "Towards Culturally Responsive Behavior Interventions for Families of Autistic Children." This discussion explored how behavior analytic interventions may be culturally adapted and how the Cultural Adaptation Checklist can be used to support this.
Spring 2022 Expert Speaker Series:
- Prof. Maria Valdovinos, Ph.D., Drake University. "Commonly Prescribed: Psychotropic Medication and Challenging Behavior." This presentation explored how using functional assessment methodology can be used to measure various dimensions of behavior including motivating operational functions of medication and will include data from a study conducted to evaluate the extent to which changes in psychotropic medication regimens altered functional relations between problem behavior and the environment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Bonnie Rivers, Director of Employer Relations, Work Without Limits, UMass Chan Medical School / Commonwealth Medicine “Disability is a Qualification for Employment and that Matters to Business”. Discussion of how to emphasize that disability can be a unique qualification for employment and how to translate that into the value proposition for businesses to include people with disabilities on staff, as customers, and suppliers.
Fall 2021 Expert Speaker Series:
- Chaturi Edrsinha, Ph.D., BCBA-D. “Navigating Sexuality for The ASD Population and Building a Sexuality Curriculum Across the Lifespan.” Discussion of the challenges individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may face related to understanding their changing bodies, physical urges, and sexuality as well as discussion of sexuality curriculum and strategies to help with addressing these issues in clinical practice and educational settings.
- Leslie Hughes, Massachusetts Advocates for Children; "Transition Training". This workshop addressed transition planning and services required for youth with disabilities ages 14-22 as well as the transition special education services needed to prepare youth for employment, independent living, and further education. It also addressed compensatory services during COVID-19 to address transition needs and how to ensure districts fully address your child’s transition needs during the recovery.
Spring 2021 Expert Speaker Series:
- Andy Bondy, Ph.D, Pyramid Educational Consultants, Inc., "Evidence Based Communication Strategies in Autism Spectrum Disorder - A Contrarian's Perspective."
- Amy K. Weinstock MA, Director of the Autism Insurance Resource Center at the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center; Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, “Autism Insurance: Advocacy and Beyond”.
Fall 2020 Expert Speaker Series:
- Leslie Hughes, Massachusetts Advocates for Children, "Transition from School to Adult Life - Using the IEP to Create Success."
Spring 2020 Expert Speaker Series:
- Evelyn Gould, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA, Child and Adolescent OCD Institute (OCDI-JR) McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School "Doing What Matters: Fierce Compassion and Committed Action in ABA."
Fall 2019 Expert Speaker Series:
- Judah B. Axe, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Associate Professor of Education and Behavior Analysis and Director of the Special Education Program at Simmons University, "Behavior Analytic Staff Training: Challenges and Strategies."
- Maureen Crawford-Hentz (Vice-President, Human Resources, A.W. Chesterton Company), “Reducing YOUR Hiring Barriers: Job Application & Interviewing Skills for Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum."
Spring 2019 Expert Speaker Series:
- Richard K. Fleming, Ph.D. (Professor, UMass Boston), "Behavioral Research on Obesity, Physical Activity, and Oral Health with Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disability, and a Call for Multidisciplinary Teamwork."
- Sarabeth Broder-Fingert, M.D., MPH (Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine), "Innovations to Reduce Disparities in Autism Care."
- These events were co-sponsored by the Department of Developmental Services
Fall 2018 Expert Speaker Series:
- Ray Cebula (Program Director of ytiONLINE), “Yes, your SSI kid CAN work!”
- Maureen Crawford Hentz (Vice-President, Human Resources, A.W. Chesterton Company), “Tapping into a Rich Talent Pool: Employer Strategies for Reducing the Barriers to Employment for Candidates on the Autism Spectrum".
- These events were co-sponsored by the Department of Developmental Services
Spring 2018 Expert Speaker Series
- Dr. Jean Frazier (UMass Medical School, Executive Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center), "Mental Health and Medical Challenges In Autism Spectrum Disorder."
- Susan B. Woods, M.Ed. (Retired Associate Dean, Student Support Services, Middlesex Community College): "Transition to College: Preparing Students to Navigate the Post-Secondary Terrain."
- Katherine Fox (Director of Training and Development, Vinfen): "Introduction to Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction."
- These events were co-sponsored by the Department of Developmental Services.
Fall 2017 Expert Speaker Series
- Massachusetts Sibling Support Network, "How to effectively advocate for an adult sibling with disabilities"
- Matthew Goodwin, Ph.D., “Use of Technology to Support those with ASD”
- These events were co-sponsored by the Department of Developmental Services
Spring 2017 Expert Speaker Series
- Fred Volkmar, M.D., "Changing Perspectives on Outcome in Autism Spectrum Disorders"
- Kathy Kelly, "Planning a Life for those with autism spectrum disorder"
- These events were co-sponsored by the Department of Developmental Services.
Fall 2016: The Center sponsored UMass Lowell's Disability Studies conference
This conference focused on research being done at UMass Lowell in the field of disability by faculty and students across the campus. The keynote speaker was State Rep. Tom Sannicandro who discussed disability law and public policy. Faculty presentations included:
- "Even after Flint: Belief’s about autism and its causes in a nationally representative sample," Doreen Arcus. UMass Lowell Department of Psychology
- "Labor market liberalization and successful return to work for Italian injured workers," Monica Galizzi (1), Roberto Leombruni (2), & Lia Pacelli (1). 1 Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts Lowell; 2 Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Torino, Italy
- "The effects of function-based classwide interventions on student behavior: Investigations in urban settings," John McKenna. UMass Lowell Graduate School of Education
- "Parental mediation in the improvement of narrative skills of individuals with autism spectrum disorder," Allyssa McCabe. UMass Lowell Department of Psychology
Eighteen UMass Lowell undergraduate and graduate students presented their work during the poster session.
This event was co-sponsored by the Department of Developmental Services.
