Autism Society Western New York

Pathways to Graduation for NYS
2015-12-02 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Parent Network of Western New York, 1021 Broadway, Buffalo, NY, 14212, United States
Parent Network of WNY Workshop

What does it mean to get a Regents diploma? A local diploma? A SACC? What can you do? What can you not do? How much effort does it take? Can your child to the work? This workshop explores the options, and outlines the updates to NYS regulations.

RSVP by phone, email or online:
(716) 332-4170; info@parentnetworkwny.org; www.parentnetworkwny.org

Links :
Parent Network of Western New York

Front Door & Self-Directed Services
2015-12-01 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Parent Network of WNY

In this workshop individuals, families and caregivers will learn what OPWDD funded self-directed services are and how they work. Participants develop a basic understanding of creating an initial service plan for the individual with a developmental disability, identify what their responsibilities will be and who they will be working with during the process. Key terms and functions regarding self-directed services like employer and budget authority, start-up broker, support broker and more will be discussed.

To register phone 716-332-4170, 866-277-4762 toll free, or on-line www.parentnetworkwny.org.

Links :
Parent Network Workshop Registration

Game Night: Holiday Celebration
2015-11-24 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Lancaster Youth Bureau, 200 Oxford Avenue, Lancaster, NY, 14086, United States
Exclusively for children with Asperger’s, PDD-NOS or on the Autism Spectrum

Looking for a fun time?? Come join us. All ages K-12th grade. Activities include: Video Games; Arts and Crafts; Board Games; and Bingo. Bring your own game to share too! Bring a friend!

Parent Participation is Necessary and Important for this program!
Need more information? Contact: Tammy,tamderk@hotmail.com or Lancaster Youth Bureau, 683-4444

Buffalo Aspies Movie Night: Star Wars & Space Balls Double Feature
2015-11-22 14:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Jewish Community Center Benderson Building, 2640 North Forest Road, Getzville, NY, 14068, United States
Join us as we prepare for the next release of the Star Wars saga this December by revisiting Star Wars & Space Balls! Participation is free, and light snacks (including gluten free) will be served (though you are also welcome to bring a sandwich or dinner). Please note that you must be an adult (18+) with Asperger’s to attend.

Please note that this event will take place at the Jewish Community Center’s Getzville Location. We will be screening the movies in Room 222 and will have signage up to help direct folks where to go.
Please RSVP to matt@bjebuffalo.org or through the Facebook event page.

Understanding Special Education
2015-11-20 18:00 - 20:00, 2015-10-09 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | Pioneer Central High School, 12145, Yorkshire, NY, 14173, United States
Parent Network of WNY Workshop

What is special education and where do you start? Participants will learn the steps in the special education process and learn what to expect at meetings of the Committee on Special Education (CSE) (Preschool-CPSE). Families will learn to be an active part of the process and walk away with resources for the future.

RSVP by phone or online:
(716) 332-4170 phone; 1-866-277-4762 toll free; www.parentnetworkwny.org

Putting the Pieces Together for Children and Families with Dual or Multiple Diagnosis
2015-11-20 11:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Holiday Inn Amherst, 1881 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst, NY, 14228, United States
Chapter C (WNYSPA)

Christine Hoff, WNY Independent Living and Dr. Michael Cummings, ECMC, WCHOB, and UB School of Medicine will present “Putting the Pieces Together” for Children and Families with Dual or Multiple Diagnosis.
Children with dual or multiple diagnoses and their families are facing complex issues that call for specific documentation, intervention, treatment, and parenting skills. Interventions within the community can be very difficult to secure outside of the school for multiple reasons, with families facing many barriers and challenges accessing care and treatment. Discussion will center on resources for school personnel in programming for students with multiple diagnoses, including APIC and NYSTART, as well as trauma informed care within schools, and ways to assist children and families. Attendees will learn what school psychologists need to know regarding the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and Office of Mental Health (OMH) in order to work with this unique population, as well as the changes occurring within these government agencies and how it may influence assessment, transition planning, and ACCESS-VR.

Send your name, address, phone number, district and email address along with your payment to
Aimee Lepsch
274 Donna Lea Blvd.
Williamsville, NY 14221
Makes checks payable to WNYSPA
We will be offering 2.0 official NASP Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits.

Transition to Adulthood
2015-11-19 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Hamburg High School, 4111 Legion Drive, Hamburg, NY, 14075, United States
Parent Network of WNY Workshop

What happens after high school for students with disabilities? What questions should you ask and whom do you ask? When should families start thinking about and planning for adult life? In this workshop participants will understand the special education system’s responsibilities regarding all areas of living…”Live, Learn, Work and Play.” An introduction to community based services will be provided.

To register phone 716-332-4170, 866-277-4762 toll free, or on-line www.parentnetworkwny.org.

Links :
Parent Network Workshop Registration

Same Page Conference: Designing the Future, Strategies and Tools to Make it Work
2015-11-19 08:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Lucarelli’s Banquet Center, 1830 Abbott Road, Lackawanna, NY, 14218, United States
Keynote Speaker: JoAnn Lamphere, OPWDD Division of Person Centered Support

For MSCs, families, individuals served and the staff who support them.
AGENDA
Registration and Welcome: Kirk Maurer, Director OPWDD Regional Office
Keynote: JoAnn Lamphere, Deputy Commissioner OPWDD Division of Person Centered Supports
Alex Dimaio, Statewide T.O.U.C.H. Counselor will present Introduction of T.O.U.C.H.
The Therapeutic Outreach Uniting Community Health (T.O.U.C.H.) platform is the first ever pilot program of a New York State, statewide provider and employment database, that works directly with government agencies to identify and publicize opportunities directly to the person that will be the recipient of services and their families. For additional information about T.O.U.C.H. go to http://www.touchnys.org
LUNCH
Strategies: Approaches to help individuals identify and plan for the supports they need.

Registration deadline is November 9, 2015.
Online registration: www.wnytraininginstitute.org
For questions and information: Nancy Doyle, lmd@parentnetworkwny.org
A limited number of scholarships are available for individuals served and family members. If you are interested in a scholarship, please call Peg at 716-332-4170.

Links :
Same Page Conference Registration

Parent Group For Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
2015-11-18 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Aspire Building, 7 Community Drive, Cheektowaga, NY, 14225, United States
This group provides a welcoming environment for parents and other caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorders to meet, share experiences, ask questions and receive support.

R.S.V.P. to Attend: Please call (716) 878-7600 or e-mail: jmertz@kaleidahealth.org
Moderated by Kathy Ralabate Doody, PhD-parent of child with autism, Instructor, Exceptional Education at Buffalo State
Jana Mertz, MBA-Program Coordinator, the Children’s Guild Foundation, autism Spectrum Disorder Center and Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo
Light refreshments will be served.

Immunological Issues in ASD with J. VandeWater, PhD
2015-11-18 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Webinar
Autism Research Institute Online Education

Dr. Van de Water is a well-known immunologist whose primary interests for the past 20 years include autoimmunity, immunopathology, and molecular and cell biology. Dr. Van de Water’s laboratory research programs include the identification of the various mechanisms associated with autoimmune and other immune-mediated disorders. This includes the biological aspects of autism spectrum disorders including immune dysfunction and autoantibody production. In addition, her current work involves the identification of maternal antibodies to fetal brain proteins found in some mothers of children with autism. Moreover, Dr. Van de Water was the Core Director of the Molecular and Cell Biology Core for the NIEHS Center for Children’s Environmental Health, entitled “Environmental Factors in the Etiology of Autism”, investigating potential environmental risk factors contributing to the incidence and severity of childhood autism. This project has been renewed and Dr. Van de Water is now the P.I. of Project 2, the Immunological Susceptibility in Autism.

Links :
Autism Research Institute Registration

Going to Kindergarten for Children with Special Needs (CPSE to CSE)
2015-11-17 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Parent Network of Western New York, 1021 Broadway, Buffalo, NY, 14212, United States
Parent Network of WNY Workshop

Going to Kindergarten is an exciting time for every child and family. In this workshop we will discuss the differences between preschool special education and school age special education. We will answer your questions and help you prepare for this transition.

To register: Call (716) 332-4170 or go online: www.parentnetworkwny.org

Links :
Parent Network Workshop Registration

Professional Development and Parent Seminars Buffalo
2015-11-17 08:30 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Adams Mark Buffalo, 120 Church Street, Buffalo, NY, 14202, United States
Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) Conference
You must register and print out your own handouts.

Seminar I: 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Checked Out and Disengaged? Research-based Practices for Increasing Attention and Motivation in Students with ASD
Evidence suggests that many individuals with ASD have differences in attention and motivation which impact classroom engagement success. This seminar will discuss evidence-based interventions to support students’ increased and sustained attention to academic material, as well as strategies to enhance motivation in students with ASD. Participants will learn components of antecedent and reinforcement-based strategies that can be implemented in classroom settings.
Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. On Your Own
Seminar II: 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Learning Better Ways to Cope: Teaching Students with ASD to Recognize and Manage Their Emotions
Individuasl with ASD often struggle with regulating their emotions and coping with the demands of the school environment. This seminar wil provide an overview of theories as to why students become overwhelmed, as well as discussion of evidence-based approaches to increase students’ abilities to recognize and communicate their emotional experiences. Participants will learn practical strategies to teach coping skills to students with ASD.

These seminars are offered AT NO COST to participants living in New York State through a grant from the new York State Education Department. Refreshments will not be provided. Participants may attend both seminars or choose to attend only one of the seminars. Seating is limited. Due to space limitations, preregistration is REQUIRED for this event.
To register, visit http://www.albany.edu/autism/pdps.php and submit the online form or print it out and fax it to (518)442-4834. Registration will not be taken by phone.
Handouts will not be provided at the training, but are available on the CARD Albany website: http://www.albany.edu/autism/handouts_pdps.php. It is highly recommended that attendees print handouts and bring them to the seminars.

Links :
CARD Albany Fall 2015 conference registration

CARD Albany Fall 2015 conference handouts

Lobbying 101 and Organizing to Fight for Your Rights
2015-11-16 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Golden Palace Hotel, 6615 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY, 14221, United States
Primer on Vaccination Rights

Please join us at a series of Lobbying 101 sessions across New York to learn what you can do to fight the unprecedented assault on your right to decide what is injected in your children’s bodies. The Buffalo area meeting will not only inform you, but will also connect you with a team of fellow constituents to take your concerns directly into the office of your legislators. They need to hear from you.
The session will be guided by John Gilmore of the Autism Action Network and Rita Palma of My Kids My choice, both have more than ten years of legislative experiences fighting to protect our rights here in New York.
Please know who your State Senator and Assembly member are. You can look them up at http://capwiz.com/a-champ/dbg/officials/

RSVP to alisonbcummings@gmail.com
If you would like to help organize a session of Lobbying 101 in your area, please contact John Gilmore at jgilmore@autismactionnetwork.org or Rital Palma at ritapalma@mykidsmychoice.org.

30th Annual College Night for Students with Disabilities at Canisius College's Science Hall Atrium
2015-11-14 08:45 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Canisius College – Science Hall Atrium, Main Street and Jefferson Street (corner), Buffalo, NY, 14208, United States
WNY Collegiate Consortium and Disability Advocates

Session will include
Legal changes from high school to college for students with disabilities
Current college students using services will share their experiences.
Visit the Student Zone and get hands on experience with various assistive technologies.
Meet representatives from several Western New York area colleges and ask them about what is unique about their school and about providing accommodations.

Who should attend? Parents and Students; School Psychologists and Social Workers; and School Guidance Counselors.
Register online at https://buffalostate.wufoo.com/forms/30th-annual-college-night-registration2015/

Links :
30th Annual College Night

30th Annal College Night Map of Canisius College

Managing Anxiety and School Avoidance
2015-11-13 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Erie 1 BOCES Education Campus Room A-1 (Live location. Space is limited.), 355 Harlem Road, West Seneca, NY, United States
Presented by Western New York Special Education Task Force

Participants will learn:
The impact of anxiety on students with disabilities
How to identify risk factors and reduce and prevent school anxiety
Effective intervention strategies for parents and educators
Strategies for reintegrating students back into the school setting.
Speakers:
Cecilia G. golden, Ph.D., Executive Director of Education Hillside Children’s Center
Ann Nowak, MS, LMHC, coordinator, Sweet Home Family Support Center, Chairperson for the WNY Family Support Center Coalition
Karen Decker, LCWR, Kalediah Health System, The Children’s Psychiatry Department
Christina Rosengren, LMWR, School Social Worker, Salamanca City Central School District

RSVP: http://goo.gl/forms/WafkEunKOr or call Peg at 716-332-4170. Deadline to register is November 6, 2015.
Satellite Locations:
CA BOCES Training Rooms A-B, 1825 Windfall Rd, Olean, NY 14760
Erie 2 BOCES-Hewes, 2615 N. Maple St., Ashville, NY 14710
Orleans-Niagara BOCES, 4124 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn, NY 14132
