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In this webinar, we will look at how the stress of COVID-19 can spill into a relationship only to increase conflict and stress. What can you do to keep your relationship intact and healthy during an unprecedented time in history? The role of introvert and extrovert in building conflict. Learn to distinguish between facts and problems in maintaining healthy relationships. Learn the basic steps in having healthy conversations.

Presenter: Mark Laing, B.A. Registered Psychotherapist

My work centers on marriages in crisis, the effects of affairs, the hopelessness of mood disorders (depression, anxiety, etc.), the frustration of inappropriate anger and the paralysis caused by low self-acceptance. Equipped with an honors degree in clinical psychology.

The global pandemic has impacted every corner of society including how specialized behavioral services and supervision are delivered. Practitioners have had to pivot to delivering services remotely which has required innovation and patience of all involved. This webinar is geared towards practitioners providing behavior analytic services to clients and behavior analytic supervision to trainees. Guidelines for compassionate care during these unprecedented times will be discussed in addition to ideas for continuing to provide high quality supervision to trainees. Learning objectives:

1. Participants will become familiar with an overview of the literature and practice recommendations for delivery ABA services within a compassionate care framework

2. Participants will become familiar with innovative ways to continue to support behavior analytic supervisees during pandemic related restrictions

Additional sessions in this series:

1.  Employment & Human Resources Issues During COVID-19 with Natasha Danson

2. Legal and Professional Issues to Consider when Providing and Receiving Telehealth Services with Richard Steinecke

Presenters:

Kendra Thomson is an Associate Professor in Applied Disability Studies at Brock University, a Doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D), and a clinician-scientist in the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario. Kendra has almost 20 years of experience in various clinical and research settings supporting people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) across the lifespan. Kendra, her graduate students, and their community partners have published research in: Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Analysis: Research & Practice, and Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. She is currently the president of the Ontario Association of Behaviour Analysis, and past-co-chair of the professional regulation committee.

Nancy is the Executive Director and Founder of Breakthrough Autism. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Clinical Psychologist, she completed her Master of Arts in Psychology with a specialization in Behavior Analysis at the University of Nevada, Reno. She is currently working on her PhD in Behavior Analysis through Endicott College. Nancy has published research in the flagship Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) and has presented at both provincial and international conferences. Nancy is currently the president-elect of the Ontario Association of Behaviour Analysis. Based on her extensive expertise and clinical experience, Nancy was appointed to serve on the ASD-Clinical Expert Committee (CEC) for what was formerly known as the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

In this webinar, you will learn important skills that a parent advocate needs to develop in order to be successful, as well as how to make the IPRC process work for you. Support material and references will be made available. Mr. Mahony will answer questions about the webinar material however ongoing individualized support is available on a fee for service basis.

Presenter: Ed Mahony

Ed Mahony is both a Parent Advocate and Special Education Resource Teacher. He supports parents in learning to provide positive, practical and proven strategies to work successfully with their children's schools to address special education needs. Ed also provides individual consultation to families in person, online and by phone throughout the province. Contact Ed at ed.mahony.advocacy@gmail.com or at 905-906-6021 (text) or by visiting www.facebook.com/MahonyAdvocacy.

ONTABA Professional Webinar Series: COVID-19 has changed the workplace in significant ways. This session will review some of the legislative changes that affect the workplace, as well as some common issues that have arisen in the employment context during the pandemic such as: • health and safety • reduction in pay • accommodation • employee engagement The webinar will provide viewers with practical information about the unexpected and new challenges now faced by behavioural employers and employees alike (including families that employ behavioural support).

Additional sessions in this series:

1. Employment & Human Resources Issues During COVID with Kendra Thomson & Nancy Marchese

2. Legal and Professional Issues to Consider when Providing and Receiving Telehealth Services with Richard Steinecke

Speaker: Ntasha Danson

Natasha Danson is a partner at the law firm Steinecke Maciura LeBlanc. She practises in all areas of professional regulation and she advises regulators on employment and human resources matters. Natasha volunteers as amicus counsel at the Divisional Court for Pro Bono Ontario. She sits on the University Health Network’s Research and Ethics Board and is a former executive board member of the Ontario Bar Association’s Health Law Section and a former editorial board member for the publication Health Law in Canada. 

Join Dr. Kathleen Quill, author of the best-seller DO-WATCH-LISTEN-SAY: Social and Communication Intervention for Children with Autism, as she discusses how to build social skills in children with ASD in various environments. Children and adolescents with ASD often learn social and communication skills in one setting and have difficulty using these skills in other settings. Parents often express frustration that there is a mismatch between what their children can do in school and what they can do at home. The purpose of this webinar is twofold: (1) to highlight the importance of assessing and programming for generalization of social and communication skills, and (2) to provide a summary of how various evidence-based teaching methods can be used to teach new skills and foster generalization.

Presenter:

Dr. Kathleen Quill, Ed.D. BCBA-D, Autism Institute, is a respected author, lecturer and consultant. Kathleen has conducted trainings in over 20 countries, given the keynote address for 10 international organizations, and presented at over 100 conferences. She promotes integrating behavioural and developmental educational methods; conducts applied research on social and communication intervention, and participates in national and state program initiatives to bridge the gap between research and practice. In addition, she is the editor of the seminal text teaching children with autism: Strategies to enhance communication and socialization, is on the Editorial board for the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders and Focus on Autism and other Developmental Disabilities; the Advisory Board for the Autism Spectrum Quarterly; and on the Board of Directors for Autism Asperger Publishing Company.

This webinar will review the latest developments and key legal concerns for families related to:  direct funding, finding and contracting with direct support workers, legal obligations to support workers, and key resources for families.

Presenter: Cheryl Wiles-Pooran

Cheryl Wiles Pooran is an experienced human rights, labour and employment lawyer whose practice is dedicated to serving people and social purpose organizations. 

Girls On The Spectrum - Exploring Sex And Gender And Their Influence On Recognizing Autistic Characteristics

The autism spectrum has long been perceived as predominantly a male condition. However, many girls and women go undiagnosed, misdiagnosed or are diagnosed later in life. Recognizing autism in girls and women may be challenging because some of their behaviours present differently than boys and men. Their health care needs are often unrecognized or go unmet. Many experience mental health, self-identity and gender-related challenges, and inadequate or insufficient health care and social service supports.

In this webinar we will discuss
1) how sex and gender may influence the behavioural characteristics of autism; and,

2) what we have learned from observational studies and from the perspectives of girls and women themselves about how such characteristics might be recognized earlier and how their health care experiences can be improved. 

Research informed by a sex- and gender-lens can provide clues for future research and changes to clinical practices that can optimize supports for autistic individuals across the sex and gender spectra.

Dr. Meng-Chuan Lai and Dr. Yani Hamdani

Dr. Meng-Chuan Lai is Clinician Scientist and O’Brien Scholar in the Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto. He is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He is also honorary Director of Gender Research in Autism at the Autism Research Centre of the University of Cambridge, and Adjunct Attending Psychiatrist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at the National Taiwan University. His vision is to bridge and integrate multi-level biological-cognitive-psychological-social research and clinical services. His clinical interests are in the risk and resilience processes across the lifespan in individuals with atypical social, cognitive and affective development (such as the autism spectrum, ADHD, anxiety and mood disorders), and how sex and gender modulate these processes. His current research investigates cognitive and neuro/biological bases of autism and associated neurodevelopmental conditions across the lifespan. A particular focus is on the complex relationships between autism and sex-related factors in development, impact of gender, and sex/gender differences.

Dr. Yani Hamdani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto, a Clinician-Scientist at the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and an Adjunct Scientist at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.  She is a qualitative health researcher and Occupational Therapist. Her current research examines the health and social experiences of girls and women on the autism spectrum, including how social assumptions about gender and disability influence these experiences.

We understand during this time many things have changed, including our daily routines. We also know that all individuals benefit from stability. In this 30-minute webinar, we aim to provide some practical strategies for caregivers of children and youth with autism to use at home. We will discuss some ways to build routines, teach independent play, and follow independent activity schedules. As every household is different, the goal is for caregivers to select the best strategy to use with their children and youth.

Additional sessions in this series:

1. Self Care Skills During COVID-19 with Janice Theodoropoulos
2. Fostering Safe Social Connections During COVID-19 with Carly Eby & Michau van Speyk
3. Ways to Play: Ideas to create activities for kids with Harley Lang

Presenters:

Joan Broto is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) who completed her MA and Ph.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University in Teaching as Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education. Joan’s experience includes working with children and youth with autism, learning disabilities, and behaviour disorders since 2000. Joan is currently a Clinical Supervisor at Launch Behavioural Health and provides clinical supervision for ABA programs in the Greater Toronto Area. Joan has taught graduate courses at Brock University and Western University, and provides supervision to graduate students who are pursuing certification in behaviour analysis. Joan currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis (ONTABA), as the secretary and chair of the Education and Advancement Committee, and on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for the Advancement of a Strategic Science of Teaching (FASST).

Dawn Marciello is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) with over 15 years of experience in the field of Applied Behaviour Analysis. Dawn completed her Masters of Applied Behaviour Analysis at St Cloud State University and is also a graduate of the Consecutive Education Urban Diversity Program at York University. During her career, Dawn has taken on a variety of roles including Instructor Therapist, Special Education Teacher, Senior Therapist and Clinical Director. Her work has centred on children and youth with autism and other developmental disabilities.  Dawn is currently in the role of Clinical and Educational Director at Exceptional Learning Centre.  Additionally, Dawn is a current board member with the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis (ONTABA), acting as the treasurer elect and chair of the Organizational Development Committee.

ONTABA professional webinar series: Providing services remotely during the pandemic is growing exponentially in popularity. However, it also raises special legal and professional issues that practitioners, and recipients of behavioural services and their families/caregivers should consider. Both new and experienced participants in remote behavioural service sessions will benefit from this systemic yet practical presentation of recurring issues. This session covers such important topics as:

• establishing the therapeutic relationship
• determining the location (and thus rules) of service
• informed consent,
• privacy
• record keeping
• maintaining standards of practice
• fees and billing and more.

Additional sessions in this series:

1.  Employment & Human Resources Issues During COVID-19 with Natasha Danson

2. Employment & Human Resources Issues During COVID with Kendra Thomson & Nancy Marchese

Speaker: Richard Steinecke

Richard Steinecke practises law exclusively in the area of professional regulation. He is the editor of the widely read Grey Areas newsletter commenting on recent developments in professional regulation. Because of its comprehensive nature, courts and tribunals have cited his book “A Complete Guide to the Regulated Health Professions Act” dozens of times, even in cases dealing with non-health professions. The book is updated twice a year. Today he spends most of his professional life teaching, writing, speaking, training and consulting on professional regulation issues. A life-long learner, Richard reads every Canadian common law court decision on professional regulation he can find and has a Certificate in Risk Management from the University of Toronto. In 2015 he received the Regulatory Excellence award from the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) and in 2019 he received the Tom Marshall Award of Excellence for the Public Sector from the Ontario Bar Association. Richard is counsel to Steinecke Maciura LeBlanc.

The goal of this webinar is to provide information to autistic people and/or their caregivers to foster safe and meaningful social connections online and within pandemic related restrictions. Learn tips for teaching how to stay safe/be safe online and how technology can open doors for social connection.

Additional sessions in this series:

1. Creating Structure and Stability in the Home with Dawn Marciello & Joan Broto
2. Self Care Skills During COVID-19 with Janice Theodoropoulos
3. Ways to Play: Ideas to create activities for kids with Harley Lang

Presenters:

Carly Eby is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral.  Carly earned her B.Ed. from McGill University, MSc. in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from Northeastern University, and Ph.D. in ABA from Columbia University. In 2019, Carly founded The Autism Centre of Toronto (TACT), a non-profit organization that provides early intensive ABA services. Carly has taught graduate courses at Simmons University and Elms College, and has published her research in Behavioral Interventions, Behavioral Development Bulletin, and the Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis (ONTABA) and is Chair of the Professional Practice & Affairs Committee. Carly lives in Toronto with her husband and three children.

My name is Michau van Speyk I’m 25 years old and I live in Toronto, Canada. I have Autism. Since 2016 I have been on the board of directors for the Ontario Autism Coalition (OAC).

A team of researchers at Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital, led by Dr. Ryan Yuen, recently discovered “wrinkles” in DNA that may provide a genetic cause for Autism Spectrum Disorder. The discovery has been hailed as a “leap forward” as it could revolutionize not only the future of autism diagnosis but other neurodevelopmental disorders, as well.

A panel of genetic researchers from Sick Kids including Dr. Ryan Yuen, Dr. Stephen Scherer, and Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou from Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and Genetic Counsellor Ny Hoang from Sick Kids’ Autism Research Unit, will discuss the latest findings and answer questions from the audience.

The Panel:

Prof. Stephen Scherer, Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto

Dr. Scherer holds the GlaxoSmithKline-Canadian Institutes of Health Research Endowed Chair in Genome Sciences at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and University of Toronto (UofT) and he is Director of the UofT McLaughlin Centre, as well as The Centre for Applied Genomics at SickKids.  His team contributed to the landmark discovery of global gene copy number variation (CNV) as a common form of genetic variation in human DNA. His group then identified CNV to contribute to the aetiology of autism and many other disorders, and the Database of Genomic Variants he founded facilitates hundreds of thousands of clinical diagnoses each year.  Dr. Scherer has won numerous honors such as the Steacie Prize, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scholarship, the Killam Prize, and three Honorary degrees. He is a Fellow of CIFAR, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Royal Society of Canada. In 2014, he was selected as a Thomson Reuters Citation Laureate in Physiology and Medicine for “the discovery of large-scale copy number variation and its association with specific diseases”.

Dr. Ryan Yuen, PhD

Dr. Yuen is a Scientist in Genetics & Genome Biology Program at The Hospital for Sick Children, and an Assistant Professor in Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on exploiting whole genome-scanning methodologies to dissect the underlying genetic architecture in neurological disorders. Over the past 10 years, Dr. Yuen has published over 50 peer-reviewed research articles in journals such as Nature, Science, Cell, New England Journal of Medicine and Nature Medicine.

Ny Hoang, MS, CCGC

Ny is a certified genetic counsellor at The Hospital for Sick Children. She received a Master of Science in Human Genetics from Sarah Lawrence College in 2011 and was certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling in 2012. In her current role in the Autism Research Unit, Ny specializes in the genetic contributions to neurodevelopmental disorders with a focus on autism spectrum disorder. She provides feedback to research participants involved in genomic sequencing studies and discusses the significance and impact of genetic discoveries. Ny is a member of Genomic Research Genetic Counsellors at SickKids, a lecturer, course coordinator and clinical supervisor for the MSc Genetic Counselling Program at the University of Toronto, and an administrative member of Genetic Counsellors of Ontario.

Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou, MD

Dr. Anagnostou, is a child neurologist, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto and Assistant Director of Holland Bloorview’s Research Institute. As a Senior Clinician Scientist, she co-leads of the Autism Research Centre (ARC) at Holland Bloorview and University of Toronto. She holds a Canada Research Chair in translational therapeutics in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the Dr. Stuart D. Sims Chair in Autism at Holland Bloorview. With a passion for improving outcomes and quality of life for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families, Dr. Anagnostou has received extensive international funding (>40 million dollars over the last 10 years) to understand how our emerging knowledge of genomic and systems biology findings in ASD and related developmental conditions translate into novel treatments for children. She is well published (>130 publications, 2 books, several book chapters) and speaks around the world on autism research and health systems innovation. She currently serves as the Global Senior Leader for the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR), representing North America.

Are you a youth or young adult on the spectrum who is employed or looking for employment? This workshop will provide you with practical strategies:

• How and when to disclose additional needs in the workplace
• How to job search more effectively
• How to manage the social component at work

Presenter: Sarah Southey, MSW

Sarah Southey, MSW, has with over 12 years of experience working with adolescents and adults with ASD, ADHD, learning disabilities and mental health issues.

Confidently acknowledging what one is good at is the first step in deciding what kind of work/education may be a good match. In this one hour workshop, individuals will be challenged to think about the talents and abilities they may bring to a future job. Sarah will guide participants in exercises and suggest resources that will help in identifying interests and skills for a potential job.

Other sessions in this series:

• Part 1 of 5 - Resiliency in Job Searching
• Part 3 of 5 - Resume & Cover Letter Development
• Part 4 of 5 - Interview Skills
• Part 5 of 5 - Social Scenarios at Work

Presenter: Sarah Southey, M.S.W

Sarah is a Social Worker (M.S.W.), and is an affiliate of The Redpath Centre. She see’s clients in Mississauga, Toronto and virtually. She has over 12 years of experience working with adolescents and adults with ASD, ADHD, learning disabilities and mental health issues. Sarah focuses her counselling and research on helping people with ASD find and keep meaningful employment. Sarah uses solution-focused and cognitive behavioural therapy techniques in her sessions.

Ask any adult and they likely agree with this simple truth: children have an unparalleled ability to play with anything. Perhaps the best part of being an adult is that we have the privilege to rekindle our creativity through our pretend play adventures with our children. But sometimes, our kids look to us for ideas. Sometimes a child’s well of creativity runs dry, and there is a need to find original activities to pass the time. Perhaps the hardest part of being an adult is when two siblings run out of things to do! In this presentation, attendees will learn about the intersections of play, games, and behavioural treatment for children who live with Autism. Attendees will leave this presentation with knowledge about the importance of play in education, and some simple ideas to create play activities and games that encourage engagement and interactions in children.

Additional Session in this series:

1. Self Care Skills During COVID-19 with Janice Theodoropoulos
2. Fostering Safe Social Connections During COVID-19 with Carly Eby & Michau van Speyk
3. Creating Structure and Stability in the Home with Dawn Marciello & Joan Broto

Speaker: Harley Lang BCBA

Harley Lang is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst who lives and practices ABA in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is a part-time associate with Semiahmoo Behaviour Analysts Inc., where he designs behaviour interventions and consults with schools. Harley is the lead developer of Teaching Games, a community project that disseminates information about behaviour analysis and game-based learning. This past April, Teaching Games published The Playbook, a free resource for parents and educators that describes how to implement game-based learning.

It has been difficult for us all to adjust to the many changes in our daily lives and to acquire the skills needed to keep healthy in a today’s world. Join Janice Theodoropoulos M.Ed, BCBA as she provides some suggestions for how we can help children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to do what is necessary to keep themselves and their families as safe as possible. Consistent and proper hand washing, touching as few things as possible on necessary trips, coughing and sneezing into our elbows, and keeping the new level of appropriate space have never been more vital to our health and the health of our loved ones. She will provide helpful ways to set up the environment with visuals and other strategies to encourage engagement in these essential safety and self-care skills. 

Additional sessions in this series:

1. Fostering Safe Social Connections During COVID-19 with Carly Eby & Michau van Speyk
2. Creating Structure and Stability in the Home with Dawn Marciello & Joan Broto
3. Ways to Play: Ideas to create activities for kids with Harley Lang

Speaker: Janice Theodoropoulo, BCBA

Janice Theodoropoulos is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Clinical Supervisor at Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services. She has worked servicing families and persons diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for the better part of a decade with a focus on early intervention, caregiver coaching, and community education. She has a passion for working with children, youth, and their families to increase skills and independence. Her clinical focus is using evidence based practices and the science of Applied Behaviour Analysis to provide effective skill acquisition and behaviour reduction programming to clients diagnosed with ASD through direct work with staff as well caregivers and community partners.

Join Jonathan Leef for a discussion about the current research on gender identity and sexuality in ASD. This webinar will focus on issues of capacity and consent, gender identity, and sexuality. Our hope is that this webinar will de-stigmatize these issues for parents and clinicians. 

Jonathan Leef, M.A. (Ph.D. Candidate)

Jonathan Leef M.A. (Ph.D. Candidate) is completing his final year of training to be a clinical psychologist, and is currently a doctoral candidate in the School and Clinical Child Psychology Program (SCCP) at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). He has been working with children and youth with ASD and their families since 2002, through the Hospital for Sick Children’s Autism Research Unit, the Child, Youth and Family Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and through Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, where he is also a senior research coordinator in the Autism Research Centre. Jonathan recently defended his doctoral dissertation, which explored the relationships between gender dysphoria and ASD in children.

In this webinar, we will review the health, social and behavioural benefits of physical activity for people with autism, and also highlight the importance of activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the webinar, we will provide tips and tangible ideas for individuals on the spectrum as well as parents, caregivers, and community partners on how to enhance physical activity participation.

Presenters: Patrick Jachyra, PhD & Bri Redquest, PhD

Patrick Jachyra, PhD, is a post-doctoral fellow at the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. His research examines how physical activity impacts the health of individuals with developmental disabilities across the lifespan. In the community, Patrick is the founder and former director of the Extraordinary Youth Council Program, a community recreation program for youth and young adults with developmental disabilities. Patrick’s work in the community has been recognized by numerous awards including the prestigious University of Toronto Awards of Excellence.

Bri Redquest, PhD, is a post-doctoral fellow for the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. She has a strong interest in participatory research in the area of physical and mental health promotion for people with developmental disabilities, as well as their family members. 

This webinar will help parents, caregivers and people on the spectrum to better understand the prevalence of psychiatric medication use in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. It will also help caregivers of individuals on the autism spectrum to develop an approach for deciding when psychiatric medications are appropriate and aid them in evaluating the positive and negative effects of psychotropic medications.

Dr. Amanda Sawyer is a child and adolescent psychiatrist working in Toronto.  Her clinical interests include working with children and adults on the autism spectrum, children with developmental disorders and adults with intellectual disability. 

The purpose of this webinar is to define applied behaviour analysis (ABA) and clarify how it fits into the Ontario education system through the implementation of Policy and Program Memorandum 140 (PPM- 140). Applied Behaviour Analysis has been shown to be an effective, evidence-based treatment for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Systematic and guided application of these principles within the educational
setting can improve the behaviour, communication, learning, and social challenges experienced by children with ASD.

Presenter: Tracie Lindblad, Reg. CASLPO, M.Sc., M.Ed., BCBA

Tracie is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) with over 25 years experience working with children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). She received her BCBA in 2010 when she became one of only three SLP-BCBA credentialed individuals in Canada and the only professional with this designation in Ontario at that time. 

Tracie is also the founder and President of Four Points, a private centre providing intensive Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy to children with ASD. She is the Clinical Director within the ABA programs for the centre-based clients and functions as the Clinical Supervisor for clients in funded (DFO) home-based programs.Tracie is the Co-founder and Executive Director of the Child Development Centre of Oakville and the Owner/Clinical Director of the Halton Hills Speech Centre, private paediatric speech and language centres in the Halton
Region.

Everything you wanted to ask your doctor about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and more! This webinar will cover early signs of ASD, when and how to make a diagnosis, early intervention principles, and medical problems including sleep, nutrition, GI problems and toilet training. Dr. Wendy Roberts will also review competence building at all ages and communication strategies.

Presenter:

Dr. Wendy Roberts, The Hospital for Sick Children Developmental Pediatrician Co-Director, Autism Research Unit, Professor Emerita, University of Toronto

During her career as a developmental pediatrician, Dr. Wendy Roberts has been an active participant in a variety of clinical research projects relevant to the goals of improving care for individuals with autism. Her main role in research has been as clinician collaborator and site principal investigator on a variety of projects related to defining the etiology, refining the definition, and searching for interventions for
autism.

A large part of her role has been knowledge transfer through continuing medical education. She has been active in teaching physicians how to identify autism more efficiently, and to follow children closely for developmental and medical issues. Since 2003, Dr. Roberts has been a mentor in the CIHR Autism Research Training Program and has expanded her role in training and maintenance of reliability for use of autism diagnostic measures by colleagues, graduate students and research coordinators in autism research teams working across Canada.

Jordan’s Principle is a child-first and needs-based requirement in Canada to ensure that First Nations children living on and off reserve have equitable access to all government funded public services. It highlights that First Nations children should have access to public services without delay or denial. 

This webinar will give you the basics of what it is, how to apply as well as who you can connect with for support navigating Jordan’s Principle in Ontario.

Speaker: Monica Hemeon

Monica is the Jordan’s Principle Coordinator for Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which serves 49 First Nations Communities in Northwestern Ontario. She has spent her career working with Indigenous people to improve their health outcomes and is now advocating for the children through Jordan’s Principle. She has a Critical Care, Diabetes, Wound Care and Administrators Certificate and is enrolled in the First Nations Health Managers Association Certification Course. She is a Registered Nurse from the Red Rock Indian Band and the mother of 2 boys.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders often experience bullying at school, and it is important that parents and professionals work together to address this problem.

This webinar reviews ways of supporting youth who are experiencing bullying to increase their coping skills and to help stop the problem from happening in the future. Effective interventions require knowledge and a team approach, and the current workshop discusses what children can do, and what adults can do, to make everyone feel more safe.

Presenter:

Dr. Jonathan Weiss, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at York University and Clinical Psychologist. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and University of Toronto, Dept. of Psychiatry, and held the federal Chair in Autism Spectrum Disorders Treatment and Care Research. He currently holds a York Research Chair in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disability Mental Health. His research focuses on the prevention and treatment of mental health problems in people with autism or intellectual disabilities across the lifespan. He conducts studies into how people with developmental disabilities access mental health care, and is interested in their health service needs, their emergency service use, and their experiences of psychiatric crisis.

A Non-Punitive, Collaborative, Proactive Approach for Behavioral Challenges

In his webinar, Dr. Ross Greene will focus on his evidence-based Collaborative & Proactive Solutions model, which has transformed the understanding of treatment of kids with social, emotional, and behavioural challenges in countless families, schools, and therapeutic facilities. 

With the release of his most recent book, Raising Human Beings, Dr. Greene has turned his attention to all kids, with a particular focus on teaching the skills that define the better side of human nature: empathy, appreciating how one’s behavior is affecting others, resolving disagreements without conflict, taking another’s perspective, and honesty.  

These skills have never been more important, and research indicates that solving problems collaboratively and proactively teaches these skills with any kid. And – despite academic initiatives that have made it harder for educators to be the socialization agents they’ve always been -- that’s something that parents and educators have boundless opportunities to teach, model, and practice every day.

Presenter: Dr. Ross Greene

Bestselling author Dr. Ross Greene and Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS)! Dr. Greene is a clinical psychologist, and he’s been working with children and families for over 30 years. His influential work is widely known throughout the world.

The cliché, “It takes a village” was never more apt than in the treatment of ASD. Caregivers, extended family, teachers, multi-disciplinary professionals, and community partners provide an essential network of care and support. As part of this network, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has long held a key role in the treatment of people with ASD. A central component of this role is the removal of barriers that prevent people with ASD from effectively accessing social, educational, clinical, and community resources. The focus of Everyday ABA is to provide a basic toolbox of positive and effective behavioural strategies for increasing adaptive behaviours that compete with, reduce, and replace challenging behaviours.

The Everyday ABA webinar will provide an overview of the basic behavioral toolbox we will be exploring in more depth during subsequent workshops throughout the province. It also provides an opportunity for participants to ask direct questions about challenging behaviors, and become more familiar with behavioral problem solving strategies.

Presenter:

Leslie Cohen has been working with children and adults diagnosed with ASD for the past 16 years in the United States and Canada. She specializes in helping caregivers effectively support people with ASD through creative, positive, science-based interventions. She is a licensed psychologist in the state of New York and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the PhD level. Dr. Cohen is currently the clinical director of L & A Educational Services, and a school psychologist with the Amherst Public Schools in Massachusetts, where she designs data collection systems and training programs for staff, and consults to multidisciplinary ASD teams.

We know that our society places great importance on people with ASD living in their own communities.  We all want housing opportunities that consider the individual’s existing community and offer the necessary supports to encourage inclusion and integration into the community.  Unfortunately wait lists for affordable housing are often years long for individuals with developmental disabilities including ASD.  The issue of housing is complicated for people with ASD – not one size fits all.  So, we want to help you begin a family conversation about housing.

This webinar will present you with some practical tools to use:

• why positive housing advocacy work is important.
• who to speak to about addressing the housing gap
• how to begin the conversation about advocating for the creation of more affordable housing
• when is the best time to talk to elected officials about affordable housing
• where should you go to speak to these decision makers?

Speaker : Linda Jeffrey

Linda is an individual who has an established 27-year track record in public service, both at the municipal and provincial levels. She served as a City Councillor in Brampton for 12 years and later she was elected to the Ontario Legislative Assembly for eleven years.

While at the Province Linda served as Ontario’s Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of Labour, Minister Responsible for Seniors, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as well as Chair of Cabinet. She returned to her municipal roots in 2014 and served as Mayor of Brampton until 2018.

Linda joined Jake’s House to help launch their Community Living Initiative in 2019 as their Director of Housing. During the pandemic she has been working with a variety of stakeholders to develop creative and innovative solutions to explore how to grow supportive, long-term inclusive living solutions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This webinar, with Dr. Mohammad Zubairi, will promote a discussion and reflection on how front-line professionals may engage with elements of culture in their day to day practice, and how we can best learn from and collaborate with diverse children and youth with autism and their families.

Presenter - Dr. Mohammad Zubairi

Dr. Mohammad Zubairiis a Developmental Pediatrician at Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre & Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at McMaster University. His primary area of clinical work is with children and youth with autism. He is a member of the McMaster Autism Research Team. He completed his clinical fellowship at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and a Master of Education through OISE (Ontario Institute of Studies in Education)/University of Toronto. He sits on the steering committee for PONDA (Physicians of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Advocacy) Network, and on the executive for the Section on Developmental Paediatrics at the Canadian Paediatric Society. He is also a board member for the SAAAC Autism Centre (South Asian Autism Awareness Centre).