Resources by Topic
Podcast episode, “Always Defending” with guest Michael Gilberg, Esq. & host Armando J. Bernal, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA Michael Gilberg is a special education lawyer and autism advocate who currently supports the needs of children and adolescents in the school system. From childhood dream jobs to a call for advocacy and defense, Michael Gilberg and I discuss what challenges individuals with autism currently face. Be sure to listen to his incredible advice with special thanks to Dr. Noor Syed and Dr. Lauren Allen in collaboration with the SUNY Empire State Center for Autism Advocacy: Research, Education, and Supports (CAARES).
Read more about Michael Gilberg and Armando Bernal’s Autism International Consulting
- Academic Autism Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE) brings together the academic and autistic communities to develop and perform research projects relevant to the needs of adults on the autism spectrum.
- Organization for Autism Research (OAR) aims to support all members of the autism community (self-advocates, families, educators, and researchers). The curated resources here are geared toward Autistic and Neurodivergent individuals.
Specific for New York state:
- New York State’s Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is a state agency that provides services to individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities, such as Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disabilities, and Autism.
- The Front Door is the way OPWDD connects families to services. Watch an informational session to learn about available supports here.
- Webinar, Reason & Respect Series: Neurodiversity in the Workplace, Collaboration between CAARES & SUNY Empire Career Services Session focused on neurodiversity in the workplace and offered supports to increase the number of neurodiverse employees in the workplace. Autistic and neurodivergent self-advocates and professionals participated in a panel discussion related to the current state of employment for Autistic and neurodivergent job seekers/employees and ways to improve outcomes. Presenters and Panelists: Lauren Lestremau Allen (CAARES) & Stacey Hermann (AVP, Neurodiversity and Community Workforce Development, Neurodiversity at Work), Eric Ogando; Joy F. Johnson, M.Ed., M.S., BCBA, LBA; Ellis Sardorian
- Conference Recording, Autism @ Work Virtual Summit, Held March 22-23, 2023, by Autism CRC This summit concentrates on hearing from neurodivergent individuals about their experiences within the workplace. Some featured topics include insights from employers, human resources’ support of Autistic employees, and the drive among employers to include neurodiverse employees.
- Neurodiversity in the Workplace, The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) offers resources to support employers seeking to hire and include neurodivergent employees.
- Autism and Neurodiversity in the Workplace, Free Self-Paced Online Program Training consists of six modules spanning topics to provide employers with the tools to promote inclusive workplaces by the University of British Columbia Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration in Autism (CIRCA).
- Neurodiversity in the Workplace Conference, Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Neurodiversity at Work This conference, started in 2023, brings together and helps to build connections among those interested in improving and expanding neurodiversity within the workforce.
- Disability Rights New York offers free legal and advocacy services to individuals with disabilities.
- Project HEAL offers some high readability resources on a variety of topics.
- Wright’s Law offers special education legal resources and information on a variety of topics.
Organization for Autism Research Self-Advocacy Hub - Includes a variety of pieces by CAARES’ Dr. Lauren Lestremau Allen
Visit our Employment Page
Learn more about a variety of strategies to support student executive functioning in this collaboration between CAARES and Steve Motto of CUSP Educational Services
Visit our Higher Ed Faculty & Staff Resources
Academic Autism Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE) Healthcare Toolkit offers information and worksheets to support primary healthcare
Webinar, “The 5 Steps to Making New Friends, Dating, and Being More Social: A Roadmap for Autistic and Neurodiverse Students” by Jeremy Hamburgh, My Best Social Life
This presentation from My Best Social Life was hosted by CAARES. Jeremy Hamburg (My Best Social Life) presented five steps to making new friends, dating, and being more social.
A Self-Advocate’s Guide to Medicaid provides information about Medicaid for Autistic individuals.
My Best Social Life helps Autistic and Neurodivergent adults make friends or “find their tribe,” as they note on their website, and connect with others in dating and romantic relationships. Check out their free resource, The 5 Step Strategy for Dating and Finding Lasting Love.
Be Well, Think Well: An Overview of Anxiety by ASERT Bringing Autism Resources Together
Mental Health Resource Collective by ASERT Bringing Autism Resources Together
Opar (2018) Healthcare System is Failing Autistic Adults
Healthcare Transition:
Visit our Higher Ed Faculty & Staff Resources
Post-Secondary Education with a Disability Preparation Checklist by ASERT Bringing Autism Resources Together provides grade-by-grade items for 9th-12th graders
Neurodiversity Club, hosted in Saratoga Springs, NY through collaboration between CAARES & the Saratoga Springs Public Library The club was created for autistic and neurodivergent kids and teens in grades K-12 and their friends and families, the goal of the club is to be student-directed, so those who attend can spend their time in a way that is fun and meaningful for them. “The aim is for Autistic and neurodivergent children and teens to have fun and make connections in a welcoming environment,” said Lauren Allen, assistant director of CAARES. “There will be various self-directed activity stations to choose from such as crafts, games, Legos, and dancing, but we hope to see the students who attend the club really make it their own. Register for the program through the library’s website or contact Autism@sunyempire.edu for assistance.
Focus on… Ethical Caseloads and Practice in Schools by Dr. Noor Syed. Learn more about challenges surrounding BCBAs work within K-12 school settings. New York State Education Department Office of Special Education provides information on special education policy and practice relevant for individuals with disabilities through age 21.
New York State Education Department Office of Special Education provides information on special education policy and practice relevant for individuals with disabilities through age 21.
- What is Neurodiversity? First-Person definition by John Elder Robison
- Don’t Mourn for Us by Jim Sinclair - An early essay although directed at parents, discusses Autistic identity, which is critical to conceptualizing disability as diversity.
- 10 Things Faculty Need to Understand About Autism by Maggie Coughlin, Lessons she has learned in understanding her autism and in working with her neurodivergent students.
- Learn about autism from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Autism Distance Education Parent Training (ADEPT) Interactive self-paced, online learning modules by the UC Davis MIND Institute
Setting and Pursuing Self-Determined Goals ToolKit This guide teaches how to support Autistic teens and young adults in pursuing their goals
LEND Parent Support Group is a university based program that strives to improve the identification and support of Autistic and neurodivergent individuals. To connect with a local LEND Parent Support Groups throughout the US, contact LENDparents@gmail.com for more information.
Organization for Autism Research (OAR) aims to support all members of the autism community (self-advocates, families, educators, and researchers). The curated resources here are geared toward Autistic and Neurodivergent individuals.
Transition Resources:
- Westchester Institute for Human Development Family and Community Engagement Centers
- Center for Parent Information & Resources
- Got Transition – Moving from pediatric to adult healthcare
- New York Alliance for Inclusion & Innovation
- New York Housing Resource Center
- National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
- Access-VR
Partners in ABA Conference Session, Quality of Life: How Behavior Analysts Measure Happiness by Gina Feliciano, PhD, SAS, BCBA-D, LBA and Emily Maduemezia, MPA
By definition, behavior analysts increase socially significant behavior to a meaningful degree. This is the root of our practice, but how many behavior analysts operationally define and measure what behaviors are socially significant and what constitutes a “meaningful degree”? The definition and research behind measuring quality of life and happiness will be reviewed, the presenters will make an argument that behavior analysts need to develop measurement systems that provide practitioners feedback on QofL measures, and end with a discussion on why behavior analysts need to get back to focusing our work on meaningful outcomes to “meaningful degrees.”
- ASERT Bringing Autism Resources Together brings organizes thousands of resources for Autistic individuals from a variety of organizations.
- Educational Differences Between High School and College 1-page information sheet.
- College Information for Individuals with Autism
- Post-Secondary Education with a Disability Preparation Checklist provides grade-by-grade items for 9th-12th graders
- Secondary Transition: Exploring the Options of a Two- or Four-Year College
- Educational Differences Between High School and College 1-page information sheet.
- Mid-Hudson RSE TASC Transition Manual
- NTACT Taxonomy for Transition Programming
- NTACT Predictor Implementation Self Assessment
- Access-VR
- New York Housing Resource Center
Webinar, Neurodivergence in Higher Education: Strategies to Support Our Students presented October 25, 2023, by Dr. Lauren Lestremau Allen and Dr. Noor Syed (CAARES)
Presentation included an overview of neurodivergence and autism, the social vs. medical model of disability, universal supports, and discussed case scenarios
Webinar, Recommendations for Supporting Autistic and Neurodivergent Students: A Universal Design Approach by Drs. Noor Syed & Lauren Lestremau Allen (CAARES) and Melissa Zgliczynski & Andrea Piazza (Office of Accessibility Resources & Services, SUNY Empire) Experts discussed the critical role that a Universal Design approach can play in more effectively supporting Neurodivergent students in higher education.
Workshop, Invisible and Visible Disabilities Training Rockefeller Institute of Government held February 11th, 2020 by Melissa Zgliczynski (Director, Accessibility Resources and Services, SUNY Empire), Andrea Piazza (Disability Specialist, Accessibility Resources and Services, SUNY Empire), Mary Van Haneghan (CEO, ARC-Austin) Workshop focused on data-driven methods of supporting college students with both visible and invisible disabilities, including the principles of Universal Design. An overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act, along with the mission of SUNY’s office of Accessibility Resources and Services.
YouTube, Stephen Shore on Universal Design for Learning by Dr. Stephen Shore, Professor of Special Education at Adelphi University In a short video, Stephen Shore shares powerful examples of Universal Design for Learning within the college setting.
Visit our Universal Design overview
Visit our Higher Ed Faculty & Staff Resources
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