Herbert G. Birch Services, Inc. presents the Eighth Annual Conference “Addressing the Challenges of Autism” on Thursday, April 7th, 2005 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the UFT Center - 50/52 Broadway (corner of Exchange Place) in New York City.

Keynote Speaker, Winnie Dunn, Ph.D. OTR FAOTA, will present “Sensory Processing: Evidence Based Assessment and Natural Environment Intervention Planning.”

Afternoon break-out sessions: “Sensory Processing: A Family Affair” presented by Winnie Dunn, Ph.D. OTR FAOTA; “Issues in Adolescence” presented by Division TEACCH, University of TEACCH; “What I Wished You Had Taught My Child in School” presented by Herbert G. Birch Services, Inc. – Facilitated by Birch Staff and University faculty.

Early Bird Registration fees: Professionals - $125; Parents and Full-time Students - $90.

For more information and to be added to our mailing list, contact Melissa Soto at (212) 741-6522, ext. 226 or [email protected] ASHA CEUs offered.

I am a behavior consultant, living in the Plano, Texas Area. I ran accross your information on the upcoming conference and was curious if there were any remaining spots for potential presenters. Please see the info below on my company and an upcoming workshop for more information on my services:

FOCUS Special Education, LLC Presents a Workshop:

"Successfully Living with Autism; Featuring a Panel Discussion with Successful Adults with Autism"

Presented by Brenda Batts, Behavior Consultant

February 26, 2005
9:00am - 12:00pm

Holiday Inn Select
1655 North Central Expressway
Elm Fork Conference Room
Richardson, Texas 75080
(972) 238-1900

This workshop is designed to help inform and uplift parents, teachers, and caregivers who work with individuals that are within the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The focus of this workshop will be on teaching various life skills to help our children better cope with the world around them. We will also discuss strategies, such as building community support systems and vocational planning that we can implement to improve their odds for success.

We are privileged to have Mark Sachnik, Buyer for the University of Texas at Dallas, as a guest speaker and panelist during the workshop. Mark is an individual with Autism who will be speaking about his experiences and will share the techniques that helped him become an independent and successful person, despite his challenges with Autism. During the panel discussion, workshop participants will have the opportunity to ask Mark questions to further understand his obstacles and successes. Some specific areas of focus for this workshop are:
• How to limit the impact the syndrome has on the family unit.
• How to shape socially acceptable behaviors
• Understanding what sets your child off and how to avoid it.
• Building effective support structures in school, home, and community
• How to address puberty and maturity issues
• Vocational planning and training
• Participants will gain invaluable insight about how an individual with Autism/PDD feels about everyday experiences and the different aspects of their personal development.
• Opportunity to listen and interact with an individual that has learned to be successful in spite of having Autism.
The diagnosis of Autism/PDD is a devastating one, primarily because of the impact it has on the individual being diagnosed, and the impact that the disability has on the family as a whole. The key to helping a child with Autism is developing a unified approach toward the syndrome and an approach that focuses on the family as a unit. The ultimate goal should be to help our children live a more independent and productive life.

Cost is $45 per seat. Light refreshments will be served and a workshop folder with handouts provided.

Seating for this workshop is limited to the first 50 that register. You may Register at http://focussped.homestead.com/workshops.html. Page down to the "Add to Cart" button to purchase a seat using Paypal. Please note that a Paypal account is required but only takes about 5 minutes and a major credit card to set up. You may call me at (972) 527-3040 with questions or to discuss other payment options or services. Mention workshop and receive a discounted hotel room for the weekend. I hope to see you there!

I will also be conducting book signing for my book, entitled Road to Independence: Independence Skills Training for Special Needs Children. It is available for a discounted rate of $13.50 at www.focussped.homestead.com/review.html and available for $14.95 at barnes and noble.com: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=bsq1UCr2cK&isbn=059531225X&itm=14 .

*Due to very limited seating, there will be a 100% cancellation fee for cancellations after February19, 2005. To unsubscribe from the mail list, please reply to this e-mail with the word “remove” as the subject.


Best Regards,
Brenda M. Batts
www.focussped.homestead.com/workshops.html

Hi. I was wondering if you could put me on your mailing list? Thanks, Anne