November 3, 2026 Autism Conference on Zoom
Teaching to Successful Outcomes: Supporting Children with Autism in the Home, School and Community
Join us on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov 3rd for our free autism conference on Zoom. Open to all families, educators, administrators, paraprofessionals, related service providers, caregivers, students, and individuals with autism.
Certificates of Attendance:
A certificate of attendance will be issued to all attendees. Attendance is usually verified within 72 hours of the event and surveys are sent to all attendees. A certificate of attendance is generated automatically upon completion of the surveys.
Continuing Education Information:
We are offering CEUs (for BACBs only) and Continuing Teacher & Leader Education hours (CTLEs) for this conference. Eligibility is verified after review of system generated attendance reports and data.
Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLEs):
SUNY Old Westbury is recognized by the New York State Education Department's Office of Teaching Initiatives as an approved provider of CTLE for Professional Classroom Teachers, School Leaders and Level III Teaching Assistants. A total of up to 5.25 CTLE hours are available for this conference. The total fee for CTLEs is $2.50 per session and is payable at time of registration.
Behavior Analyst Certification Board:
SUNY Old Westbury is recognized as an approved provider of BACB CEUs. The cost is $10 per credit payable at the time of registration. Up to 3 credits are available for this conference. BACB CEUs are offered for the following sessions:
Session 3: Supporting Communication Across the Day: Practical Strategies for Children with Autism ($15, 1.5 credits).
Session 4: Bringing the Basics to Big Behaviors: A Jargon-Free, Research-Based Approach to Addressing Problem Behavior for Individuals with Autism and Other Disabilities ($15, 1.5 credits)
NO OTHER CEUs being offered at this conference.
Registration Reminders:
Select the sessions you would like to attend from the drop-down menus when registering.
Confirmation emails are sent automatically after registration. Please allow 24 hours to receive your confirmation. If you do not see the email in your inbox, please check your spam folder. Contact us at autism@oldwestbury.edu with any questions.
Use the same first and last name and email address when logging onto Zoom for attendance purposes.
This is a live-only event with NO access to recordings after the conference ends. Please, only register if you plan to attend.
Session Descriptions:
Session 1. 9:00am-10:15am EST
Maximizing Impact: Effective Strategies for Paraprofessionals Working with Students with Autism
Paraprofessionals work directly with students with autism on a daily basis. Being trained in effective strategies to best support students with autism positively impacts the student, the classroom environment, the teacher, and the paraprofessional. This training will help empower paraprofessionals and help develop their classroom skills.
Session 2. 10:30am-12:00pm EST
Understanding Distress: Practical Strategies for Supporting Anxiety and Regulation in Children with Autism
Autistic youth experience mental health concerns at high rates, with anxiety being one of the most common. Given the range of needs and settings in which autistic youth receive support, it is important to consider how evidence-based approaches can be adapted to increase access and meet the needs of different youth. Facing Your Fears (FYF) is a group-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program developed to help autistic youth manage anxiety, as well as the emotion dysregulation and distress that can accompany anxiety. FYF has also been adapted for use in schools, where it can be delivered by a range of school-based providers, including both mental health and non-mental health professionals. More recently, FYF was adapted for autistic teens with intellectual disabilities.
Session 3. 12:30pm-1:45pm EST
Supporting Communication Across The Day: Practical Strategies for Children with Autism
In this practical, hands-on training, attendees will learn how to recognize communication opportunities throughout the school day, use simple prompting and modeling strategies and build confidence supporting AAC and naturalistic communication - whether they're a classroom teacher, paraprofessional, related service provider, or behavior support staff. This session will leave participants with concrete and actionable strategies they can use the next day.
Session 4. 2:00pm-3:15pm EST
Bringing the Basics to Big Behaviors: A Jargon-Free, Research-Based Approach to Addressing Problem Behavior for Individuals with Autism and Other Disabilities
In this session, Dr. Pennington will draw on his 35 years of working with learners with complex needs in school settings to help participants understand why “big behaviors” occur and how to prevent them. He will offer a pragmatic approach that be applied quickly and by educators, related service providers, administrators, and family members.
Meet Our Speakers:
Crystal L.C. Hence, M.Ed. is a training and technical assistance associate at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Autism Center for Education. She holds a Master’s in Early Childhood Special Education and has extensive experience supporting individuals with autism in both school and community settings. Crystal is a contributing author of Quality Supported Employment Services: A Handbook for Employment Support Professionals (2nd ed.) and serves as the Director of Training for the RRTC on IDD grant.
Audrey Blakeley-Smith, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Her clinical and research interests are in autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). She is the Director of JFK Partners’ Adult Assessment clinic and the training director of the APA approved clinical psychology internship in the Department of Family Medicine. Dr. Blakeley-Smith is a co-author of Facing Your Fears published in 2011, Facing Your Fears in Schools published in June 2024, and has adapted Facing Your Fears for autistic teens with IDD.
Judy Reaven, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, and Interim Director of JFK Partners, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She is a licensed clinical psychologist. Clinical and research interests include identifying and managing anxiety in autistic children and teens. She is the primary developer of Facing Your Fears (FYF) and has been Principal Investigator on private foundation and federal grants (NIMH, HRSA, PCORI). Dr. Reaven has worked with interdisciplinary school providers to adapt FYF for schools and is studying the implementation of FYF in schools. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and two FYF manuals (for clinics and schools).
Rosemarie Griffin, MA, CCC/SLP, BCBA is an ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She has over 20 years of experience as a professional working in both the public and private sectors. Rose is the founder of ABA SPEECH. ABA SPEECH offers therapy services and The ABA SPEECH CONNECTION MEMBERSHIP geared towards helping speech therapists, BCBAs and RBTs support their autistic students. Rose is an author of the book "Say It With Me: Naturalistic Interventions to Support Speech and Social Engagement" and she is the host of the The ABA Speech Podcast, a weekly show all about autism and communication. She is a sought after speaker who enjoys connecting with audiences at the local, state and national level. Rose is passionate about the mission of ABA SPEECH, which is to help all students become more independent communicators.
Robert Pennington PhD BCBA-D is a Professor and the William T. Bryan Endowed Chair in Special Education Technology at the University of Kentucky He has over 30 years of experience supporting individuals with disabilities, their families, and teachers. He has published over 100 articles, book chapters, and books related to working with persons with autism and intellectual disability. Robert is passionate about the dissemination of research-based practice and has provided hundreds of refereed and invited presentations to researchers, practitioners, and families. He also values service to field and his local communities through membership on numerous advisory committees, editorial boards, and grant review panels;leadership in professional organizations (i.e., President of Board of Directors for DADD, ACRES, KYABA); and consultation in schools. He has been recognized for his work through receipt of several accolades (President’s Distinguished Faculty Award, NCCEC Felix Barker Leadership Award, KYABA Innovator in Behavior Analysis Award). His current research interests involve behavior analytic communication instruction, expanding students’ repertoires in written expression, and improving educational programming for students with severe disabilities.
