Our training provides essential information on autism, enriched with real-life examples from my experiences as a parent, humorous anecdotes, engaging activities, and interactive Q&A sessions. Unlike traditional lecture-based training, our approach is fully interactive and immediately applicable.
We also provide a range of follow-up services, including consulting and personalized technical assistance, to help you effectively implement and refine your strategies. Our support is designed to enhance your agency’s efforts in promoting independence, autonomy, and skill development for your customers.
Crucially, our training fosters respect and understanding, offering valuable insights for those involved with WA State – Supported Employment, Community Inclusion, Transition Programs, Self-Advocates, Families and Guardians to gain a fresh perspective on neurodivergent. Below, you’ll find a list of training topics we cover.
Learn more about our trainings and webinars download our PDF.
Monica Meyer, Consulting, Inc. – REGION 1 and 3 DDA CONTINUING EDUCATION Coming this Winter!
Continuing Education Credit (CEU) are Pre-approved for AFH, GH, Supported Living, and Long Term Care Workers, NOT for Individual Providers (SEIU). Cont. Ed credits for others with DOH credentials may be allowable at the discretion of your licensing board. It is the responsibility of attendees with other certifications/licenses to verify that this CE activity meets your licensing boards’ standards and acceptability as a CE event.
More Training Details to Come this Winter!
List of Training with a Drop Down Overview
6 Hour Training
Autism with Intellectual Disabilities: Communication, Relationship Development and Technology
This training offers a comprehensive overview of Autism, covering its origins, distinct characteristics, the varied impact on individuals, relationship development, and the role of technology. Here’s a brief outline of each training component:
- Overview of Autism: We’ll explore the updates to the DSM-5, including the shift from the Triad to the Dyad of Impairment, and clarify how Autism differs from Intellectual Disability.
- Communication as a Barrier: Understanding communication is crucial in addressing Autism. This section will differentiate between language and communication, present evidence that “all behavior is communication,” and discuss how to facilitate effective communication through structured supports that alleviate fear and anxiety for individuals with Autism.
- Relationship Development: We’ll focus on the needs and processes for building relationships based on interests and likes. This training emphasizes that both communication and relationship development are essential barriers in Autism. We’ll explore how to foster relationships through joint attention activities rather than compliance-driven interactions.
What to Expect: Engage in group activities, access research and resources, participate in Q&A throughout the presentation, and hear real-life examples and stories.
Recommended For: Long-Term Care Providers, Job Coaches, Respite Care Providers, Transition Teachers, and Family Members.
| What training attendees can expect from this training:
1. Learn the value of respectful relationships, advocating for Autism Specific training and resources for direct support staff, those who work directly with our sons and daughters 2. Advocating and advancing through basic provider contractual training obligations, to the “nuts and bolts” of Autism Specific support strategies that work specifically for your son or daughter provided by direct support staff 3. Provide opportunities and technology to build agency capacity and sustainability for your son or daughter, no matter how many direct support staff go in or out of your son or daughters home 4. Advocating through networks and social services, Autism Specific training, resources and supports that will have a positive impact on your son or daughter’s well-being. 5. Will provide resources, examples and group activities on the value of respectful relationships between the family, guardian, agency and direct support staff 6. Learn how to provide individualized information and trainings through technology to direct support staff 7. Will learn through group activities and case study how to write and implement a resident/consumer specific autism training that will have positive and sustainable outcomes for our sons and daughters and their direct support staff within community residential settings What can you expect from this training? Group activities, research and resources, question and answer throughout the presentation, real life examples and stories. Recommended for: Individual with Autism, Long Term Care Providers, Job Coaches, Transition Teachers and Family Members |
The course describes what an Autism Spectrum Disorder is as well as an overview of the characteristics of autism; how each characteristic is unique to an individual and provide potential support strategies for the person with autism to gain clarity and skills. The information shared in this course is a combination of research and practical experience as an Adult Autism Consultant.
3 Hour Trainings
One of the hallmark characteristics of Autism is the need for Structure and Predictability. In this training we will have a short overview of ASD characteristics, then focus on the need and resources for structure and predictability. We will discuss physical organization, schedules, communication style and preferences. This training provides research and resources to the participant to help them once they leave the training to start implementing strategies to meet the needs of the person with autism they support.
What you can expect: Group activities, research and resources, question and answer throughout the presentation, real life examples and stories.
Recommended for: Individual with Autism, Long Term Care Provider, Job Coaches, Respite Care, Transition Teachers and Family Members.
This is an abbreviated version of the 6-hour training. See above for details.
Many people with disabilities, regardless of being Autism or not, often times need modifications, adaptations and accommodations. In this training we will discuss potential barriers to accessing environments, classes, work, etc. and assess the needs and values of modifying curriculums, job descriptions, etc. as well as providing adaptation and other accommodations that can involve no-tech to high-tech supports.
What you can expect: Group activities, research and resources, question and answer throughout the presentation, real life examples and stories.
Recommended for: Individual with Autism, Long Term Care Providers, Job Coaches, Respite Care, Transition Teachers and Family Members
In a world of iPhone, iPads and corresponding Apps, we often jump too far into technology before identifying whether or not the person with autism has the aptitude for it. Many of the support strategies needed for a person with autism involves some type of Assistive Technology. What we do know is that there are many benefits to the use of Assistive Technology for people with autism. In this class we will review how to assess a person’s ability to use technology, provide teaching steps, evaluate support efficacy and benefits.
What you can expect: Group activities, research and resources, question and answer throughout the presentation, real life examples and stories.
Recommended for: Individual with Autism, Long Term Care Provider, Job Coaches, Respite Care, Transition Teachers and Family Members.
Adults living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience many factors that impact their everyday lives. Striving for optimal health and enduring a healthy lifestyle comes with the ability to access appropriate healthcare services, yet many adults with ASD have unmet healthcare needs. The barriers to healthcare access for adults with ASD are many, but one very clearly involves the ability to enter into a clinician’s office. We will explore what is currently known about healthcare access for adults with Autism, how to prepare a person for their appointment, how the office and clinician can support the person with autism and provide visual, outline steps to how the appointment will go. This training will try to determine the level and appropriateness of access to healthcare services to better support the lives of adults with ASD and provide research from AASPIRE.
What you can expect: Group activities, research and resources, question and answer throughout the presentation, real life examples and stories.
Recommended for: Individual with Autism, Healthcare Providers, Case Managers, Job Coaches, Respite Care and Family Members.
This training will provided an overview of issues related to community access for Individuals with Autism; Grocery Store, Restaurant, Movie Theater and more. We will discuss the value of relationship development with the person with Autism and specific “priming” strategies and communication supports for success. Information for this course will be presented through examples, research and personal experience as an Adult Autism Consultant.
In this training we will discuss why communication supports are so important and vital for individuals with autism. This, whether the person is verbal or non-verbal because communication differences are one of the hallmark diagnostic characteristics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We will review the characteristics of autism and focus on understanding communication traits and how to increase the ability to have meaningful interactions, improves the quality of life, support independence, choice, and autonomy.
In this training you will learn the difference between supporting and teaching a person with Autism and how it looks different from a person with an intellectual disability. The basic concept is that people have different strengths and weaknesses that relate directly to how well they learn new information. In this training I will provide information related to symptoms associated with a characteristic of autism and what would be an implication of support.
In this training I will discuss another hallmark diagnostic characteristic of autism spectrum disorders, socialization. A successful living environment for a person with autism will require skill development and teachable moments throughout the day by a direct support provider. In addition, successful community life will require new techniques, attention, and observation in addressing social challenges in the home and workplace. I will also review various senses and how they contribute to everyday functioning, recognize common sensory differences in individuals with ASD, be able to explain how sensory processing differences might affect persons with ASD in terms of behavior, learning, and performance.
In this training I will discuss another hallmark diagnostic characteristic of autism spectrum disorders, socialization. A successful living environment for a person with autism will require skill development and teachable moments throughout the day by a direct support provider. In addition, successful community life will require new techniques, attention, and observation in addressing social challenges in the home and workplace. I will also review various senses and how they contribute to everyday functioning, recognize common sensory differences in individuals with ASD, be able to explain how sensory processing differences might affect persons with ASD in terms of behavior, learning, and performance.
This course will focus on adaptive supports, assistive technology and electronics that supports independence, comprehension and participation in Activities of Daily Living (ADL).
- The participants of this course will learn why independence is important and self-esteem building.
- How technology can help support independence, comprehension, and choice.
- The importance of developing a visual daily schedule with ADL, tools needed and data that measures the residents advancement in independence and the staff’s consistent delivery of information.
- Reduce the need for staffing in some areas from full assist to partial assist and even independence.
Population Specific Training
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