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Resources Featuring Experts in the Field of ID/DD

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    A Common Question Regarding Sexual Consent

    Trainer's Corner, January '09 with Perry

    Topic: Trainer's Corner
    Format: Commentary
    Population: All
    Age Group: Adult
    Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

    Perry received an email from a Social Worker working with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New York. She asked whether an individual was able to give partial sexual consent. See how Perry answers this common question.

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    A Conversation with Chester Finn

    NYS OPWDD Special Assistant and Self-Advocacy Activist

    Topic: Self-Advocacy
    Format: Video, Q&A
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    We spoke with Chester Finn at the YAI International Conference about his role as a pioneer in self-advocacy, and his vision for its future in the field of ID/LD.

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    A Conversation with Don Meyer

    We speak with the creator of the "Sibshop" model

    Topic: Working with Families
    Format: Video, Q&A
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    We speak with the award-winning director of the Sibling Support Project and creator of the Sibshop model.

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    A Dozen Angry Guys & Investigations

    Commentary by Antone Aboud

    Topic:
    Format: Commentary
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Antone comments about the movie Twelve Angry Men, a movie that raises a number of issues that are germane to working as investigators.

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    A visit from Dave Hingsburger

    Trainer's Corner, September '09 with Perry

    Topic: Trainer's Corner
    Format: Commentary
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Perry comments on Dave Hingsburger's recent appearance at YAI and highlights from the visit. We were lucky enough to capture Dave on video talking about Problem Behaviors as well as Sexuality. Check those resources out as well.

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    Addressing important issues for people with ID/DD

    A Conversation with Dr. Temple Grandin

    Topic: Challenging Behaviors, Counseling, Self-Advocacy, Staff Training
    Format: Video, Q&A
    Population: ASD
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Our recent conversation with Dr. Temple Grandin centers around the sensory issues and the need to develop a person's area of strength.

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    Behavioral Analysis: Evaluating the Options

    A Conversation with Mark Sundberg

    Topic: Children with Special Needs
    Format: Video, Q&A
    Population: ASD
    Age Group: Early Childhood, School Age, Adolescent
    Levels of Disability: All

    We speak with Mark about his work with Behavioral Analysis, including the scientific basis of the approach, and how this applies in real-world situations for a child with autism.

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    Building Empathy for Working with Aging Adults from Special Educator Barbara Sealey

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic:
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: Senior
    Levels of Disability: All

    Empathy is the cornerstone of good support and is best felt with direct experience. How do I get the experience of being 65 when I'm only 25? Check out the "Expert Tips" for ideas to help you create an empathy building curriculum for your staff.

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    Counseling Challenges with Jon Gold

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Counseling
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    The concept of therapist/patient confidentiality can be challenging for people with developmental disabilities. They may be reluctant to share relevant information about their lives fearing that the therapist may "get them in trouble." Expert Jon Gold explores this challenge along with tips for creating a successful therapeutic relationship.

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    Creating a Community Donation Program from Special Educator, Katie Martin

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Leisure and Crafts, Teaching Techniques
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Participating in community volunteer work provides individuals with intellectual disabilities with a better understanding of the community, enhanced personal and social integration skills, and increased self-esteem. Katie Martin describes the key elements for organizing an in-house volunteer crafting center, including how to obtain funding for supplies, organizing the team, finding places to donate to and delivering the goods!

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    Critical Challenges Facing Professionals

    A Conversation with Dr. Sonya Carr

    Topic: Teaching Techniques
    Format: Video, Q&A
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    What are the critical challenges facing professionals working in the ID/DD field today?

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    Dating and Individual Sexual Expression from Bobra Fyne, LCSW

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Relationships and Sexuality
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: Adult
    Levels of Disability: All

    Bobra Fyne, YAI\'s pioneering educator for self advocacy and sexuality, shares ideas for jump starting the learning process and helping people with ID develop mastery of effective dating and relationship skills.

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    Dave Hingsburger: Putting the Self in Advocacy

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Self-Advocacy
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: Young Adult, Adult, Senior
    Levels of Disability: All

    Dave speaks to the Challenge that someone with a disability may experience in believing themselves capable of living their own life after having received various messages that other\'s know best. He discusses that people with disabilities can have a tendency of handing over to care providers that which truly belongs to them, and gives us some tips on how to encourage self advocacy, which Dave calls the core of competence, in those that we work with.

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    Difficulties During the Holidays

    Trainer's Corner, December '09 with Perry

    Topic: Trainer's Corner
    Format: Commentary
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Perry shares comments from Dr. Peter Della Bella and Mary Jane Falk about working with people with ID/DD during the holidays.

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    Dr. Peter Della Bella on Tips for Working with People with Autism in the Clinic Setting

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Staff Training, Challenging Behaviors
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: ASD
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Dr. Della Bella, Director of Clinical Programs at Premier Health Care, shares guidelines for supporting individuals with autism.

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    Dual Diagnosis from Psychologist, Judith Bailey

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Dual Diagnosis
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: Dual Diagnosis
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    A seasoned psychologist with YAI's Residential Services Department shares thoughts from her work with people with multiple psychiatric diagnoses, including steps and tools for insuring that the medicines in the psychotropic cocktail are truly effective in ensuring life-enhancing behavior.

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    Dual Diagnosis Problem Solving Tips by Residential Psychologist Abby Baker Lynch

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Counseling, Challenging Behaviors
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Abby Baker-Lynch, MA, Regional Psychology Consultant, at YAI Networkand Mental Health Therapist, at YAI's Article 16 Clinic, shares some of her "tips and challenges" regarding problem solving. Abby works as an Applied Behavioral Science Specialist for an Independent Residential Alternative (IRA), curriculum development consultant, and has been a staff trainer for the last 25 years. Abby\'s clinical expertise is in the area of dual diagnosis with people with Intellectual Disabilities.

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    Fire Safety

    Trainer's Corner, October '09 with Perry

    Topic: Trainer's Corner
    Format: Commentary
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Perry speaks about the donated curriculum, "How to be Fire Safe" and the important tips that the FDNY shared with him.

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    Healthy Lifestyles by Barbara Sealey

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic:
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    For a variety of reasons people with developmental disabilities have difficulty in changing dietary and activity habits. Barbara Sealey, Ed.D., shares tips on how to support people with disabilities through the "Power Living" model.

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    Investigations

    Trainer's Corner, January '10 with Abel

    Topic: Trainer's Corner
    Format: Commentary
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Abel shares his reactions to Antone Aboud's commentary about "A Dozen Angry Guys and Investigations."

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    Making Training Interesting and Relevant from Sr. Director of Training Perry Samowitz

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Staff Training
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Perry Samowitz, Director of Education and Training at YAI/NIPD, shares his successful strategies for making training effective, including making training directly applicable to the learner's job, and taking staff out of their comfort zone.

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    Maria Scalley, PsyD. on Dual Diagnosis

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Challenging Behaviors
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Accurately diagnosing psychiatric disorders in individuals with intellectual disabilities presents many challenges. Psychologist Maria Scalley discusses the communication, medical and environmental conditions that can interfere with the assessment process. She also outlines the considerations and tools that help build an accurate diagnosis.

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    Navigating the Healthcare System with Autism Spectrum Disorders

    A Conversation with Dr. Jarrett Barnhill

    Topic: Staff Training, Aging
    Format: Q&A, Video
    Population: ASD
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Dr. Barnhill specializes in the diagnosis and pharmacological treatment of autism and other developmental disabilities, and other neuropsychiatric disorders such as Tourette\'s syndrome and other movement disorders as well as psychiatric problems in patients with epilepsy. He is Director of the Developmental Neuropharmacology Clinic and a consultant in neuropsychiatry at Dorothea Dix Hospital, the Murdoch Center in Butner, NC, the Caswell Center in Kinston, NC, and Residential Services, Inc. in Chapel Hill, NC, as well as for Autism services.

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    Organizational Culture and "How Starbucks Saved My Life"

    Commentary by Antone Aboud

    Topic:
    Format: Commentary
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    With a lot of "buzz" about a recent book, "How Starbucks Saved My Life," Antone comments on the organizational culture presented in the book, and the message it gives to all who work in human service environments.

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    Packing It In: Preparing Your Child for a Vacation from Parent Advocate, Jeff Stimpson

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Leisure and Crafts, Children with Special Needs, Challenging Behaviors
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: School Age, Adolescent
    Levels of Disability: All

    Jeff is a father of a young son with special needs. He shares with us the challenges he faces as he prepares his son Alex for camp and family vacations, and offers some hints on how to make the process more manageable.

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    Parent Advocate Jeff Stimpson on The Big Pick Up

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Children with Special Needs, Working with Families
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: ASD
    Age Group: School Age
    Levels of Disability: All

    Parent Jeff Stimpson shares his experiences managing the big and the little clean ups with a child with autism.

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    Parent Advocate Jeff Stimpson on the Holidays

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Working with Families
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    How do you make the most of holidays when you have a child with special needs? Jeff Stimpson describes the challenges of attending and hosting small and large family gatherings with a child with autism. He includes useful tips he's employed with his own family.

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    Practical tips to use with the Aging from Psychologist Jeryl Healey

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic:
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: Senior
    Levels of Disability: All

    As people with intellectual disabilities age, physical challenges can raise fears that impact basic hygiene. Psychologist Jeryl Healey discuss issues and practical tips for supporting comfortable and safe bathing experiences for older adults.

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    Preparing for the Holidays in a Residential Program from Residential Supervisor Virginia Allocca

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Management
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Holiday times are filled with special touches that make everyone feel festive. How do we accommodate the many needs and requests of individuals in a group home over the holidays? Virginia provides tips drawn from strategies employed at the Old Bethpage residence.

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    Problem/Challenging Behaviors

    A Conversation with Dave Hingsburger

    Topic: Challenging Behaviors, Teaching Techniques
    Format: Video, Q&A
    Population: All
    Age Group: Adolescent, Adult, School Age, Young Adult
    Levels of Disability: All

    David Hingsburger speaks about how to support people with challenging behaviors, and how to build skills using reinforcement.

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    Professional Challenges with Autism

    A Conversation with Dr. Marlene J. Cohen

    Topic: Children with Special Needs
    Format: Video, Q&A
    Population: ASD
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    We speak with Dr. Cohen about the many challenges facing professionals when working with individuals with Autism, and her tips and advice on the latest work in the field.

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    Relaxation Techniques

    Trainer's Corner, July '09 with Perry

    Topic: Trainer's Corner
    Format: Commentary
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Perry comments about a resource he found in the Resource Center called Relaxation Techniques. He encourages us all to take that moment we often forget to take for ourselves.

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    Residential Sr. Director, Vera Halpenny on Leadership

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Management
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Leaders are responsible to their teams for providing appropriate direction and support in all types of situations. The more challenging the situation the more the leader needs to demonstrate a level of expertise that enables the staff to navigate through the turbulent waters.

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    Sexuality and Asperger’s Syndrome

    A Conversation with Dr. Isabel H?nault

    Topic: Relationships and Sexuality
    Format: Video, Q&A
    Population: ASD
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    During the 2009 YAI International Conference, we spoke with Dr. Isabel H?nault about the special issues that arise in the field of sexuality and individuals with Asperger\'s Syndrome.

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    Siblings’ Unique Concerns and Opportunities

    An Interview with Don Meyer

    Topic: Working with Families
    Format: Commentary, Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Siblings are often on the front lines of family support for people with developmental disabilities. Their experience and long term involvement is critical for coordination with service providers. However, siblings, like other caregivers, need encouragement and support to maintain healthy effective relationships. We speak with Don Meyer, an internationally renowned expert on sibling issues and creator of "SibShops."

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    Social/Sexual Issues in the Field of ID/DD

    A Conversation with David Hingsburger

    Topic: Relationships and Sexuality, Teaching Techniques
    Format: Video, Q&A
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    We spoke with David Hingsburger about various social/sexual issues.

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    The Legislative Process

    Trainer's Corner, October '09 with Abel

    Topic: Trainer's Corner
    Format: Commentary
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Abel comments on what he took from the "Influencing the Legislative Process" resource and shares his thoughts on the matter.

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    The YAI Autism Center and discussion of challenges and new developments in Autism Spectrum Disorders

    A Conversation with Charles Cartwright, M.D.

    Topic: Working with Families, Children with Special Needs
    Format: Video, Q&A
    Population: ASD
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Charles Cartwright, M.D., the Director of the Autism Center at the YAI Network shares with us some recent attitudes, developments and research surrounding ASD as well as some advice for parents and service providers.

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    Tom Ott, LCSW on Self-Advocacy

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Self-Advocacy
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Tom Ott addresses the challenge of how to support, guide and assist people who are self-advocates rather than to lead and "do for" them. The challenges exist for both the person with the disability, and the support staff.

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    Understanding Communication Skills within the Non-Verbal Profound Population from Residential Psychologist Betsy Burtnik

    Expert Tips & Challenges

    Topic: Relationships and Sexuality, Challenging Behaviors
    Format: Tips and Challenges
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: Profound (low functioning)

    In this resource Betsy addresses the challenge of teaching society that all individuals with a profound intellectual disability have the ability to communicate and do so just as often as anyone of us.

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    What I learned at the YAI International Conference

    Trainer's Corner, May '10 with Abel

    Topic: Trainer's Corner
    Format: Commentary
    Population: All
    Age Group: All
    Levels of Disability: All

    Abel shares with us his experience at the 2010 YAI International Conference and the sessions he attended about working with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

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    Working with children and families in the field of intellectual disabilities

    A conversation with Steven P. Wells Ph.D., LCSW

    Topic: Children with Special Needs, Staff Training
    Format: Q&A, Video
    Population: All
    Age Group: Early Childhood, School Age, Adolescent
    Levels of Disability: All

    At the 2009 YAI International conference, we sat down with Professor Steven Wells to find out what his presentation was going to highlight and what advice he had to share with staff working with children with disabilities and their families. Steven P. Wells has been involved with family and children services since 1976 as a child welfare worker, family mediator, foster parent trainer, group counselor, and university professor.

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