DMHAS

1. A Scholar in Residence Workshop DMHAS Child & Family Agency

2. Nurturing the Healthy Development of Young People with Aspergers Syndrome

3. Presented by: Raymond W. DuCharme, Ph.D. Kathleen A. McGrady, Psy. D., ABDA The Learning ClinicBrooklyn, Connecticut Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT April 04, 2006

4. Transition Needs and Services and Transfer of Rights Statement Presented by: Dr. Raymond DuCharme Founder and Executive Director, The Learning Clinic

5. 1990 - Congress Introduces Provision into IDEA • Public agencies required to provide students with disabilities aged 16 and older with appropriate instruction in community experiences, development of employment, and other post-school objectives • When appropriate, also provide instruction in independent living skills and functional vocational evaluations The Learning Clinic

6. 1997 - Congress introduces new requirements in the IDEA further expanding transition services • All LEA’s required to include statement of Transition Services in child’s IEP • The purpose: “focus attention on how the child’s education program can be planned to afford a successful transition to his or her goals for life after secondary school” The Learning Clinic

7. President’s Commission on Special Education analyzed outcome of 12 years of Transition Services Results:(Compared tonondisabledpeers) • Students with disabilities are unemployed and under-employed when they leave school • Too many students with disabilities leave school without earning any type of diploma The Learning Clinic

8. Results:(Compared tonondisabledpeers) (continued) • Students with disabilities attend postsecondary programs at rates lower than their nondisabled peers • Adults with disabilities are much less likely to be employed than adults without disabilities • Unemployment rates for working-age adults with disabilities have hovered at the 70% level for at least the past 12 years The Learning Clinic

9. Conclusion:The Commission determined that statistics reflected failures in the 1997 Transition Services Structure and recommended the IDEA Transition Requirements be amended. • Action:Congress made several changes to the Transition Requirements in response to those concerns. • Result:The new definition ofTransitionServiceshas been amended to reflect the reauthorization's emphasis on achievement. The Learning Clinic

10. Transition Services:The term ”Transition Services”is now defined to mean a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that: • Is designed within a results-oriented process focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate his or her move from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment. The Learning Clinic

11. Transition Services(continued) • Is based on the individual child’s needs, taking into account his or her strengths, preferences and interests. • Includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation. The Learning Clinic

12. New Changes: In addition, the law modifies the age at which student begin to receiveTransition Services.Under the new law, the first IEP that will be in effect when a child is 16 years oldmust contain: • Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based on age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, when appropriate, independent living skills. • A description of Transition Services, including courses of study, needed to assist the child in reaching those goals. The Learning Clinic

13. Changes to the Existing Law: • Under the old IDEA, IEP’s for children aged 14-16 needed to include a statement regarding the child’s Transition Services. • This was intended to focus on coursework to effectively prepare children to receive Transition Services at age 16. • IEP’s developed for children aged 16 or older were required to include a description of needed Transition Services. • The new law eliminates the requirement for children aged 14-16. The Learning Clinic

14. Changes to the Existing Law: (continued) • Now, children with disabilities must be provided Transition Services starting in the school year that they turn 16. • Should a participating agency fail to provide the Transition Services, the LEA must reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative strategies to meet the Transition Objectives for the child set out in the program. The Learning Clinic

15. Continued Provisions of the Prior Law: • As under the prior law, if a child with a disability is convicted as an adult under state law and incarcerated in an adult prison, the child’s IEP need not contain a statement of Transition Services if that child will “age out” of special education prior to release from prison. • The IDEA also retains the requirement regarding transfer of IDEA rights from parents to child when the child reaches the age of majority. The Learning Clinic

16. Continued Provisions of the Prior Law: • At least one year before a child reaches the age of majority under state law, the IEP must include a statement the child has been informed of the rights under the IDEA that will transfer to the child on reaching the age of majority. • These rights include all rights accorded to a parent of a disabled child when the child is a minor. The purpose of the statement is to clarify who holds those rights when the child reaches adult age. The Learning Clinic

17. The Learning Clinic Transition Program A Model for Student Transition to Community- based Independence

18. Pervasive Development Disorder Category of Diagnosis that includes Autism, Rett’s Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Asperger Syndrome, and PDD NOS. Historically, other diagnostic labels in this category have included Childhood Schizophrenia and Autistic Psychopathy. The Learning Clinic

19. Who is theAspergerIndividual? The Learning Clinic

20. Asperger Syndrome Criteria The Learning Clinic

21. Asperger Syndrome Criteria Pragmatic language skill deficits not part of DSM-IV or ICD-10 criteria but should be included for differential diagnosis. The Learning Clinic

22. Other Developmental Issues • Deviation from normal development • Do not “Outgrow” Developmental Deficits • Stress Impairs Performance • Co-Morbid Diagnosis Impairs Overall Functioning The Learning Clinic

23. Medications Cognitive Functioning The Learning Clinic

24. Age / Time Psychological Symptoms The Learning Clinic

25. Grade Clinical Symptoms and Learning Disabilities The Learning Clinic

26. C O G N I T I O N Memory Higher Order Process Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation Organization Flexibility Asperger SyndromePervasive Developmental Delay The Learning Clinic

27. Asperger SyndromePervasive Developmental Delay • C O G N I T I O N • Narrow Band of Knowledge • Problem Solving Deficit • Verbal-Performance IQ • Attention Shift Problem: Too Short or Too Long • Limited Perspective / Restricted Point of View

28. Asperger SyndromePervasive Developmental Delay L A N G U A G E • Pragmatics • Syntax • Meaning: Connotative Denotative The Learning Clinic

29. Asperger SyndromePervasive Developmental Delay • L A N G U A G E • Processing Speed • Expression • Duration The Learning Clinic

30. Asperger SyndromePervasive Developmental Delay S P E E C H • Prosody • Pedantic • Elocution • Volume The Learning Clinic

31. Asperger SyndromePervasive Developmental Delay M O T O R • Fine Control • Gross Control • Coordination • Regulation • Proprioceptive Feedback The Learning Clinic

32. Asperger SyndromePervasive Developmental Delay S E N S O R Y P R E C E P T I O N • Visual Integration • Kinesthetic Sense • Tactile Accuity • Gestalt • Integration of other Senses The Learning Clinic

33. Asperger SyndromePervasive Developmental Delay S O C I A L • Cue Identification • Responsive to others • (Isolate) Social Interaction Initiative • Rude / Insensitive to Social Conventions • Aggressive: Verbally & Physically The Learning Clinic

34. Asperger SyndromePervasive Developmental Delay • S O C I A L • Boundary Acceptance • Maintain Social Roles (e.g., student, son, daughter, friend) • Self-Regulate with and without Stressor The Learning Clinic

35. Competing Clinical Behaviors • Perseveration • Obsessive Thought • Rigid Cognitive Style • Inability to Shift from “Personal View” to Data - Based Decision The Learning Clinic

36. Competing Clinical Behaviors / Continued • Confabulation • Affirming False Information • “Stealing” • Sexually Inappropriate Actions and Statements • Pornography Interests The Learning Clinic

37. Competing Clinical Behaviors / Continued • Violation of Boundaries • Cognitive Disorientation and Distortion The Learning Clinic

38. Suicide Ideation Data The Learning Clinic

39. Suicide Ideation Data Seasonal Frequency January – December 2005 Dec-Feb Mar-May Jun-Aug Sep-Nov Total Number of S.I.s Jan - Dec 2005 = 24 Winter (10) Spring (7) Summer (4) Fall (3) The Learning Clinic

40. Suicide Ideation Data Number of Repeat Incidents by Season January – December 2005 Dec-Feb Mar-May Sep-Nov Jun-Aug Total Number of Repeat S.I.s Jan - Dec 2005 = 15 Winter (7) Spring (5) Summer (1) Fall (2) The Learning Clinic

41. Suicide Ideation DataNumber of Incidents by Student Age Group January – December 2005 Student Age Groups (Number of Students by Age Group) Number of S.I.s by Age Group No. of Students: 16 No. of Incidents: 24

42. Suicide Ideation DataNumber of Incidents by Gender January – December 2005 No. of Students: 16 The Learning Clinic

43. Suicide Ideation DataNumber/Percentage of Incidents by Diagnoses January – December 2005 % of S.I.s No. of S.I.s The Learning Clinic

44. Suicide Ideation DataNumber of Ideations vs. Suicide Attempts January – December 2005 Suicide Ideation: 16 Students 24 Ideations (16 Repeats) Suicide Attempts: 16 Students 0 Attempts Ideations: 24 Attempts: 0 The Learning Clinic

45. What are thePrioritiesof the Asperger Syndrome Student? The Learning Clinic

46. Priorities of the Asperger Student 1.Independence • How to find and use resources and self-advocate • Work Experience • Paid employment and volunteer work The Learning Clinic

47. Priorities of the Asperger Student • 3A. Shared Living versus Living Alone • Advantages and disadvantages of each • 3B. Resources • How to find resources, e.g., doctors, therapists, etc. The Learning Clinic

48. Priorities of the Asperger Student • 4A. Social Activities • How to find resources for fun activities? • How to make friends and find others with common interests? • How to deal with the tendency to isolate? The Learning Clinic

49. Priorities of the Asperger Student • 4B. Medication • How do you know when you need medication • Who do you go to for help The Learning Clinic

50. Priorities of the Asperger Student • College Experience • What it takes to be successful in college • Problem-Solving • How to partner with others to solve problems The Learning Clinic