Did you know 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder? If you are a professional, parent, or caregiver of an autistic child, or know someone who is, on January 9 and January 11 CARD (the Center for Autism & Related Disabilities) will offer a series of workshops in the Florida Keys to help support students with autism and hold open registration for in-person consultations for those wanting to learn how they can access CARD’s many support programs and resources specific to their needs.

Based at the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University, the CARD center is one of seven state-funded, university-based outreach and support centers in Florida dedicated to optimizing the potential of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), dual sensory impairment, sensory impairments with other disabling conditions, and related disabilities. In addition to ASD, CARD also serves a variety of related disabilities including deaf-blindness, sensory impairments with other disabling conditions, developmental delays in children under 5 who also present with autistic-like behaviors, and genetic disorders that may co-exist with autism symptoms (e.g., Fragile X Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Tuberous Sclerosis, Angelman Syndrome, among others).

CARD offers many services, including individualized client and family support, family and professional training, public education and awareness and community outreach, programmatic consultation and technical assistance. Their constituency has grown from 88 families in 1993 to over 10,000 families today in Monroe, Miami-Dade and Broward counties, and are currently focused on growing their efforts here in the Keys.

“We want to reach out and provide families in the Florida Keys with individualized support & guidance as well as support the professionals who will benefit from our offerings,” says Diane Adreon, Associate Director of CARD who has worked with individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families for 30 years. “Throughout the year we come to the Keys to provide trainings, facilitate a parent group, and provide consultations for individual CARD constituents and programs.”

The upcoming outreach workshops will be as follows:

Emerging Language for Students with Autism: Monday, January 9, 2017 (9 AM). This workshop, presented at Gerald Adams Elementary School in Key West by Dr. Carole Zangari, will provide useful suggestions for working with individuals who have limited communication skills.

Pragmatics for Students with Autism: Monday, January 9, 2017 (1 PM). This workshop, presented at Gerald Adams Elementary School in Key West by Dr. Carole Zangari, will focus on improving the social-communication skills of highly verbal students on the autism spectrum.

Middle and High School Inclusion Strategies: Monday, January 9, 2017 (1 PM). This workshop, presented at Sugarloaf School in Summerland Key by Dr. Diane Adreon, will focus on the use of visual schedules and independent work systems to teach individuals with autism how to independently follow a schedule and complete tasks.

Helping Students with Autism Succeed: Wednesday, January 11, 2017 (3:15 PM). This workshop, presented at Coral Shores High School in Tavernier by Shelley Duran, will focus on social skills, study skills, and organizational skills.

To register for any of the free workshops contact Dr. Diane Adreon at 305-284-6556 or email [email protected]. To make an appointment for a CARD consultation, please contact Daniel Suarez at 305-284-5264. Visit umcard.org. for more information.