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The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network is a group of programs funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to determine the number of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in the United States. Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of developmental disabilities characterized by atypical development in socialization, communication, and behavior. In 2006, on average, approximately 1% or one child in every 110 in the 11 ADDM sites was classified as having an ASD. These results indicate an increased prevalence of identified ASDs among U.S. children aged 8 years and underscore the need to regard ASDs as an urgent public health concern. This presentation will review the most recent published ADDM data.

Click here to download the flyer (pdf) What: Join us in the second session of a new statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement.

Click here to register for this event (Cost $75) What: Develop skill sets and the tools to help direct support staff, parents as well as self-advocates, develop and customize sexuality education to the level suitable for the individual adult being supported. Well-rounded education is the key: teaching adults with autism or other developmental disabilities the necessary facts and skills to develop self-worth, friendship and loving relationships. Appropriate sexuality education can help prevent inappropriate behaviors from escalating in public, towards others or self-injurious activities. Skill sets, best practices and guidelines to: Discussing dating, sex and sexuality Helping folks differentiate the types of love Teach to respect boundaries/understand privacy Empowering people to recognize and report abuse When: Wednesday, January 26th, 2011 11:00 am to 1:00pm Mountain Who: Presenter Monica J. Foster, CC

Click here to download the full flyer (PDF) Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Technology and Communication When: Friday, February 18, 2011 6:00 – 7:30pm Where: American Lutheran Church 5 Lewis Ave. Billings, MT To register, contact: Jami Machler jami.machler@pluk.org (406) 850-2564 Dinner and Childcare Provided if Pre-Registered

Four more hospitals are signing on to be part of a unique national network that provides one-stop shopping for medical and behavioral care of children and adolescents with autism. Medical centers in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Columbus, Ohio and Edmonton, Canada will join 13 other hospitals as part of Autism Speaks’ Autism Treatment Network.

What: This webinar series will arm educators, service providers, policy-makers and administrators with the information, skills and strategies needed to understand and engage culturally diverse populations. Each session tackles the complex issues associated with cultural competency, from the fallacy of equating diversity with cultural competency, to implementing cultural competency within organizations. Participants will explore the interplay of values, policies, structures, attitudes and behaviors and how they affect the ability to understand, reach out to and effectively engage populations who have traditionally been underserved.  When: March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 and April 21  1-2:30 p.m. Mountain More Details Download Registration Form Register Online

Click here to register for this webinar What: The first webinar in our new series from OSEP and the National Parent Technical Assistance Center will feature the Doing What Works website, a valuable resource for Parent Centers as well as individual families.  The website provides information about specific programs that have a strong evidence base so parents can participate as informed consumers in the educational decision making process for their child.   The Doing What Works website (http://dww.ed.gov) provides engaging materials on a wide range of topics, including Response to Intervention, Early Childhood Literacy, Reducing Behavior Problems in Elementary Schools, and Preventing High School Dropouts.  Created by the U.S. Department of Education, this resource offers families and educators at all levels concrete strategies, examples, and tools to help use and engage in research-based practices.  Aimed at individuals with varying levels of understanding about a topic, the Doing What Works resources can arm educators and families with valuable resources as they work to improve the education of their children.  This webinar will introduce the website, provide an overview of the different types of resources, and invite questions and offer support for implementation. When: Thursday, February 24, 2011 1:00pm - 2:00pm Mountain

Click here to register for this webinar About our series: The impact of violence, abuse, neglect, disaster, war, and other harmful experiences continues long after the traumatic event has ended. Exposure to trauma is a pervasive issue that has significantly impacted the health and well-being of millions of Americans and nearly everyone seeking services in the public health and social services systems. Understanding how trauma affects the emotional, behavioral, cognitive, social, and physical functioning of the people we care for can improve our services. When: March 17, 2011 12:00 - 1:00pm Mountain Presented by: Bruce Perry MD, PhD Senior Fellow at the ChildTrauma Academy Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University After participating in this webinar participants will: Understand the effect of trauma and neglect from a neurodevelopmental perspective Identify signs and symptoms of trauma and neglect in young children Learn new strategies for care, program development and policy as related to developmental trauma

Click here to download the full flyer (PDF) What: Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Personal Boundaries and Sensory Issues When: Friday, May 20, 2011 6:00 – 7:30pm Where: American Lutheran Church 5 Lewis Ave. Billings, MT To register, contact: Jami Machler jami.machler@pluk.org (406) 850-2938 Dinner and Childcare Provided if Pre-Registered

The MBI 2011 Youth Days flyer is available at the following link:  http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/MBI/11YouthDayFlyer.pdf

Click here to register for this event What: Identifying intervention strategies and applications for persons with complex communication needs remains a challenge. Multimodal approaches to AAC intervention within naturalistic environments provide significant opportunities for cultivating intentionality and supporting language acquisition. This series of webinars will aid in gaining insight into utilization of symbols for teaching and shaping behaviors that function as meaningful and appropriate communication. Participants will learn strategies for employing symbols and technology to support the four main purposes of communication: expressing wants and needs, developing social closeness, exchanging information and fulfilling social routines. Course 1 - June 21, 2011 - Unleash the Power of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Your AAC users are not talking with their peers, use few communicative functions and are unmotivated to communicate. What can be done to nourish functional, generative communication? This course will address using a variety of technologies and strategies to stimulate use of meaningful and appropriate communication. Learner Outcomes: The participant will be able to identify the meaning of functional communication and the requisites for communication. The participant will be able to describe six strategies for supporting the development of communication skills using single message devices. The participant will be able to explain 12 ways to utilize sequencers to encourage functional communication in a variety of settings. When: Webinar begins at 10:00am Mountain time. Session sign in begins 15 minutes prior. This session requires you to call in to access the audio. Certificate of Attendance will be available at completion.

Academic achievement is a strong predictor of high school graduation and is critical to long-term success in college, work, and life. A sixth grader who fails math or English, has unsatisfactory behavior, or poor attendance has a 75% likelihood of dropping out.

The Infant Toddler Temperament Tool includes a short online survey that allows parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers to recognize and explore their own temperament traits and those of a child for which they provide care. The IT3 generates results which support parents and caregivers in understanding how adult and child similarities and differences in temperament traits may affect “goodness of fit.” Along with these results, the IT3 generates simple best practice tips adults can use to foster the unique temperament of each child within their care.

Click here to register for this webinar -- $49 What: Individuals with autism have complex needs. There are thousands of apps out there, but which ones will meet their needs? This webinar will provide a preview and describe uses of apps that therapists and parents are finding useful in meeting the unique challenges of individuals with autism. These apps promote a wide range of skills for individuals with autism: communication, social skills, behavior and more. When: Monday, August 15, 2011 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Mountain Time Presenter: Phyllis S. Watson, CCC-SLP, Augmentative Communication Specialist, Crotched Mountain ATECH Services Full Abstract – Including speaker biography and learning points

I want to tell you a secret about Autism Awareness. I'm telling you because you have a stake in the autism community; whether you touch one or many lives, you can change them, you are powerful. And, like me, you care. You want to make a difference -- for yourself, for your child, for someone you love, for someone who depends on you. And you can make a difference, you will, if you keep this cornerstone of Autism Awareness in mind at all times. Ready? Here it is: Behavior is communication. That's it. That's all. That's everything.

What: This conference will provide information and hands-on training in the latest technology being used to enhance communication and social skills for individuals living with autism. This conference is for everyone who loves and works with children and adults with autism every day. This year we will highlight Communication and iOS devices - iPads, iPods and iPhones. Today’s technological advances offer highly interactive tools that can be used to help build communication skills. During our event you will learn how to choose applications appropriate for your needs, whether you are a parent, educator or practitioner. Through demonstration and actual hands-on training you will be introduced to a variety of applications that use interactive text, illustrations, painting, animation, voice recording, stories, songs and speech/language based activities that may be helpful in developing communication abilities of children and adults on the Autism spectrum. Practitioners can use these devices to help people with cognitive-behavioral needs through applications that target social skills and executive functioning like planning, organization, attention and memory.  We will also benefit from meeting and hearing from people of all ages who are navigating through life on the spectrum. Their stories will inspire, educate and bring us closer as a group as we take action to improve the lives of individuals with autism. This conference is for everyone who loves and works with children and adults with autism every day. Join us as we continue our work for Montana families living with autism. When: July 27 & 28, 2011 8:00am - 5:00pm (both days) Where: MSUB Main Campus - Library Room 148 Billings, MT Register: Call 406-896-5890 to register for this event; visit http://www.msubillings.edu/autism/ for more information.

Click here to download the full flyer (PDF) What: Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Back to School When: Friday, August 19, 2011 6:00 – 7:30pm Where: American Lutheran Church 5 Lewis Ave. Billings, MT To register, contact: Jami Machler jami.machler@pluk.org (406) 850-2938 Dinner and Childcare Provided if Pre-Registered

Click here to pre-submit a question and to join on the day of the webinar What: Mean, cruel and/or bullying behavior is a problem in many schools in the United States -- in urban, suburban, and rural areas. And, it can also take place outside of school. Unfortunately, children who have learning disabilities (LD) are especially vulnerable to it. In support of National Bullying Prevention Month this October, guest expert, Jonathan Cohen, Co-Founder and President of The National School Climate Center (NSCC), will discuss: Signs that your child may be bullied (or may be bullying others) Steps parents can take if they suspect their child is being targeted How parents can work with the school to address the problem How to help a child cope with verbal, physical, or emotional insults Learn more about Jonathan Cohen When: Thursday, October 6, 2011 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. Mountain

What: MBI is currently taking applications for additional schools interested in becoming MBI sites for the 2011-2012 school year. Each site must identify a team that is representative of the staff at their site (including an administrator). Site MBI Teams may apply to attend four days of MBI Team Training during the school year. These trainings will be held in the five CSPD regions in order to make them accessible for all those interested. Click here to view and download the full application

What: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are disability income benefits administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that also provide Medicaid and/or Medicare health insurance to individuals who are eligible. The application process for SSI/SSDI is complicated and difficult to navigate. Nationally, about 37 percent of individuals who apply for these benefits are approved on initial application and appeals take an average of two years to complete. For people who are homeless or who are returning to the community from institutions (jails, prisons or hospitals), access to these programs can be extremely challenging. Approval on initial application for people who are homeless and who have no one to assist them is about 10-15 percent. For those who have a mental illness, substance use issues, or co-occurring disorders that impair cognition, the application process is even more difficult – yet accessing these benefits is often a critical first step in recovery. SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) is an approach that helps states increase access to mainstream benefits for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness through: Strategic Planning Meeting(s) to establish collaboration among key state and/or local stakeholders and to develop an action plan for implementing the SOAR approach (e.g. SSA and Disability Determination Services (DDS); State Mental Health Agency and Department of Corrections leadership; and community homeless, health and behavioral health providers). Training of case managers using SAMHSA's Stepping Stones to Recovery curriculum that includes a step-by-step explanation of an improved SSI/SSDI application process. A Train-the-Trainer program allows for expansion and sustainability. Technical Assistance to states and communities including support for action plan implementation, training observations with feedback, and assistance with tracking outcomes in order to document success and help access additional resources.  (SOAR Technical Assistance Center. http://www.prainc.com/SOAR). When/Where: Great Falls SOAR Refresher Course September 23, 2011 & October 28, 2011  9AM – 2PM Largent Building - 915 First Avenue South Great Falls, MT (406) 761-2104 Billings SOAR Training Registration: September 28 & 29 | 8:00 – 5:00 Garfield School – Room 103 3212 1st Avenue South Billings, MT 59102 Great Falls SOAR Training Registration October 13-14, 2011 Largent Building - 915 First Avenue South Great Falls, MT (406) 761-2104 Helena SOAR Training Registration November 1-2, 2011 Disability Determination Services 2550 Prospect Avenue Helena, MT 59601