The monthly Autism Seminar & Discussion (ASD) series—sponsored by UC Santa Barbara’s Koegel Autism Center and the Santa Barbara Public Library—returns for the 2018-19 school year with the lecture “Raising Behaviorally Challenging Children.” Dr. Ty Vernon will lead the presentation. The event, which is free and open to the public, is on Tuesday, October 2 from 6:30 - 8 pm at the Faulkner Gallery at the Santa Barbara Public Library, 40 E. Anapamu St. This hour-long presentation, followed by a Q & A session, will focus on practical strategies to help families survive and thrive in the face of defiant, energetic, strong-willed, and/or aggressive children.
Whether a child has autism, ADHD, ODD, and/or is simply way more spirited than the average child, behavior challenges and inflexibility can make even simple family tasks like getting ready in the morning or enjoying a family meal excruciatingly difficult.
Drawing from both the latest science and his own parenting missteps, Dr. Vernon will lead a discussion spanning a range of effective (and ineffective) approaches to easing tensions and helping challenging children to thrive. He will discuss techniques drawn from Collaborative & Proactive Solutions, Positive Behavior Support, and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy approaches. He will also highlight the use (and misuse) of reinforcement, punishment, and medication.
Vernon is the Center Director of UCSB’s Koegel Autism Center, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, & School Psychology, and a licensed clinical psychologist. His research interests focus on the development of interventions for individuals of all ages with autism spectrum disorders.
The monthly Autism Seminar & Discussion series is made possible through collaboration between UCSB’s Koegel Autism Center and the Santa Barbara Library to bring highly engaging and informative content to the local community. It will take place the first Tuesday of each month.
The Koegel Autism Center is internationally recognized for its innovative autism research and clinical training. The center is part of the University of California, a not-for-profit state institution of higher learning. Led by Center Director Dr. Ty Vernon and Clinical Director Dr. Anna Krasno, the center focuses on the development and implementation of strength-based, motivational interventions and supports for individuals and families affected by autism spectrum disorders. Intervention models developed at the center include the Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) and the Social Tools And Rules for Teens (START) programs.
The center provides diagnostic assessments, intervention services, parent support, and clinical training opportunities through its funded research projects and clinics. It provides research and clinical training to doctoral students in clinical psychology and special education, many of whom have continued on to become highly influential members of the autism research community. The center was originally founded by Drs. Robert and Lynn Koegel, co-developers of the PRT autism intervention model.
The Center strives to develop and disseminate high-impact, strength-based autism interventions and services; build collaborative partnerships with local and global communities; be culturally sensitive and responsive; provide ongoing outreach and education to families and professionals; support the diverse needs of individuals with ASD across the lifespan; and serve as a model for excellence in autism research and training.