Bucks County Autism Support Coalition Hosts Fourth Annual Autism Conference

More than 350 attendees are expected at Central Bucks High School South (1100 Folly Rd., Warrington) for the Bucks County Autism Support Coalition’s (BCASC) Fourth Annual Autism Conference on Saturday. The conference, which runs from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is designed to serve both the families of autistic individuals as well as educators and professionals.

“One of the great things about this conference, is there’s something for everyone,” says BCASC President Paul Rokuskie. “We are geared for parents, educators and medical professions, because our organization is made up of volunteers from all of those groups. Parents walk away with a great deal of information, and professionals get a chance to network and earn continuing education credits.”

After morning registration, during which attendees will receive a continental breakfast, the conference will kick-off with a keynote presentation, entitled “Positive Behavior Support: Current Issues and Future Directions.” Linda Bambara, PhD, and Lee Kern, PhD, both of whom are special education teachers at Lehigh University, will jointly deliver the presentation.

“This is a great topic that should speak to all in attendance,” says Conference Chairman Dustin Polis. “Regardless of whether you’re working in schools, are a professional working with the community, or are a parent, these are relevant issues. No matter where you go, there’s going to be levels of behavioral issues.”

The conference will then offer three different 1.5 hour breakout sessions, during which attendees can pick from over 30 different presentations on topics as diverse as social skills training, transition planning, and legal issues in special education.

“We are always conscious of the types of presentations we use and make sure we organize equal presentations aimed at professionals and parents,” says Polis. “Attendees can attend any session they like, but we let them know the target audience of each session ahead of time.”

Lunch will be provided, and dozens of vendors, including Northwestern Human Services and Expressions Day Camp, will be available in an exhibition area to offer products, services, and resources.

The conference offers continuing education credits for teachers and certified behavior analysts, and it also gives professionals a chance to network with various agencies.

“The field of autism continues to expand more rapidly probably than any disability classification out there,” says Polis, a professional educator. “As a professional, it’s wonderful to have a one-stop shop in one day of presentations that you can attend in terms of what’s out there in best practices. It also allows for networking with agencies looking to hire people as teachers, specialists, and those in the home as well.”

Meanwhile, parents can expect to garner valuable information, while also getting valuable face-to-face time with parents and professionals well versed in autistic care.

“It’s a great opportunity to network with people who’ve dealt with autism,” says Rokuskie, who himself is the father of an autistic child. “There’s a complex system out there people have to navigate too to get help for their child. The opportunity to meet with people who have years of experience and to talk to educators and other parents, the ability to have access to that level of knowledge – it’s really helpful.”

The cost to attend the conference is $50 for parents/students and $75 for educators. For more information on the BCASC or to register for the conference: www.bcasc.org or 267-885-4500.