For this week’s blog, I have invited Cecelia Hollands, the Director of Clinical Programming for Barber Behavioral Health (BBH), to discuss the ways BBH is helping shape the future of care and resources available to children with autism and their families.
Cecelia is a licensed professional counselor who has worked in mental health in the Erie area for over ten years in various roles, including as a psychiatric rehabilitation specialist, mobile therapist, and outpatient therapist. In addition to her work at the Barber National Institute, Cecelia also serves on the Board of the White Pine Center for Healing.
I want to thank Cecelia for offering her perspectives and wealth of expertise on this topic.
Every April marks the celebration of World Autism Month, the “kickoff” of which occurs on April 2nd, World Autism Awareness Day. This recognition is important, as, despite the rising prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in children (due in part due improvement in screening tools and de-stigmatization of autism in minority groups), there still exist a great number of misconceptions around what is means to have autism. For example, people may assume that people who have an autism diagnosis are unable to form meaningful social relationships, that they lack empathy, or that their diagnosis was caused by poor parenting or is solely due to environmental factors. In fact, though some individuals with autism may experience difficulty with social interaction, they certainly can and do have close social relationships, but may simply express their affection and empathy differently. Furthermore, while the cause of autism has not yet been determined, what researchers are sure of is that the development of autism is not related to parenting style, and that there is a strong genetic component to its development. These myths can be both limiting and harmful to individuals with autism and their families. This year, the theme of World Autism Awareness Day was “Empowering Autistic Voices.” In keeping with this theme, Barber Behavioral Health (BBH) has strived to create opportunities to allow the strengths and abilities of those with autism (and their families) to shine.
In her April 3rd blog post, Dr. Maureen Barber-Carey discussed the importance of early identification of children on the autism spectrum, as the earlier a child is identified, the sooner intervention can begin. For this reason, BBH currently offers and is working to expand psychological testing for autism through the administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, or ADOS, one of the few standardized diagnostic tests for autism spectrum disorder. Our goal is to help children as well as their parents/caregivers to receive formal supports as soon as possible through early diagnosis and screening.
Additionally, every summer, BBH holds a six-week summer camp, called Camp Connections, for children and adolescents with autism, the focus of which is providing opportunities for social connection both within the camp setting and in the community. Campers learn about and practice interpersonal skills, managing emotions, and making good decisions. Each week, campers have an opportunity to practice these skills within a community setting via a field trip to places like the zoo, parks and playgrounds, and local dining establishments. Our camp season culminates in a camper talent show, where campers can showcase their talents to an audience of their friends and family. To be able to provide as much support to campers and their families as possible, Camp Connections also offers before and after care and is free of charge for Erie County residents.
One of the more recent additions to BBH’s service offerings is our Parent Autism Support Group. This group, which meets on the second Tuesday of each month at our main campus location, is for parents/caregivers of children with autism. This group allows parents to come together to provide resources, support, and hope to one another as they share both the challenges and the beauty of raising a child (or children) with autism. We are thrilled to be able to offer this type of support to parents/caregivers, who, in addition to facing the daily stressors of parenting, may find themselves having to navigate the complex and often confusing world of early intervention, behavior services, and supports coordination.
Barber Behavioral Health is committed to providing ongoing, meaningful opportunities for those with autism and their families. If you are a parent/caregiver raising a child with autism and you have questions about any of the services or supports mentioned here, please reach out to our Care Coordinator, Anne Trucilla, at 814-823-5366.
All About Autism 