“I learned that no matter how stressed I am, I have the power to do something about it such as meditate for a few minutes or exercise on a regular basis. Being part of the group and having weekly sessions helps to motivate me.”
Family Wellness Parenting a child with autism presents unique challenges, and caregivers often feel isolated and can often forego taking care of their own mental and physical health. Autism New Jersey’s new family wellness programming offers caregivers a place where they can feel understood and receive practical expert advice. We are proud to offer free Health and Wellness Coaching Sessions which offer strategies to promote motivation and positive habit- formation as well as Wellness Connection Sessions, virtual support groups that focus on topics to enhance caregiver health and wellness.
Severe Challenging Behavior Roughly one-third of children with autism engage in self-injurious behavior, and about half engage in aggressive acts including biting, kicking and hitting. This is more severe than a typical toddler tantrum; individuals with autism and their family members are often at risk for serious injury. Parents often don’t know where to turn and have limited options for qualified therapy providers.
That’s where Autism New Jersey steps in. We provide the families’ government-contracted care managers with clinical insights and guide them to behavior analysts and other therapists who can help. Plus, we provide exhausted families with informal counseling and self-care guidance as they navigate this huge parenting challenge. New this fiscal year is the Severe Challenging Behavior Think Tank, which brought together key stakeholders to identify systemic barriers for individuals with severe challenging behavior. We’re creating a list of priorities and working with our government and policy partners to increase access to treatment.
1 in 3 CHILDREN WITH AUTISM ENGAGE IN SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR, AND WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORTS MOST CONTINUE THIS BEHAVIOR INTO ADULTHOOD 59 REFERRALS FROM GOVERNMENT- CONTRACTED AGENCIES FOR CHILDREN WITH EMERGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR 15 FAMILIES RECEIVING ONGOING IN-DEPTH SUPPORT 36 CHILDREN WITH SEVERE CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR WHOSE CARE MANAGERS ARE BENEFITING FROM OUR EXPERTISE
85 PARENTS ATTENDED NEW DIAGNOSIS WEBINARS AND WELLNESS CONNECTION SESSIONS 22 PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS COMPLETED A HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACHING GROUP SERIES
EMERGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR MANAGER JENNA GLENNON, MAT, BCBA, LBA, HAS MORE THAN 22 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE COACHING TEACHERS, PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS ON HOW TO REDUCE AND MANAGE SEVERE CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR.
6 TEENAGERS AND ADULTS ON OUR SIBLING PLANNING COMMITTEE
DIRECTOR OF FAMILY WELLNESS AMY GOLDEN, M.S., BCBA, LBA, NBC-HWC, IS A LICENSED BEHAVIOR ANALYST & NATIONALLY BOARD CERTIFIED HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACH WITH MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ACROSS HOME, SCHOOL, AND CENTER-BASED SETTINGS.
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