Tri-State Webinar: Let’s Talk About Autism and Mental Health (Part 1 of 2)

Webinar Description:

In recent years, our society has become more informed on understanding mental health conditions, identifying the issues that associate with them, and learning how we can provide support to those who need help. However, the intersection of neurodiversity and mental health contains some unique differences. Our world is not as "fluent" in how to identify when people on the autism spectrum are experiencing a mental health crisis; nor are we able to clearly identify how to provide support that is effective while at the same time being "neurodiverse-friendly".  Research has indicated that autistic adults may have a higher risk of suicide than the rest of the population*, making it a crucial conversation topic we need to keep enforcing.

In Part 1, we will address a few red flags to watch for (that especially apply for neurodiverse individuals), and we will address a few possible barriers that can prevent those who are affected with mental health conditions from getting the help they need to improve their quality of life.

In the next part of the series, Part 2, Lindsey will continue the conversation with a few ideas on how we can help those of the spectrum with coexisting conditions and few ideas for those of us who are autistic on how we can take better care of ourselves.

Learner Objectives:

• Identify possible barriers (at home, at school, in the community) that can make it especially difficult for people on the autism spectrum with coexisting mental health conditions,
• Identify possible red flags that indicate when a person on the autism spectrum is experiencing a mental health crisis
• Determine effective approaches for those involved in the person’s everyday life (family members, educators, coworkers, etc.) and
• Determine effective approaches for the person to apply to their own self-care.

Presenter Information:

Lindsey Nebeker is a Development Specialist at the Autism Society of America and remains actively involved in music, photography, and as a freelance presenter. She was born in Tokyo, Japan, and received her autism diagnosis at age Two. She holds a B.A. in Music Technology from the College of Santa Fe (2004) and she is a Partners in Policymaking graduate (2011). As a sibling to an autistic adult with higher support needs, she is strongly focused on the message of presuming competence for all people regardless of their labels. Lindsey has appeared in Glamour, Good Morning America, NPR, and the Emmy-nominated documentary Autism in Love.

Certificate of Completion:

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1. View the archived webinar on our Moodle site
2. Submit responses to the Study Questions (on Moodle)
3. A Certificate of Completion will automatically be populated. Download and/or print.

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To log into Moodle go to http://moodle.tasnatbs.org. 

The webinars are listed by category and alphabetical order. The category for this webinar is Mental Health.