A Statewide Social Skills Series this Winter and Spring
The Autism Society of Nebraska is hosting six trainings across the state entitled – Training on the PEERS ® for Young Adults/Adults Social Skills Model. These trainings will be open to Counselors, Psychologists, Parents, Educators, Individuals on the Spectrum, Community Providers, Transition Specialists, anyone wishing to provide evidence-based social skills training.
The trainings will be offered in Scottsbluff, North Platte, Grand Island, Lincoln, Omaha and Norfolk between December 2019 to June 2020. Check for updates on this page.
Coordinators from the Nebraska Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Network will present information about a
highly acclaimed evidence-based social skills curriculum designed for adults on the autism spectrum, The
Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills, otherwise known as “PEERS®.”
PEERS® is a manualized, social skills training intervention for individuals with social challenges. It has a strong evidence base for use with adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder, but is also appropriate for adolescents, and adults with ADHD, anxiety, depression, and other socioemotional problems . The curriculum is heralded as a highly effective way of improving the quality of life and self-advocacy skills of adults on the autism spectrum since its inception in the early 2000s.
Additionally, ASN will partner with Autism Center of Nebraska and other Nebraska-based agencies to host an Autism Community Gathering and Resource Fair in conjunction with each of the trainings in the evening. It will be a casual community gathering open to anyone with a personal connection to autism, including parents, family members, friends, educators, employers, and people seeking to learn more about community supports for people on the autism spectrum in Nebraska.
The series is funded in part by the Nebraska Council on Developmental Disabilities. “We are grateful to the Nebraska Council on Developmental Disabilities for providing the funding on this series,” says Autism Society of Nebraska Board President, Megan Misegadis.
This series may look similar to other statewide event series that have taken place in the past, but the people producing the series urge Nebraskans to look closer to see the different value that this series will bring.
“While many great town halls and childhood-focused events centered on autism and other developmental disabilities take place regularly throughout Nebraska,” Misegadis says, “this series of events is different because of the focus on adults in the PEERS trainings along with the evening focus on community building and people making connections with valuable resource agencies.”
“We are thrilled to be working with the Autism Center of Nebraska and the NE ASD Network along with other Nebraska organizations to address the challenges that adults on the autism spectrum are facing,” says Misegadis.
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Autism Society of Nebraska is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that seeks to improve the lives of Nebraskans affected by autism. Questions may be directed to autismsociety@autismnebraska.org
