38th Annual Conference Offers High Quality Information and Resources
October 23, 2020
On October 15 and 16, Autism New Jersey opened its online conference community to attendees of the 38th Annual Conference. Though very different from our previous 37, the Power of Connection was still on full display — just virtually. In addition to more than 50 high-quality workshops, the platform offered community boards, Q&A sessions, and the opportunity to connect with experts via a live chat feature and virtual exhibit hall.
Autism New Jersey Executive Director, Dr. Suzanne Buchanan welcomed more than 1,000 attendees from across the nation – as far as California and Canada – by reiterating the agency’s commitment to inform, connect, and advocate for the autism community. Dr. Buchanan underscored the untold toll that the pandemic has had and continues to have on our families – regression, loss of critical services, and behavioral difficulties. The Annual Conference gave us the platform to address each of these concerns and much more.
Conference Highlights
The live streamed Keynote address, Fostering Relationships with Family Members: Compassionate Care in Autism Treatment, presented by renowned expert, Bridget Taylor, Psy.D.,BCBA-D, addressed the important need for empathic, collaborative relationships between families and caregivers – a topic need more now than ever.
“This was such a great presentation! The strategies shared were clear and relevant. I thought this was very relevant and applicable to virtual meetings that have become more prevalent with COVID.”
“The presenter truly made me think about how important it is to make a strong connection with the families I work with and to make sure they know that I understand their situations and concerns regarding their children. A true eye opener!”
The Power of Connection
Our community board allows you to participate in a conversation or create a topic of your own.
Featured live Q&A Sessions offered attendees an open forum to discuss important topics such as race and ethnicity, severe challenging behavior, social skills, and Medicaid and Insurance and were led by experts in their respective fields.
Our virtual platform provided an avenue to network and connect. Dozens of discussion topics were introduced, linking presenters, exhibitors, self-advocates, and families to specific topics and opportunities. Topics ranging from job openings for professionals, to support groups for families
“I really enjoyed hearing info on this topic from the parent perspective. Thank you to the presenters for being willing to share their experiences about such a sensitive topic.”
On-Demand Access
Attendees had the opportunity to continue to browse the library of recorded workshops, remain engaged on the community boards, participate in our contest, and visit exhibit booths with on-demand access through January 14, 2021.
Registration remains open for those wishing to gain access to our top-notch conference, earn CEs and explore the virtual platform to connect with others.
“I continue to enjoy presentations from the conference. Having them available on-demand has allowed me to participate in workshops that I would probably never attend in person. This in turn has peaked my interest in some new areas.”
We want to thank everyone who attended, our presenters, exhibitors, and sponsors for working with us as we navigated the new world of hosting a virtual conference. The support undoubtedly added to the success of this event.