Connecting Communities: Reflecting on the 42nd Annual Conference

November 18, 2024

The Autism New Jersey 42nd Annual Conference was an outstanding event, bringing together professionals, caregivers, advocates, and individuals with autism.

As is our tradition, we like to take this opportunity to reflect on the insights and experiences shared throughout the conference.

On October 24 & 25, 2024, Autism New Jersey hosted nearly 1,500 attendees in Atlantic City. Dr. Suzanne Buchanan, Executive Director of Autism New Jersey, started off the conference with a welcome message that emphasized the need for access to support, treatment, and opportunities to help individuals with autism live safe, healthy, and fulfilled lives. She also highlighted some of the strides that Autism New Jersey has made over the past year both in the service pillar areas of information, clinical expertise, public policy, and awareness as well as with the various initiatives related to law enforcement, healthcare, and family wellness.

“You are the ones who are making this happen,” said Dr. Buchanan. “You are the ones who are showing up, learning new ideas, navigating what many rightfully call extreme parenting, conducting research, innovating service delivery, making communities more autism friendly, and changing the lives of individuals with autism.”

Connecting with service providers

As a longtime attendee, this conference has helped me understand various resources available for my autistic son and provide insights on how to collaborate with service providers, CST members and what proactive steps I can take in financial planning.

Professional collaboration

I am both a parent of an autistic individual and practitioner. I’m not in NJ – and I enjoy going to your conference because of the interprofessional collaboration that the conference embodies, as well as the increased focus on compassionate care.

Building relationships with law enforcement

The topic of “Law Enforcement Connections” was great and I’ve talked to numerous parents on the subject and how important it is to make that connection with the local law enforcement agencies and individuals with IDD.

Learning from experts

Great to see so many sessions geared towards adults. I loved the evolution of ABA sessions with giants in the field like Dr. Bridget Taylor! Also enjoyed learning about trauma and ACT and how medical issues are being recognized for underlying disruptive behaviors. Great job!

Valuable insights

The conversation on autism in the African American community was awesome and I would love to attend more workshops around this discussion.

Valuable Information

The conference presents a substantial amount of valuable information that can benefit all attendees. The vendors showcase a variety of high-quality resources, ranging from educational materials to innovative tools designed to support families and professionals alike.

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Thursday’s program began with a keynote on technology in autism. It was standing room only as Dr. Matthew Goodwin gave an insightful talk with clinical implications for implementing cutting edge technological solutions for individuals with autism. He provided a helpful overview of interactive technologies that have been developed for individuals with autism and then reviewed his findings related to the ways in which wearable biosensors and machine learning can be used to predict imminent aggressive behavior. Later, Dr. Goodwin had a follow-up lunch and network session where attendees had an opportunity to continue the conversation about technology and autism.

Friday’s keynote focused on the roles that we all have in fostering safe and positive interactions between the law enforcement and autism communities. First Assistant Attorney General Lyndsay Ruotolo gave moving opening remarks that emphasized both the importance of the work being done as well as the significance of the selection of Doreen Yanik as Autism New Jersey’s Law Enforcement Initiative Director. Following Ms. Ruotolo’s remarks, the panel of Ms. Yanik, Ray Royster, and Dr. Ruth DeBar discussed autism-friendly practices for law enforcement, highlighted the importance of cultural differences when trying to understand interactions between the autism and law enforcement communities, and shared what clinicians can do to best prepare autistic individuals for interactions with law enforcement.

All told, the event featured more than 50 workshops on topics including trauma-informed care, adult services, medical care, school supports, ethics, communication skills, and family support. Over the two days, professionals, caregivers, and autistic individuals were provided with valuable information and took advantage of continuing education opportunities for the BACB, NASW, APA, and ASHA using our new conference platform, BehaviorLive.

The conference was also pleased to host more than 100 exhibitors showcasing clinical services, state agencies, higher education programs, electronic data collection systems, and legal and financial resources to enhance the quality of life for individuals with autism. There was a buzz in the air as attendees frequently filled the hall and interacted with exhibitors and fellow attendees.

Autism New Jersey welcomed nearly 1,500 attendees to Atlantic City for its 42nd Annual Conference in Atlantic City.
We welcomed an insightful keynote on Thursday about the potential of wearable technology for individuals with autism.
Friday’s keynote panel addressed the role that everyone has in promoting safe and positive interactions between people with autism and law enforcement with opening remarks from First Assistant Attorney General Lyndsay Ruotolo.
The event featured more than 50 workshops presented by leaders in the field.
The event featured more than 50 workshops presented by leaders in the field.
Autism New Jersey’s Helpline and Ambassador staff were available to answer questions and offer resources to families and professionals.
Autism New Jersey’s Helpline and Ambassador staff were available to answer questions and offer resources to families and professionals.
Attendees chose from more than 50 high-quality, evidence-based workshops presented by leaders in the field, experts, self-advocates, and state agency representatives.
Our impressive roster of exhibitors showcased more than 100 autism programs, services, and resources, including representatives from state agencies.
Our impressive roster of exhibitors showcased more than 100 autism programs, services, and resources, including representatives from state agencies.
Attendees chose from more than 50 high-quality, evidence-based workshops presented by leaders in the field, experts, self-advocates, and state agency representatives.

CONTINUED ACCESS

Registered attendees can view and download workshop handouts (if presenters have made them available) by accessing specific workshops from the 2024 conference on BehaviorLive. There is no expiration date for access.

Visit Behavior Live

Join us next year on October 16 & 17, 2025 at Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center, Atlantic City.

THANK YOU

We appreciate and want to thank our presenters, exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees for their support and engagement at our 42nd annual conference. Together, we are building a stronger community of skilled and compassionate professionals dedicated to helping individuals with autism achieve their fullest potential.

We also want to take a moment to say “thank you” to every person (attendee, presenter, or exhibitor) who filled out a feedback survey. Rest assured, our team reviews every single response and whether it is a glowing review of the conference or critical feedback on something you think that can be improved, know that your voices matter to us. We received some great feedback this year, and we already have some ideas to level up the conference experience for next year.