Autism New Jersey Welcomes New Director of Family Wellness

Autism New Jersey is pleased to announce that Amy Golden, M.S., BCBA has joined the agency as its first Director of Family Wellness. Amy is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Certified Health and Well-Being Coach who previously worked at Autism New Jersey and is returning to this newly created role.

Amy has more than 25 years of experience working with individuals with autism and other developmental and behavioral disorders in a variety of settings. She started her career by providing early intensive behavior intervention in homes, and then moved on to work in public schools, centers, private practice, and as the director of an intensive social skills program. Recently, she served on the Autism Advisory Panel for the New Jersey Department of Education.

“The knowledge that Amy brings upon her return to Autism New Jersey rounds out the expertise of our clinical team,” said Executive Director Dr. Suzanne Buchanan. “It’s rare to find a team member with the depth and variety of experience that Amy has. With her on board, we can once again offer clinically-informed services to support families in their everyday lives.”

Autism New Jersey will be strengthening its services to families by supporting caregivers as they navigate raising a child with autism. In an initiative funded by the Department of Health and Department of Children and Families, Amy will be focusing on emerging problem behavior. Implementing appropriate intervention strategies early can help improve child outcomes and positively impact the family. The family wellness programs will include both educating parents on best practices in interacting with their child as well as focusing on their own needs as a caregiver.

“As someone who has always worked closely with families, I am eager to focus on empowering caregivers to systematically and compassionately address some of the challenges in supporting their children,” said Director of Family Wellness Amy Golden. “Providing this support to caregivers is an essential component to ensuring safe and fulfilling lives for individuals with autism and their families.”