Congratulations to Andrew Barling. He was randomly chosen as the winner of the drawing for the $500 gift basket, courtesy of specialneeds.com, for attending the webinar How to Improve Learning Skills: Reading, Writing, Spelling, & Math. For more information please contact us: editor@specialneeds.com

Andrew Barling won a $500 gift basket from specialneeds.com for attending a learning skills webinar.

Winner of $500 Holiday Gift Basket

 Congratulations to Andrew Barling. He was randomly chosen as the winner of the drawing for the $500 gift basket, courtesy of specialneeds.com, for attending the webinar How to Improve Learning Skills: Reading, Writing, Spelling, & Math.    For more information please contact us: editor@specialneeds.com 


Andrew Barling won a $500 gift basket from specialneeds.com for attending a learning skills webinar.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has launched autism-specific training for counselors to better serve autistic callers in crisis. Over 1,200 counselors have accessed the voluntary webinar training developed by the Autism and Suicide Prevention Workgroup, which addresses communication barriers that autistic people face when seeking crisis support. Autistic people are significantly more likely than neurotypical peers to experience suicidal thoughts and attempt suicide. Since its July 2022 launch, 988 has received roughly 25 million contacts nationwide. Emergency services are dispatched in fewer than 2% of calls. Why Autistic Callers Face Communication Barriers. Many autistic people require extra processing time to respond to questions, particularly during stressful situations. They often interpret language literally, which can lead to misunderstandings when counselors use metaphorical or indirect phrasing. Alexithymia, a trait common among autistic people, makes it exceptionally difficult to identify and describe emotions. When a counselor asks "How are you feeling right now?" an autistic caller with alexithymia may struggle to answer, not because they're unwilling, but because the question itself is hard to parse. Without autism-specific training, counselors may misinterpret these communication differences as disengagement or even assume the call is a prank. That miscommunication can trigger unnecessary police dispatch or hospitalization. What the Training Teaches Counselors. The training program was developed by Lisa Morgan and Dr. Brenna Maddox, who co-chair the Autism and Suicide Prevention Workgroup. Morgan is a trauma-informed consultant specializing in crisis supports for autistic people. Maddox is a clinical psychologist at UNC-Chapel Hill's TEACCH Autism Program. Between...

988 counselors now receive autism-specific training to address communication barriers autistic callers face during crisis.

Autistic People Face Higher Suicide Risk. 988 Is Training Counselors to Respond Differently.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has launched autism-specific training for counselors to better serve autistic callers in crisis. Over 1,200 counselors have accessed the voluntary webinar training developed by the Autism and Suicide Prevention Workgroup, which addresses communication barriers that autistic people face when seeking crisis support. Autistic people are significantly more likely than neurotypical peers to experience suicidal thoughts and attempt suicide. Since its July 2022 launch, 988 has received roughly 25 million contacts nationwide. Emergency services are dispatched in fewer than 2% of calls. Why Autistic Callers Face Communication Barriers. Many autistic people require extra processing time to respond to questions, particularly during stressful situations. They often interpret language literally, which can lead to misunderstandings when counselors use metaphorical or indirect phrasing. Alexithymia, a trait common among autistic people, makes it exceptionally difficult to identify and describe emotions. When a counselor asks "How are you feeling right now?" an autistic caller with alexithymia may struggle to answer, not because they're unwilling, but because the question itself is hard to parse. Without autism-specific training, counselors may misinterpret these communication differences as disengagement or even assume the call is a prank. That miscommunication can trigger unnecessary police dispatch or hospitalization. What the Training Teaches Counselors. The training program was developed by Lisa Morgan and Dr. Brenna Maddox, who co-chair the Autism and Suicide Prevention Workgroup. Morgan is a trauma-informed consultant specializing in crisis supports for autistic people. Maddox is a clinical psychologist at UNC-Chapel Hill's TEACCH Autism Program. Between...

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Special Needs
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Winner of $500 Holiday Gift Basket

Autistic People Face Higher Suicide Risk. 988 Is Training Counselors to Respond Differently.

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs Articles

Winner of $500 Holiday Gift Basket

Autistic People Face Higher Suicide Risk. 988 Is Training Counselors to Respond Differently.

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs
Articles