Events

Autism Society events

AMC Theaters and the Autism Society host monthly Sensory-Friendly Films at the AMC Columbia Mall 14, the AMC White Marsh 16, the AMC Rio Cinemas 18 and the AMC MJ Capital Center 12. The auditoriums will have their lights brought up and the sound turned down, families will be able to bring in their own gluten-free, casein-free snacks, and no previews or advertisements will be shown before the movie. Additionally, audience members are welcome to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing - in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden” policy will not be enforced unless the safety of the audience is in question.

Recurring events

Special Olympics Maryland, Anne Arundel County offers sports at the following times and locations: 

Practice is canceled if schools are closed. For more information, e-mail Gregg Meade or call 410-923-0383, or visit the web site for more information.

Special Olympics Young Athletes Program is currently offered for children with special needs, ages 3 – 6. Practice dates are alternate Wednesdays in 2010: February 10, 24, March 10, 24, April 7, 21, and May 5, 19 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Ruth Eason. Parent participation is mandatory. This program provides motor skills activities that encourage young children to participate in group athletic exercises. A variety of materials and equipment, music, and movement are used to introduce young special needs children to group motor games.  It is also a great socialization time for the children and parents!  The young athletes wear comfortable clothing and sneakers.  There are no fees for the program. E-mail Janis Jank for more information. 

 

On the second Sunday of every month at 4:00 p.m., Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Severna Park will offer Rejoicing Spirits, an interdenominational worship and fellowship ministry for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The inclusive, accepting and meaningful worship service will be adapted to capture the attention of individuals with special needs, along with their families, friends and other supportive community members.

March

On Wednesday, March 3, from 5:30 – 9:00 p.m. (rescheduled from Feb 9), the Ft. Meade Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) will host a presentation entitled "Getting the most out of Tricare and autism safety". It will be led by Scott Campbell and held at the Ft. Meade Community Readiness Center, Army Community Service building, 830 Chilsholm Avenue, Ft. Meade. The presentation will include information about increased monthly dollar limits for ABA therapy under the ECHO program, as well as safety precautions for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. For further information or to RSVP, please contact Caraline Someck at (301) 677-4122 or caraline.someck@conus.army.mil.

On Thursday, March 4, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., the Schafer Center will host a free presentation entitled “Play techniques for children with autism ages 2 - 5”. It will be led by Tina Morrissey, M.S., CCC-SLP and held at the Center, located at 132 Business Center Drive, Reisterstown. The presentation will focus on types of play as well as techniques to promote development of pivotal skills such as expressive and receptive language, joint attention, joint reference, and symbolic play. For further information or to reserve a seat, please call (410) 517-1113.

On Monday, March 8 at 7:00 p.m., Individual Difference in Learning will host a presentation entitled “Navigating the social world with your twice-exceptional student”. It will be led by Maria Dixon, CCC-SLP, and held at LLMC in Clarksville. For further information or to RSVP, contact info@gifteddifferentlearners.org or go to http://www.gifteddifferentlearners.org/calendar.htm.

On Tuesday, March 9, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., the Parents Place of Maryland will host a free teleconference entitled “ADHD in school and beyond”. For further information or to register, please email Rochelle Howell or call her at (410) 768-9100 x109.

On Tuesday, March 9 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., Confident Student and Pathfinders for Autism will host a presentation entitled “Camps: Therapeutic residential and summer options”. It will be led by Dr. David Gold of Crossroads Psychological Associates and held at the Pathfinders for Autism Resource Center, 303 International Circle, Suite 110, Hunt Valley. For further information or to register, please call (443) 330-5370.

On Wednesday, March 10 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., the Least Restrictive Environment Access Group (LREA) of Montgomery County will host a presentation about state assessments as part of their best practices in inclusive education workshop series. The presentation will be held at The Arc of Montgomery County, 11600 Nebel Street, Rockville. For further information or to register, email Judy Terle or Joann Sykes or call (410) 859-5400.

On Thursday, March 11, Maryland Department of Disabilities and Harford Community College present, “Goal Setting for Job Retention & Advancement,” the next installment in the Essential Workplace Skills Webinar Series. The series requires a computer and Internet access and is accessible for screen readers; CART also will be provided.  There is no cost to participate.  Employers, service providers and support staff may register and participate as space allows. The series will be archived and available at www.mdeid.com after March 15, 2010. Click here to register. For more information, call the Maryland Department of Disabilities at 410-767-3660.

On Thursday March 11 at 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., a free Special Needs Trust Workshop will be held at Timpano Restaurant, 12021 Rockville Pike, Rockville. For further information or to register, please email Ron Landsman or call him at (240) 403-4300 ext. 106.

On Thursday, March 11, from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. Pathfinders for Autism and Confident Student will present “Parental advocacy” led by Erin Leatherwood of the Mental Health Association of Maryland, part of their monthly ASD Brown Bag Series. Click here for details.

On Thursday, March 11 at 7:00 p.m., the Ivymount School Model Asperger Program will host a free presentation entitled “Asperger Syndrome and Me”. It will be led by John Elder Robison, Author of “Look me in the eye: My life with Asperger’s” and held at the Ivymount School, 11614 Seven Locks Road, Rockville. For further information or to register, go to http://www.ivymount.org/forms.cfm?myForm=10 or call (301) 469-0223.

From Friday, March 12 to Sunday, May 9, the Infancy and Early Childhood Training Course (the basic course on the DIR/Floortime model) will be available on-line. In addition, three workshops about individuals with autism spectrum disorders will be available. Click here for further information or to register.

On Saturday, March 13 from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., the Parents Place of Maryland, Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health, and Queen Anne’s County SECAC will host the third annual “Around the World of Special Education – in One Day”. It will be held at Centreville United Methodist Church and will include a variety of workshops. For further information or to register, please contact Bonnie Larrimore by email or at (410) 928-2079, or Lisa Sheehan by email or at (443) 480-2966.

On Saturday, March 13, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks will hold its inaugural Summer Camp and Program Fair at Severna Park High School. Representatives will showcase summer camps and programs located throughout the Anne Arundel County area, including Summer Fun Centers, day camps, adaptive camps, specialty camps, dance and adult programs. Families can register for summer programs at the fair.

On Tuesday, March 16, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., the Parents Place of Maryland will host a free teleconference entitled “Putting the positive in your child’s IEP: Functional behavioral assessments and positive behavioral interventions and supports”. For further information or to register, please email Rochelle Howell or call (410) 768-9100 x 109.

On Tuesday March 16, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Department of Housing and Community Development, 100 Community Place, Crownsville, the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) is hosting a public meeting pertaining to their work plan including Resource Coordination, Medicaid Waivers and regulations. They will share information, gather public input, and solicit volunteers for workgroups related to these topics. Individuals with a developmental disability, family members/caregivers, advocates, providers, and other interested stakeholders are encouraged to attend. For further information or to reserve a seat, please call (410) 234-8203.

On Wednesday March 17, from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Bowie Library, 15210 Annapolis Road, Bowie, the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) is hosting a public meeting pertaining to their work plan including Resource Coordination, Medicaid Waivers and regulations. They will share information, gather public input, and solicit volunteers for workgroups related to these topics. Individuals with a developmental disability, family members/caregivers, advocates, providers, and other interested stakeholders are encouraged to attend. For further information or to reserve a seat, please call (301) 362-5100.

On Wednesday, March 17 from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m., Easter Seals, in collaboration with Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE), will host a conference call entitled “Family Support Navigation”, designed for families of children with developmental disabilities and self advocates to learn more about family support options and how to advocate for service improvements. For further information or to register, go to http://www.directeventreg.com/registration/event/56487745 or call (888) 869-1189 or (706) 643-5902.

On Wednesday, March 17, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., the Ft. Meade EFMP will host a special needs briefing led by Sandi Johnson with the TRICARE regional office. The presentation will be held at the Ft. Meade Community Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Avenue, and will include information about TRICARE, the ECHO program, the DOD Autism Demo, and other important topics. For further information or to register, email Caraline Someck or call (301) 677-4122.

On Wednesday March 17, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the DDA Central Maryland Regional Office, 1401 Severn Street, Baltimore, the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) is hosting a public meeting pertaining to their work plan including Resource Coordination, Medicaid Waivers and regulations. They will share information, gather public input, and solicit volunteers for workgroups related to these topics. Individuals with a developmental disability, family members/caregivers, advocates, providers, and other interested stakeholders are encouraged to attend. For further information or to reserve a seat, please call (410) 234-8203.

On Thursday, March 18, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. the Arc of Baltimore will host "Guy Talk", their monthly support group for dads of children with developmental disabilities. It is held at the Arc's office, 7215 York Road, Baltimore. For further information or to RSVP, e-mail Dorothea Nikas or call (410) 296-2272 ext. 5349.

On Saturday, March 20 at 10:00 a.m., AMC Entertainment and the Autism Society will host a sensory-friendly screening of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” at four local theaters. See details and locations here.

On Saturday, March 20, from noon-3:00 p.m., the Chesapeake Down Syndrome Parent Group (CDSPG) will present, “Becoming an Advocate at the School, County, State, and/or Federal Levels,” part of their parent education and advocacy workshop series, “From Surviving to Thriving.” Cost of the workshop is $10 and includes lunch. The workshop will be held at the Towson Unitarian Universalist Church, 1710 Dulaney Valley Road, Lutherville. For the registration form, click here. For more information, e-mail Claire Holmes, or call 410-372-0618.

On Wednesday, March 24, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., The Arc of the Central Chesapeake Region, the Division of Special Education of Anne Arundel County Public Schools, and Partners for Success of Anne Arundel County Public Schools will host “What is the future of DDA services? Employment First initiative,” the next workshop in the 2009-2010 Life Transition Series. For further information or to register for any session, contact Michele Dilegge at (410) 222-5481; Katy Schieman at (410) 222-3805, or Jessica Dicus at (410) 268-8085. Download all workshop dates, descriptions, and locations here.

On Thursday, March 25 at 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., a free Special Needs Trust Workshop will be held at Timpano Restaurant, 12021 Rockville Pike, Rockville. For further information or to register, please email Ron Landsman or call (240) 403-4300 ext. 106.

On Saturday, March 27, Recreation Deeds for Special Needs is hosting the Rec Deeds Challenge Run 5K and fun walk at Fort Smallwood Park, 9500 Fort Smallwood Road, Pasadena. Registration begins at 7:15 a.m. and the event starts at 8:30 a.m. Recreation Deeds for Special Needs is a non-profit friends and family organization which provides camp scholarships, adaptive equipment, training, and volunteer support to people with disabilities. For further information or to obtain registration materials, please go to http://www.aacounty.org/recparks or call Wendy Scarborough at (410) 222-7313.

On Tuesday, March 30, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. the Calvert County Office on Aging is hosting a free presentation entitled “Future planning for health care” as part of their workshop series “Caring for your disabled child as you both age”. It will be held at the Calvert Pines Senior Center and led by Ruthie Birch, Developmental Disabilities Specialist. For further information or to register, please call (410) 535-4606.

April

From April - June, the Special Needs Advocacy, in partnership with Montgomery College Workforce Development and Continuing Education, will present a 4-session course entitled “Special needs advocacy training institute: Everything an advocate needs to know”. The course is based on Rich Weinfeld and Michelle Davis's Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book, and will be held at Montgomery College Silver Spring/Takoma Park Campus, 7977 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring. For further information or to obtain registration materials, contact specialneedsadvocacy@msn.com.

On Thursday, April 1 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., the 8th annual Project Access conference “Transitioning students with disabilities: Success on the postsecondary level and beyond” will be held at Howard Community College in Columbia. The conference will include a wide variety of presentations. For further information or to obtain registration materials, please contact Dr. Lind Schnapp at (410) 772-4625.

On Thursday, April 1, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., The Shafer Center for Early Intervention will host a free presentation entitled “Applied Behavior Analysis and Verbal Behavior (ABA/VB), Hanen (More Than Words Program), Relationship Development Intervention (RDI), and Pivotal Response Training (PRT)” as part of their Parenting Power Series for parents of children on the autism spectrum. The presentation will be held at The Shafer Center, 132 Business Center Drive, Reisterstown and led by Christine Accardo, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Tina Morrissey, M.S., CCC-SLP, Heather Partanen, RDI Consultant in Training. The presentation will include an overview of the basics of these treatment approaches. For further information or to reserve a seat, please call The Shafer Center at (410) 517-1113.

On Tuesday, April 6, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., the Parents Place of Maryland will host a free teleconference entitled “How well is your IEP written?: Writing successful IEPs”. For further information or to register, please email Rochelle Howell or call (410) 768-9100 x 109.

On Tuesday, April 6, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. the Calvert County Office on Aging is hosting a free presentation entitled “Special needs trust: How to ensure the care of your disabled child” as part of their workshop series “Caring for your disabled child as you both age”. It will be held at the Calvert Pines Senior Center and led by Rosemary Keffler, Esq. For further information or to register, please call (410) 535-4606.

From Thursday April 8 to Sunday April 11, the Autism Research Institute will hold the “ARI/Defeat Autism Now!” spring conference at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, 700 Aliceanna Street, Baltimore. The conference will include multiple presentations about the Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) approach to treating autism. For further information or to obtain registration materials, go to http://www.DefeatAutismNow.com or call (877) 644-1184.

From Thursday April 8 to Saturday April 10, an Autism Training Institute conference of interactive and intense training for parents, educators, medical practitioners, and direct support professionals will be held at Montgomery College, Shady Grove Campus, 51 Mannakee Street, Rockville. For further information or to register, contact Megan Farrelly by email or phone (301) 330-8532 or contact Karla Nabors by email or call (240) 567-1660.

On Saturday April 10 at 10:00 a.m., AMC Entertainment and the Autism Society will host a sensory-friendly screening of “How to train your dragon” at four local theaters. See details and locations here.

On Saturday, April 10, from noon-3:00 p.m., the Chesapeake Down Syndrome Parent Group (CDSPG) will present, “Making the IEP Process Work for Your Child,” part of their parent education and advocacy workshop series, “From Surviving to Thriving.” Cost of the workshop is $10 and includes lunch. The workshop will be held at the Towson Unitarian Universalist Church, 1710 Dulaney Valley Road, Lutherville. Click here for the registration form. For more information, e-mail Claire Holmes, or call 410-372-0618.

On Tuesday, April 13, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., the Parents Place of Maryland will host a free teleconference entitled “Working it out: conflict resolution in special education”. For further information or to register, please email Rochelle Howell or call (410) 768-9100 x 109.

On Tuesday, April 13, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. the Calvert County Office on Aging is hosting a free presentation entitled “Keys to obtaining the best health care possible” as part of their workshop series “Caring for your disabled child as you both age”. It will be held at the Calvert Pines Senior Center and led by Tonya Jackson, Social Services Coordinator. For further information or to register, please call (410) 535-4606.

On Wednesday, April 14, from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE) will host a presentation entitled “You’re going to love this kid: Educating students with autism in inclusive schools”. It will be led by Paula Kluth, Ph.D. and held at the Chase Suite Hotel, 1380 Piccard Drive, Rockville. For further information or to obtain registration materials, contact MCIE at (410) 859-5400 or go to http://www.mcie.org.

On Wednesday, April 14 at 7:00 p.m., the Ivymount School Model Asperger Program will host a free presentation entitled “Sex education and sexuality in young adults with Asperger Syndrome”. It will be led by Peter Gerhardt and held at the Ivymount School, 11614 Seven Locks Road, Rockville. For further information or to register, go to http://www.ivymount.org/forms.cfm?myForm=10 or call (301) 469-0223.

On Thursday, April 15, from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. Pathfinders for Autism and Confident Student will present “Asperger’s in adults, couples and families” led by Dr. Alex Szollos, part of their monthly ASD Brown Bag Series. Click here for details.

On Saturday, April 17 the 2nd annual “Fear the turtle, find a cure Autism SpeaksU 5K race/3K walk” will be held at the University of Maryland – College Park. For further information or to register, please visit http://events.autismspeaks.org.

On Tuesday, April 20, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., the Parents Place of Maryland will host a free teleconference entitled “Bullying and harassment: more than sticks and stones”. For further information or to register, please email Rochelle Howell or call (410) 768-9100 x 109.

On Tuesday, April 20, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. the Calvert County Office on Aging is hosting a free presentation entitled “Body mechanics at home” as part of their workshop series “Caring for your disabled child as you both age”. It will be held at the Calvert Pines Senior Center and led by Dolly Evans of Chesapeake Potomac Health. For further information or to register, please call (410) 535-4606.

On Wednesday, April 21, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., The Arc of the Central Chesapeake Region, the Division of Special Education of Anne Arundel County Public Schools, and Partners for Success of Anne Arundel County Public Schools will host “Are their any employment options? Employment initiatives,” the last workshop in the 2009-2010 Life Transition Series. For further information or to register for any session, contact Michele Dilegge at (410) 222-5481; Katy Schieman at (410) 222-3805, or Jessica Dicus at (410) 268-8085. Download all workshop dates, descriptions, and locations here.

On Thursday, April 22 from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, a Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy conference will be held at the Comfort Inn Conference Center, 4500 Crain Highway, Bowie. For further information, please email Suzie Shannon or call her at the Parents Place of Maryland at (410) 768-9100.

On Thursday, April 22, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. the Arc of Baltimore will host "Guy Talk", their monthly support group for dads of children with developmental disabilities. It is held at the Arc's office, 7215 York Road, Baltimore. For further information or to RSVP, e-mail Dorothea Nikas or call (410) 296-2272 ext. 5349.

On Saturday, April 24, the Autism Society of Baltimore-Chesapeake and Baltimore County Public School’s Office of Special Education will host the first Annual Honestly Autism Day “Looking at life from a different angle” at New Town High School in Owings Mills. The keynote speakers will be Carol Stock Kranowitz, an expert on sensory integration dysfunction, and William Stixrud, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist. Also scheduled to speak are Dr. Christine Accardo, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst; Dr. Janelle Love, a Board Certified Family Physician; Amber Eisenmann; Chase Johnson; and a panel of teenagers on the spectrum. There will be a variety of sessions with experts covering everything across the spectrum. See flyer here. For further information, please go to http://www.bcc-asa.org, email Debbie Page or call (410) 655-7933.

On Saturday, April 24 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., the Charles County Parent Center is hosting a presentation entitled “Demystifying Autism: An Inside-Out Perspective”. It will be led by William Stillman and held at North Point High School, 2500 Davis Road, Waldorf. For further information or to register, please email the Charles County Parent Center or call (301) 934-7456.

On Saturday, April 24, from 1:30 - 4:00 p.m., the Arc of the Central Chesapeake region holds their 7th Annual Bowl-A-thon at Annapolis Bowl on Generals Highway in Annapolis. Funds will go to The Arc’s services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. For complete flyer and registration form, click here. To join in, mail-in the Registration Form, email Jodie Sponaugle or call her at 410-990-1908.

On Tuesday, April 27, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. the Calvert County Office on Aging is hosting a free presentation entitled “Helpful relaxation techniques” as part of their workshop series “Caring for your disabled child as you both age”. It will be held at the Calvert Pines Senior Center and led by Melinda Gaines of the Calvert Memorial Hospital’s Keep Well Center. For further information or to register, please call (410) 535-4606.

May

On Tuesday, May 4, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., the Parents Place of Maryland will host a free teleconference entitled “Early childhood: Coping with difficult behaviors”. For further information or to register, please email Rochelle Howell or call (410) 768-9100 x 109.

On Thursday, May 6, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., The Shafer Center for Early Intervention will host a free presentation entitled “Financial Planning” as part of their Parenting Power Series for parents of children on the autism spectrum. The presentation will be held at The Shafer Center, 132 Business Center Drive, Reisterstown and led by PJ Shafer, Esq., financial planner and attorney. For further information or to reserve a seat, please call The Shafer Center at (410) 517-1113.

On Saturday, May 15, from noon-3:00 p.m., the Chesapeake Down Syndrome Parent Group (CDSPG) will present, “Inclusive Education: Barriers and Best Practices,” part of their parent education and advocacy workshop series, “From Surviving to Thriving.” Cost of the workshop is $10 and includes lunch. The workshop will be held at the Towson Unitarian Universalist Church, 1710 Dulaney Valley Road, Lutherville. Click here for the registration form. For more information, e-mail Claire Holmes, or call 410-372-0618.

On Thursday, May 20, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. the Arc of Baltimore will host "Guy Talk", their monthly support group for dads of children with developmental disabilities. It is held at the Arc's office, 7215 York Road, Baltimore. For further information or to RSVP, e-mail Dorothea Nikas or call (410) 296-2272 ext. 5349.

On Friday, May 21, the Arc of Maryland is holding their “Breaking down barriers” state convention at the Crowne Plaza Baltimore, 2004 Greenspring Drive, Timonium. The event will include a variety of presentations. For further information or to obtain registration materials, call (888) 272-3449 or go to http://www.thearcmd.org.