Social and Mental Health Resources for Autism

A brief video that provides the rationale and introduction for the Infographic. Closed captioning coming soon.

• To connect the strategies of providing consistency, connecting with students, and being compassionate through responding to students’ unique and individual needs and preferences to building and supporting student resilience.

A visual representation of information intended to present information quickly and clearly. This infographic includes a definition, rationale, and easy-to-implement strategies for supporting student resilience.

Learning Objectives:

• To provide an easy-to-digest resource that includes synthesized, evidence-based information on key terms for educators.
• This infographic serves as an introduction to supporting students’ resilience, by synthesizing evidence-based information from various sources into an easily accessible resource for educators.

   View or download "3 Cs Infographics" in PDF Format

• Harlacher, J. E. & Whitcomb, S. A. (In press). Bolstering student resilience: Creating a classroom with consistency, connection, and compassion. Solution Tree.
• Wong, C., Odom, S. L., Hume, K. Cox, A. W., Fettig, A., Kucharczyk, S., Brock, M. E., Plavnik, J. B., Fleury, V. P., & Schultz, T. R. (2013). Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young ddults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, Autism Evidence-Based Practice Review Group.
• Tennessee Department of Education. (2015, July). Incorporating social and personal competencies into classroom instruction and educator effectiveness: A toolkit for Tennessee teachers and administrators. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/safety/safe_sch/safe_sch_se_toolkit.pdf

A brief video that provides the rationale and introduction for the 3 Infographics. Closed captioning coming soon.

• To connect the skill areas of executive functioning, emotional processing, and social/interpersonal to the Social and Personal Competencies.

A visual representation of information intended to present information quickly and clearly. These infographics include a definition, rationale, and easy-to-implement strategies for addressing important skills to support students.

Learning Objectives:

• To provide an easy-to-digest resource that includes synthesized, evidence-based information on key terms for educators and families.
• These infographics serve as introductions to key topics for supporting students' well-being, by synthesizing evidence-based information from various sources into easily accessible resources for educators.

   View or download "Emotional Skills Infographic" in PDF Format

   View or download "Social/Interpersonal Skills Infographic" in PDF Format

   View or download "Executive Functioning Skills Infographic" in PDF Format

Emotional Skills:

• Jones, S.M., Brush, K.E., Ramirez, T., Mao, Z.X., Marenus, M., Wettje, S., Finney, K., Raisch, N., Podoloff, N., Kahn, J., Barnes, S., Stickle, L., Brion-Meisels, G., McIntyre, J., Cuartas, J., & Bailey, R. (July 2021). Navigating SEL from the Inside out. Looking Inside & Across 33 Leading SEL Programs: A Practical Resource for Schools and OST Providers (Preschool & Elementary Focus) (2^nd Ed.). Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Documents/navigating-social-and-emotional-learning-from-the-inside-out-2ed.pdf
• Tennessee Department of Education. (2015, July). Incorporating social and personal competencies into classroom instruction and educator effectiveness: A toolkit for Tennessee teachers and administrators. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/safety/safe_sch/safe_sch_se_toolkit.pdf

Social Skills

• Jones, S.M., Brush, K.E., Ramirez, T., Mao, Z.X., Marenus, M., Wettje, S., Finney, K., Raisch, N., Podoloff, N., Kahn, J., Barnes, S., Stickle, L., Brion-Meisels, G., McIntyre, J., Cuartas, J., & Bailey, R. (July 2021). Navigating SEL from the Inside out. Looking Inside & Across 33 Leading SEL Programs: A Practical Resource for Schools and OST Providers (Preschool & Elementary Focus) (2^nd Ed.). Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Documents/navigating-social-and-emotional-learning-from-the-inside-out-2ed.pdf
• Tennessee Department of Education. (2015, July). Incorporating social and personal competencies into classroom instruction and educator effectiveness: A toolkit for Tennessee teachers and administrators. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/safety/safe_sch/safe_sch_se_toolkit.pdf

Executive Functioning:

• Alexander, K., Kenworthy, L., Greenman, L., Wilde, L., Cannon, L., & Adler, M. (2014). Solving executive function challenges. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.
• Cannon, L., Kenworthy, L., Alexander, K., Werner, M. A., & Anthony, L. G. (2018). Unstuck and on target! An executive functioning curriculum to improve flexibility, planning, and organization (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.
• Dawson, P. & Guare, R. (2009). Smart but scattered. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Meltzer, L. (2010). Promoting executive function in the classroom. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
• Dawson, P. & Guare, R. (2010). Executive skills in children and adolescents (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
• Jones, S.M., Brush, K.E., Ramirez, T., Mao, Z.X., Marenus, M., Wettje, S., Finney, K., Raisch, N., Podoloff, N., Kahn, J., Barnes, S., Stickle, L., Brion-Meisels, G., McIntyre, J., Cuartas, J., & Bailey, R. (July 2021). Navigating SEL from the Inside out. Looking Inside & Across 33 Leading SEL Programs: A Practical Resource for Schools and OST Providers (Preschool & Elementary Focus) (2^nd Ed.). Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Documents/navigating-social-and-emotional-learning-from-the-inside-out-2ed.pdf
• Sarah Ward’s Cognitive Connections Website: www.efpractice.com
• Tennessee Department of Education (Nov 2017). K-12 Social and Personal Competencies Resource Guide. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/safety/safe_sch/SPC_Resource_Guide.pdf
• Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (2018, Aug). What is Executive Functioning [Online course]. Vanderbilt Kennedy Center TRIAD Online Learning. https://triad.vkclearning.org/en-us/
• Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (2018, Aug). Early Childhood: What is Executive Functioning [Online course]. Vanderbilt Kennedy Center TRIAD Online Learning. https://triad.vkclearning.org/en-us/

  View or download "Addressing Mental Health Needs in Students with ASD" in PDF Format

  View "Educating Students with ASD & Mental Health Challenges" Course

  View or download "ACEs" in PDF Format

Cognitive Behavioral/Instructional Strategies are evidence-based practices used to teach students self-awareness and self-management skills (emotional awareness, self-regulation, behavioral and cognitive coping strategies).

   View or download "Overview of Cognitive Behavioral/Instructional Strategies" in PDF Format

   For an overview of teaching emotion awareness skills to learners, click to view or download “Teaching Emotion Awareness Skills to Learners” in PDF Format

For emotion awareness lesson plans used to teach learners important background knowledge to support emotion awareness, click to view or download the following resources.

For an intervention planning guide that teaches learners a step-by-step process to develop a 5-Point Scale, click to view or download “Intervention Planning Guide: 5-Point Scale” in Word Format.

Behavioral coping and self-regulation skills fall under the evidence-based practice of Cognitive Behavioral/Instructional Strategies (CBIS).

   View or download "Teaching Behavioral Coping and Self-Regulation Skills to Learners" in PDF Format

For intervention planning guides that provide a step-by-step process for teaching learners specific behavioral coping and self-regulation skills, click to view or download the following resources:

Cognitive coping and self-regulation skills fall under the evidence-based practice of Cognitive Behavioral/Instructional Strategies (CBIS).

   View or download "Teaching Cognitive Coping and Self-Regulation Skills to Learners" in PDF Format

For an intervention planning guide that provides a step-by-step process for teaching learners how to challenge unhelpful thought patterns, click to view or download “Intervention Planning Guide: Challenge Prompts” in Word Format.

View or download the following tip sheet resources in PDF Format.

• Self-Awareness for Self-Advocacy: Educator Resource
• Supporting Autistic Self-Advocacy in Elementary School: Information for Educators
• Supporting Autistic Self-Advocacy in Middle & High School: Information for Educators
• Three-Step Self-Advocacy Process: Educator Resource

View or download the following tip sheet resources in PDF Format.

• Self-Awareness for Self-Advocacy: Student Version
• Three-Step Self-Advocacy Process: Student Workbook

View or download the following tip sheet resources in PDF Format.

• Disclosing Their Diagnosis to Support Your Child’s Self-Understanding: Caregiver Resource
• Four-Step Disclosure Worksheet for Caregivers
• Self-Awareness for Self-Advocacy: Caregiver Resource
• Supporting Autistic Self-Advocacy in Elementary School: Information for Caregivers
• Supporting Autistic Self-Advocacy in Middle & High School: Information for Caregivers
• Three-Step Self-Advocacy Process: Caregiver Resource