Converge Autism Summit attracts 200+ attendees to Greenville, S.C., to hear from experts on topics related to Autism Spectrum Disorder

More than 200 caregivers, providers and parents of children with autism attended the second annual Converge Autism Summit, hosted earlier this month by Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health center in Greenville, S.C. At the conference, which focuses on topics related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Springbrook announced that leading autism advocate Temple Grandin, PhD, will be the keynote speaker at next year’s summit.

“We are thrilled to bring one of the most accomplished and respected authorities on autism to speak at our third annual Converge Autism Summit returning in 2019 to beautiful Greenville, S.C., where we work with families from across the United States at Springbrook every day to help children with autism succeed,” said Mike Rowley, administrator for the autism-focused, residential behavioral health center. “Temple Grandin is a trailblazer in the autism community with a vital message to share about the importance of providing opportunities for people with disabilities.”

The Converge Autism Summit provides resources and assistance to caregivers, providers, teachers, and parents of children, teens and adults with autism. The summit is designed to give attendees the opportunity to hear from leading experts on educational, psychological, social and therapeutic topics related to ASD.

This year’s guest list included Springbrook’s own Matthew Fisher, MD, and William Killion, PhD, who led keynote addresses about their work with children on the ASD spectrum.

Dr. Fisher is the medical leader of Springbrook’s Psychiatric Residential and Outpatient Treatment Program, specializing in treating Autism Spectrum Disorders. An authority on minimal medical management of ASD, Fisher spoke about common psychiatric comorbidities, such as ADHD, Bipolar, Suicidal Ideation and Depression, and how they affect the Autism Spectrum diagnosis. “These are difficult to diagnose and may require trials of medication,” said Fisher, who went on to explain how his technique of understanding a medication’s effect on autism and psychiatric comorbidities has led to improved results in patients that have not responded to any prior treatment, particularly where incorrect combinations of medications have actually worsened symptoms because of the autism diagnosis.

Dr. Killion, a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at Springbrook, has more than 40 years of direct experience with individuals with developmental disabilities, including autism. He is the author of the Functional Independence Skills Handbook (F.I.S.H.) Developmental Program, a curriculum for ABA used world-wide in over 80 countries. Dr. Killion provided summit attendees with full lesson plans for using inexpensive materials to teach and engage people with autism in a positive manner. His techniques include Choice vs. Orders, Reward vs. Bribe and the use of social experiences to teach Theory of Mind, or empathy, which have been shown to significantly improve behavior, cognitive, communication, daily living, motor and social skills in children with autism under his direction at Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health.

“The work we do at Springbrook – and the difference we make for families of children with autism – would not be possible without the research and insight of the panelists who come together through the annual Converge Autism Summit,” Dr. Killion said. “Dr. Grandin’s participation in our conference next year is a testament to both the progress we’re making within in the autism community and the work still ahead.”

Best-selling author, movie consultant and non-profit founder, Kerry Magro, who also delivered a keynote address at the summit, shared lessons from his journey from non-verbal to national speaker and his new book, “Autism and Falling in Love.” Magro encouraged caregivers and communities to create sensory-friendly events and places to keep all kids engaged with the world, to include ASD self-advocates in as many social events as possible to help them adapt while at the same time educating others about autism, and to learn more about the importance of vocational training as children with autism get older.

Celine Saulnier, PhD, author and avid lecturer and educator on ASD, also spoke at the summit and shared findings from her research as Director of the Clinical Assessment Core for the NIH Autism Center of Excellence Grant at Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, Ga., and as co-author of Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, the most widely used measure of adaptive behavior applications worldwide.

The 2019 Converge Autism Summit will be held March 7-8, 2019.

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About Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health

Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health is a state-of-the-art campus and nationally renowned program for the treatment of autism in children and adults ages 5-21. We work with the entire spectrum of children, adolescents, teens and adults with autism, including patients at all developmental levels. We begin work with children at younger ages, using advanced, evidence-based autism therapy programs. Our dedicated staff is committed to autism programs and therapies that address the needs of the whole child beyond the diagnosis. We have been serving children with and their families at our campus in Traveler’s Rest, S.C., for over 30 years. Visit springbrookautismbehavioral.com for more information.