Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, UF Gainesville

05/22/2026

¡Por favor, acompáñenos! Se pueden conectar en cualquier momento a lo largo del día. No es necesario que asistan a todas las sesiones y no tendrán que aparecer ante la cámara.

Please join us! You can connect at any time throughout the day. It is not necessary to attend every session, and you will not have to appear on camera.

Únase a este evento virtual de un día que contará con especialistas en autismo hispanohablantes.
La traducción al inglés estará disponible por Zoom.

Viernes, 22 de mayo de 2026
8:45AM – 3:45PM
En línea
Detalles del Día de HISPA en español:
https://card.ufl.edu/2026/03/31/hispa-day-2026-sp/

Join us for this one-day virtual event featuring Spanish-speaking autism specialists.
English translation will be available through zoom.

Friday, May 22, 2026
8:45AM – 3:45PM
Online
HISPA Day Details in English:
https://card.ufl.edu/2026/04/01/hispa-day-2026-en/

05/21/2026

Congratulations to Premier Dance of Ocala on your recent win at the Encore Dance Competition and thank you for choosing UF CARD as the recipient of your award donation. We appreciate your support of the families and individuals we serve!

05/21/2026

Don’t miss your chance to present at Florida’s Statewide Autism Conference which will be held January 15-17, 2027 in Orlando! Call for papers closes June 1, 2026. Visit https://cardconference.info to submit your proposal.

05/20/2026

Sharing for researchers at Fielding Graduate University...

Do You Have a Non-Speaking Autistic Child?

You may be eligible to participate in a research study exploring how parents support early communication development in young autistic children.

What’s Involved
- Complete a short online parenting questionnaire (about 10 minutes)
- Record and securely upload two 10-minute videos of you playing naturally with your child at home

Why Participate
- Help researchers understand how caregiver insights and interactions shape communication in young autistic children
- Help researchers improve support for families like yours

Who Can Participate
-Parent or legal guardian is the child’s primary caregiver
-Parent is fluent in English
-Child is between 18 months and 5 years old
-Child has a documented autism diagnosis
-Child is non-speaking (does not consistently produce an average of at least 10 intelligible words or reliable word approximations per day)
- Family lives in the continental United States

Confidentiality & Voluntary Participation
- Participation is completely voluntary
- You may stop at any time without penalty
-All data will be de-identified and securely stored
- The study is approved by the Fielding Graduate University Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Interested?
Please contact the researcher directly:
Tanna Neufeld, MA, MS, CCC-SLP
Doctoral Candidate, Fielding Graduate University
Email: tneufeld@fielding.edu
Call/Text (Google Voice): 303-736-9792
STUDY ID: 25-1105 NEUFELD Tanna (SOP-IECD Nov 2025)

Please note: UF CARD provides information, resources, and referrals as a service to individuals with autism, their families, and service providers. Listing resources, providers, therapeutic approaches, research studies, or products does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by UF CARD.

05/20/2026

Reminder: Part three of our Beyond Behaviors Book Study is tonight!

Beyond Behaviors Book Study

Wednesdays, May 6, 13, & 20, 2026
6:00 – 7:30PM
Online

Join us for a three-part discussion of Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges by Mona Delahooke. A NEW approach to solving behavioral challenges. In Beyond Behaviors , internationally known pediatric psychologist, Dr. Mona Delahooke describes behaviors as the tip of the iceberg, important signals that we should address by seeking to understand a child’s individual differences in the context of relational safety. Featuring impactful worksheets and charts, this accessible book offers professionals, educators and parents tools and techniques to reduce behavioral challenges and promote psychological resilience and satisfying, secure relationships. Neuroscience-based effective tools and strategies for children labeled – Conduct Disorder – Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) – Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) – Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) – Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) – Anxiety & Depression – Autism & Developmental or Learning Differences And children who experience or have – Aggressive, confusing and unpredictable behaviors – Tantrums and meltdowns – Disconnection or shutdown – Adverse childhood experiences – Trauma and toxic stress

The first 20 registrants from our 14 county catchment area* will receive the book for free.
If you choose to purchase the book please be sure that it is the Second Edition which was released on March 3, 2026.

Details and link to registration:
https://card.ufl.edu/2026/04/29/beyond-behaviors-book-study/

05/15/2026

Únase a este evento virtual de un día que contará con especialistas en autismo hispanohablantes.
La traducción al inglés estará disponible por Zoom.

Viernes, 22 de mayo de 2026
8:45AM – 3:45PM
En línea
Detalles del Día de HISPA en español:
https://card.ufl.edu/2026/03/31/hispa-day-2026-sp/

Join us for this one-day virtual event featuring Spanish-speaking autism specialists.
English translation will be available through zoom.

Friday, May 22, 2026
8:45AM – 3:45PM
Online
HISPA Day Details in English:
https://card.ufl.edu/2026/04/01/hispa-day-2026-en/

05/13/2026

A quick reminder that part two of our Beyond Behaviors Book Study is tonight! Even if you weren’t able to join us last week, you’re still welcome to register and take part in the conversation.

Beyond Behaviors Book Study

Wednesdays, May 6, 13, & 20, 2026
6:00 – 7:30PM
Online

Join us for a three-part discussion of Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges by Mona Delahooke. A NEW approach to solving behavioral challenges. In Beyond Behaviors , internationally known pediatric psychologist, Dr. Mona Delahooke describes behaviors as the tip of the iceberg, important signals that we should address by seeking to understand a child’s individual differences in the context of relational safety. Featuring impactful worksheets and charts, this accessible book offers professionals, educators and parents tools and techniques to reduce behavioral challenges and promote psychological resilience and satisfying, secure relationships. Neuroscience-based effective tools and strategies for children labeled – Conduct Disorder – Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) – Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) – Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) – Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) – Anxiety & Depression – Autism & Developmental or Learning Differences And children who experience or have – Aggressive, confusing and unpredictable behaviors – Tantrums and meltdowns – Disconnection or shutdown – Adverse childhood experiences – Trauma and toxic stress

The first 20 registrants from our 14 county catchment area* will receive the book for free.
If you choose to purchase the book please be sure that it is the Second Edition which was released on March 3, 2026.

Details and link to registration:
https://card.ufl.edu/2026/04/29/beyond-behaviors-book-study/

05/12/2026

Sharing for researchers at Friedrich Alexander University, Germany...

Participate in a Study on Everyday Communication in Autism

Participants: autistic and non-autistic adults 18–35 years of age

What does participation involve?
Recording natural spoken interactions in different social situations (e.g., with family, friends, at school, at work) over a few days or only a few hours
Sharing written texts you have already created (e.g., messages, emails, class assignments)
Completing a few surveys

Why participate?
Support autistic community by contributing
Receive financial compensation for your time
7 days (~3 hours total/day) = $155
Fewer days = proportional compensation
Participation is voluntary. You may withdraw at any time.

Interested? Please contact Marianna Gracheva for details: Marianna.Grachova@fau.de

Approved by the Ethics Institutional Review Board of Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Antr. Nr. 26-88-S)

05/01/2026

UPDATE 5/4/2026:
We have reached our limit for participants! You are still welcome to complete the application form but will only be contacted if a spot becomes available.

The Center for Autism and Related Disabilities is offering a 3-day Introductory Training on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2). The ADOS-2 is a measure used for assessing and diagnosing autism across ages, developmental levels, and language levels. This is an introductory workshop with instructional methods that include lectures, videos, demonstrations of administration and scoring, and discussions. This workshop is designed for researchers and clinicians with prior background in autism spectrum disorder and formal testing, including speech-language pathologists, physicians, psychologists, school-based autism specialists, and occupational therapists. This training is necessary for anyone planning to use the ADOS-2 in clinical or school settings and serves as a prerequisite for more in depth training required to obtain research reliability in order to use the ADOS-2 for research purposes. The goals of this workshop are to provide a detailed overview of the ADOS-2, its development, its psychometric properties, and appropriate use and interpretation. Trainees will be provided with videos of other ADOS-2 administrations to watch after the training to supplement the workshop.

This training is only open to Florida residents.

Wednesday – Friday
July 8, 9, & 10, 2026
8:30AM – 4:30PM

Hotel ELEO
1514 SW 14th Street
Gainesville, FL 32608

Details and link to application:
https://card.ufl.edu/2026/04/26/ados2026/

04/30/2026

Employment Boot Camp 2026

Join us for our annual summer employment boot camp.

Work with CARD staff members and professionals from the community to learn:
- What are my skills and strengths?
- What job interests do I have?
- What volunteer opportunities would I consider pursuing?
- How can I seek out and apply for jobs?
- How can I make the best impression at my interview?
- How can I navigate the expectations of my job using time management and stress management skills?
- How can I ensure my dress and hygiene are the best they can be?
- How can I manage the social expectations of my job?

Training Objectives
By the end of Employment Boot Camp, you should be able to:
- Identify your skills and strengths
- Search for jobs and complete job applications
- Complete a successful job interview
- List strategies that can help you navigate sensory and social demands in the workplace

Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be a UF CARD constituent
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Have exited high school

Monday, June 15, 2026 through Thursday, June 18, 2026
8:30AM – 3:30PM

Registration deadline: June 8, 2026

Blount Center
530 W University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601

Details and link to registration:
https://card.ufl.edu/2026/04/27/ebc2026/