Autism Family Support Center

Help, education and training for families supporting children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Welcome to Stone Soup Group's Autism Family Support Center. We are excited to bring new trainings, information, and supports to families raising children who experience Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Click the links to learn more!

Social Skills Groups
Sibshops
Nintendo Wii Clubs
Online Trainings & Downloadable Presentations
Early Diagnosis & Treatment

Social Skills Groups

Application for Social Skills Groups: 1st-3rd grade
Application for Social Skills Groups: 4th-7th grade
Application for Social Skills Groups: 8th-12th grade

The Autism Family Support Center at Stone Soup Group's Social Skills Groups or "Friends Clubs" are now going into their second year. Based on family feedback from the past year, we have made some changes and improvements to the format of the groups offered.

If you have previously applied for the Social Skills Groups, or if your child participated in groups last year, please complete a new application for the 2009/2010 school year.

Parents will be provided with feedback from the facilitator about the child's progress, what is happening in group, and the best ways to support the child in social skills training.

Stone Soup Group is now using parts of the "Building Bridges" social skills curriculum along with other evidence based practices and materials to provide your child with a complete social skills training opportunity.

Information gathered from the application is intended to help place children in the best group for them and to ensure that the group experience will be beneficial for everyone. Please provide as much information as possible in the application.

Applications will be reviewed by Stone Soup Group Staff and you will be contacted about the status of your child's application. Because there is such a huge need for this service, applications that are not complete will not be considered.

The fee for social skills groups is $145.00 for the twelve-week session. This fee will be collected after your child has been accepted into one of the group sessions, and before the first group meeting. A limited number of scholarships are available for families who may need them. If you would like to apply for a scholarship, please contact Annette Blanas at annetteb@stonesoupgroup.org

To register your child for the 2009/2010 Social Skills Groups please select the link above for your child’s grade and follow the directions.

If you have any questions or need help completing the application, please call McKenzie Weimer 561-3758.

Sibshops

Click here to Register your child for Sibshops.

Sibshops seek to provide siblings with opportunities for peer support. Because Sibshops are
designed (primarily) for school-age children, Sibshops Anchorage is currently accepting siblings between the ages of 8-13 years old.

Peer support is provided within a lively, recreational context that emphasizes a kids’-eye-view. Sibshops are not therapy, group or otherwise, although their effect may be therapeutic for some children. Sibshops acknowledge that most brothers and sisters of people with special needs, like their parents, are doing well, despite the challenges of an illness or disability.

Sibshops Anchorage is currently being sponsored by Stone Soup Group. St John's Methodist Church has donated their space for the Sibshop to meet (please note that Sibshops is not a religious activity).

Sibshops will meet from 10am-1pm. We do ask that your child attend all three meetings.
Sibshops will be held at St. John's Methodist Church (1801 O'Malley Rd. Anchorage AK 99507) Map.

The registration fee for Sibshops is $15.00 and this will cover lunch for your child (for all three meetings). Cash or check only please. (Make checks payable to Stone Soup Group) This will be collected at the "Meet and Greet".

You must register your child before they attend, no drop-ins please.

If you would like your child to be considered for a scholarship, please call McKenzie Weimer at (907) 561- 3758 or email mckenziew@stonesoupgroup.org and request a scholarship application. We also gladly accept donations to the Sibshop Scholarship fund if you would like to sponsor another child or family!

Nintendo Wii Clubs for children & youth with developmental disabilities

Wii Club for Children and Youth (ages 8-14)

When: 3rd Saturday of every month, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Where: Stone Soup Group (307 E. Northern Lights Blvd. )

This club is free for families and your child does not need to have a wii to be in this club. This is a social opportunity for your youth (ages 8-14) who experience developmental disabilities. A safe and fun place to make friends and have fun playing Nintendo Wii! A Stone Soup Group staff member will be present at Wii Club to help facilitate- but parents will be expected to stay for the entire meeting. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

Please do not bring siblings to Wii Club, this is something only for kiddos who experience developmental differences. If you have any other questions please feel free to email mckenziew@stonesoupgroup.org

Click HERE to RSVP for Wii Club for kids ages 8-14.

Wii Club for teens and young adults (ages 14 & up)

This club is held once a month ( 3rd Friday of each month) from 6-8pm.

Wii Club is free for teens and young adults who have an interest in meeting other people their age with similar gaming interests. This is a great social opportunity for teens and young adults who experience a developmental disability. This is a safe and fun place to make friends, develop relationships, and have fun! A Stone Soup Group staff member will be present at Wii Club to help facilitate if needed, but this club is intended to be a social opportunity for these young adults. Parents should not intend to stay with your teen or young adult. Drop off and pick up as appropriate. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

Click HERE to RSVP for Wii Club for teens & young adults.

For more information, or if you have difficulty registering online, call McKenzie at (907) 561-3701.

Web Based Training on Autism Spectrum Disorders

One of the goals of the Autism Family Support Center is to provide training to parents and professionals on a variety of topics around Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). We are always looking for the best way to make this training available to as many people as possible, and have it be consistent. To that end, please click on the links below to find helpful training presentations and links. NOTE: Many of these presentations are in PDF format, which requires Acrobat Reader, a free download from Adobe.

Stone Soup Group Parent Trainings

Sensory Integration & Self Regulation (PDF)
Autism & Treatment Medications (PDF)

Links to trainings on other websites

Each of these sites has good information and a lot of resources listed. Information regarding prevalence rates may be outdated so please double check those numbers.

Early Diagnosis & Treatment

Early diagnosis and treatment is critical in assuring the best outcome for children who experience an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Learn the Signs, Act Early

To find out more about developmental milestones and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) follow the link below.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/index.html

Providence Autism Diagnostic Network

If you have concerns about a child who is not meeting their developmental milestones, or that you suspect may have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), please follow the link below.

http://www.providence.org/alaska/tchap/autism/default.htm

Helpful Websites

Below you will find a short list of websites that have been chosen by the AFSC staff as helpful. There are thousands of websites about ASD so this is just a starting point.

http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/
http://autism.about.com/od/autismtherapy101/a/socskillbasics.htm
http://www.comeunity.com/disability/speech/autism.html
http://www.usu.edu/teachall/text/behavior/LRBIpdfs/Functional.pdf
http://www.apbs.org/new_apbs/autismDesc.aspx
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm#133913082
http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/Pragmatics.htm

Autism information in Spanish: http://www.manitasporautismo.com/

This program is made possible by financial support from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority.