Autism: A Different Way of Thinking Part 1

In part one of this two part special, Steve Adubato hosts “Autism: A Different Way of Thinking,” a forum of New Jersey educators, advocates, parents, non-profit and government leaders, as well as medical professionals to discuss the specific challenges faced by children and adults with autism. The forum also addresses access to services in suburban and urban areas, the state’s impact on autism services, the availability of employment opportunities and ways businesses and healthcare systems can better support individuals with autism from youth into adulthood.

Guests Include:
NJ Asw. Valerie Vainieri Huttle
Suzanne Buchanan, Exec. Director of Autism NJ
Michele Adubato, Founder & CEO, Center for Autism
Dr. Shereef Elnahal, Former NJ Commissioner of Health
Nadine Wright Arbubakrr, Pres & Founder Nassan’s Place & Parent of Child with Autism
Hetal Narcisco, Director of Vocational Rehab Services at Jewish Vocational Services
Dr. Corinne Catalano, Assistant Director for Consultation Services, Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health, Montclair State Univ.
Kate Fiske, PhD, BCBA-D, Author, Autism and the Family: Understanding and Supporting Parents and Siblings & Rutgers–New Brunswick Assoc. Professor
Cornelia Gilpin, Nurse Manager at Overlook Hospital
Mark Mautone, Director of Special Services for the Hoboken Public School District & 2015 NJ Teacher of the Year
4/23/19 #2208

Excerpt:

"Hi, this is Steve Adubato. We're coming to you from the beautiful North Ward Center in Newark, New Jersey. This is part of a two-part, half-hour each conversation, called Autism: A Different Way of Thinking. What is a different way of thinking? You have ten people that you'll see on camera. They'll be part of this conversation. We'll be talking about, not just a different way of thinking. How about a different way of dealing, with helping those, diagnosing, treating those who are dealing with autism on the spectrum and their families? So I'm gonna jump right into this, and I said this right before we got into this formal discussion on public broadcasting and FiOS and every other place, that we would not be here if my sister, Michele, who is not just the head of the North Ward Center, but also created the Center for Autism a few blocks away? Right. Your professional life, your personal life, in many ways dedicated to the field of autism. When we say "a different way of thinking" what does that mean to you? Yeah, you stole our tagline. [laughter] But what does it mean? A different way of thinking? You know, when we look at autism, and everyone has really strong views, everyone has differences in terms of how to deal with autism, and so when we looked at a different way of thinking, you know, I started as a teacher. A special ed teacher in Newark. I don't even know, because it's been a while About 25 years ago. I don't even know if they use the term. They... you know, it has changed along the years. I became a social worker, and a principal for a school for..."