SEARCH Programs and Accomplishments

Parent Training

In January, SEARCH launched new parent groups, with the goal of educating parents on how to make evidence-based decisions regarding treatment options for their children with autism. Caregivers and parents will learn from a research-based curriculum developed by Doug Flutie Jr. Scholar, Araksia Kaladjian, and SEARCH staff.  The program provides family members with the tools to evaluate current therapies in order to ensure their children are participating in appropriate interventions.  During the four parent sessions, parents will learn about evidence-based practices, participate in discussion groups, and complete a group activity. Parents who attend all trainings will receive a one-on-one session with a trained SEARCH staff member who will provide input on their child's current educational program. Families will have the opportunity to provide feedback on their participation, to help us further improve the quality of the curriculum, format and instruction.

Parent groups are free of charge and interested parents should email us at searchcenter@ucr.edu.

Community Outreach

SEARCH staff gave lectures to community groups (including school districts, parent groups and medical foundations) needing further training and understanding on autism-specific topics. In addition, SEARCH is responding to requests to provide free quarterly lectures to community groups or other educators in order to raise autism understanding and awareness of educational programs, especially among parents and professionals who are not necessarily “linked-in” to the barrage of information available on the internet.

During May 2008, SEARCH sponsored a book signing for the acclaimed book Autism Heroes by Dr. Barbara Firestone.

A SEARCH website was developed to inform the community about autism and to make our services further accessible to families. Integral to our website is the presence of “guideposts” that inform parents about issues that arise from birth to adulthood. Viewers have access to specific topics such as signs of autism, the diagnostic process, choosing a treatment, developing an IEP, and understanding issues that arise in adolescence and adulthood. A resource guide is posted that offers information about services in Riverside County and many areas of Southern California. Information regarding autism friendly doctors and dentists, support groups and educational services are some of the areas covered in the guide. A “current events” section allows families to read recent articles or new findings regarding autism spectrum disorder. Finally, a newly released video about SEARCH is now accessible on the website. Please note that the website construction is still undergoing changes. Thanks for your patience!

Email/Phone Hotline

SEARCH staff who specialize in autism spectrum disorder are personally available to communicate with families by email, searchcenter@ucr.edu or by calling the SEARCH office at 951-827-3849.

Many families have contacted SEARCH staff via email or phone on topics such as behavioral issues, maternal depression, adulthood, schooling issues, counseling services, transition services, Asperger syndrome, and of course, appropriate education.

SEARCH Open House: April 9, 2009—3-5 pm

On April 9, 2009, SEARCH will hold its first Open House for the community of autism professionals and friends of SEARCH. Constituents in the Inland Counties region will be able to see where SEARCH is located, to chat with associated faculty and SEARCH Fellows and other students, and to have the opportunity to ask questions of Dr. Blacher and staff in person. Dr. Blacher will give a community lecture during the event.

If you would like more information on this event please contact Marie Schultz at Marie.Schultz@ucr.edu or at (951)827-6388.

Studies

SEARCH is currently conducting a study on the east and west coasts investigating the early schooling experiences for children with autism spectrum disorder. The study will identify factors that contribute to successful adjustment to early schooling for children on the autism spectrum, from high to low functioning. Data collection has taken place at two private school settings: The Help Group in Los Angeles, California, and Melmark-New England, in Andover, Massachusetts. A public school sample will be added to the study during the spring quarter, 2009. The Doug Flutie Jr. Scholars and SEARCH Fellows have been very involved in launching this study and they managed aspects of the data collection at both sites.

In addition, SEARCH is assessing current needs in the local community by posting an online survey on its website. The survey includes questions for parents about services and any other topics. The survey also includes questions about the respondents so that we can later describe our constituent population.

Autism: The Musical 
In November 2008, the SEARCH center hosted a very special viewing of the HBO documentary, Autism: The Musical. This event was attended by over 200 local families and UCR students. A discussion moderated by Dr. Jan Blacher, Director of SEARCH, followed the documentary. Panel members included: Elaine Hall, Director of The Miracle Project; Wyatt, one of the film’s stars; Diane Isaacs, Wyatt’s mother; Dr. José Fuentes, a community-based psychologist collaborating with SEARCH; Ian Johanesen, a high school student who spoke poignantly about his experiences and Asperger syndrome.

The event created awareness of the SEARCH center and was an opportunity for families to learn more about SEARCH and The Miracle Project. The Miracle Project T is a theatre and film arts program for children with special needs and their typically developing peers and siblings.

It was also the perfect venue to announce our plans to develop The Miracle Project SEARCH Fellow. For more information about this proposed new Fellow or to inquire how you might be able to help please contact Marie Schultz at 951-827-6388.

Proposed SEARCH/Miracle Project Fellow:

The SEARCH/Miracle Project Fellow would engage in a variety of activities including being responsible for the coordination of research with the children and families involved in The Miracle Project. The proposed focus of this innovative research would be threefold: (1) to conduct a study to evaluate the effectiveness of The Miracle Project program; (2) to assess the impact of social-recreational activities like The Miracle Project on the development of social skills, and on family well-being; and (3) to assist in efforts to recruit families in the Inland Empire, should The Miracle Project decide to locate a program in Riverside.

SEARCH Receives New and Continued Funding

Thanks to the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc., SEARCH once again will be able to name two new Doug Flutie Jr. scholars. Support from the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc. will enable SEARCH to recruit two new doctoral fellows from a highly qualified national pool of applicants bringing the best and the brightest scholars to UCR.

The Community Foundation Serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties generously provided the SEARCH center with a gift which will support a SEARCH Fellow and research on the student-teacher-relationship for elementary school children with autism spectrum disorder. While research has demonstrated the importance of the student-teacher-relationship (STR) for children with typical development, little is known about the STR for students with autism. This research has important implications for teacher training and intervention focus for students.

Thanks again to both the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism Inc. and the Community Foundation Serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties as well as all of our generous donors. It’s friends like you who allow us to continue to serve all families struggling with the complexities of autism spectrum disorder.

Erica Howell, a Doug Flutie Jr. Scholar, is a fourth-year doctoral student in the UCR Graduate School of Education. Prior to working at SEARCH, Erica taught children with autism from kindergarten to high school. She has special expertise in teaching children with high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome. As a former teacher, Erica witnessed first-hand the powerful impact that the student-teacher relationship has on school success. Her dissertation will focus on the student-teacher-relationship, so important for the ultimate school success of all children, but especially for those on the autism spectrum.

Gazi Begum is the newest on our team of Fellows at SEARCH. She is currently in the Ph.D. program in School Psychology at UCRs Graduate School of Education. Before graduate school, she worked as a behavioral therapist with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at the Early Childhood Partial Hospitalization Program (ECPHP) at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. She is interested in helping low income and minority families learn about services for children with autism. Her research interests also include the study of how siblings affect the development of children with autism and intellectual disabilities.

SEARCH Volunteer

Stormi Skinner, a UCR sophomore, became intrigued with autism in high school, where she was a peer mentor in special education. She also spent summers working with children with disabilities. Stormi assists with office tasks and helps SEARCH Fellows assemble materials for the website and ongoing studies; she is learning about the mission of SEARCH firsthand.

Araksia Kaladjian, a Doug Flutie Jr. Scholar, has been involved in several important research and community outreach endeavors to help families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Her ongoing dissertation includes developing and implementing a manualized education program for parents of children with autism to: (a) assist parents in understanding, selecting, and evaluating the most effective methods for educating children with ASD, (b) help parents differentiate between evidence-based and unsubstantiated interventions, and (c) teach parents about the components of evidence-based interventions. In addition to her duties at SEARCH, she is an intern as a school psychologist at a Southern California school district.

Stacy Lauderdale is currently in the Special Education doctoral program at the University of California, Riverside; she is both a Graduate School of Education Leadership Fellow and a Fellow at SEARCH. She entered the program after teaching children with autism at the elementary level and earning her M.A. in special education. She is currently working with Dr. Jan Blacher on a School Adaptation Study focusing on children with autism and the Collaborative Families Project, which is a longitudinal study in collaboration with UCLA. As a doctoral student, her research interests include student teacher relationships, the factors that mediate those relationships, and the role of culture in treatment decisions for children with autism.