Transformations Autism Treatment Center in Bartlett is bringing in national experts, vendors and special needs guests for its 2017 Midsouth Autism Conference from 8 a.m. on March 30 until noon April 1. The event will be at The Guesthouse at Graceland, 3600 Elvis Presley Blvd., Memphis.
The conference offers medical, legal, parental, and professional tracks, and continuing education credits are available for teachers, speech and language pathologists, board-certified behavior analysts and people in other fields.
To date, this conference is drawing attendees from nine states and Canada.
The event is designed to reach multiple audiences, including parents and caregivers of individuals with autism, teachers, behavior analysts, speech pathologists, attorneys, physicians, individuals with autism or anyone in the community who would desires to learn about autism.
Conference coordinator John Holtzman said this year’s conference is lining up to be one of its most exciting conferences yet with keynote speakers who include:
- Dr. Jed Baker, Ph.D., author of nine award-winning books, including “The Complete Handbook for the Transition to Adulthood for Those with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.” He is an expert in the field of social skills training. His work has been featured on ABC World News, Nightline, the CBS Early Show, and the Discovery Health Channel.
- Carol Kranowitz, author of the book, “The Out-of-Sync Child,” which has sold more than 600,000 copies. Through her writings and workshops, she explains to parents, educators, and other early childhood professionals how sensory issues play out and provides fun and functional techniques for addressing them at home and school.
- Derek Volk, author of the book, “Chasing the Rabbit, A Dad’s Life Raising a Son on the Spectrum” along with his son Dylan Volk. They will share their experiences about Dylan’s life on the autism spectrum.
- Dr. Valerie Hu, Ph.D., a professor at George Washington University who focuses her research on autism and the genes and biological pathways associated with autism spectrum disorder. She is also the mother of a son with ASD.
- Michael Tolleson, a savant artist who paints museum-quality paintings in 10-15 minutes.
Many other expert speakers from various areas of the country will share their research, treatment options and experiences on various topics of interest in the field of autism and special needs.
In addition to the keynote presentations and break-out sessions, there will be three additional events:
- The Mid-South Autism Art Show, featuring art created by individuals with autism or special needs from school districts across the region
- Screening of the documentary film, “Autism in Love”
- Mid-South Autism Art Showcase, featuring musical performances by individuals with special needs
Vendors from 11 states also will be present to provide information, materials and resources available to the special needs community.
Sponsors for the conference include Malco Theatres, Premier Lanes, Lakeside Behavioral Health System, Vista Points Special Needs Trusts, Lakemary Center, SensaCalm and the Bachman Academy.
“We are excited to team up with Elvis Presley Enterprises to hold this event at the new Guesthouse at Graceland,” Holtzman said.
The Guesthouse is offering a special rate for those who book early. Visit guesthousegraceland.com and click on the tile to book a room. Select dates from March 29 to April 2 and use code “170329MIDS” to take advantage of special conference savings.
Conference registration for parents and paraprofessionals is $50. The professional registration fee is $150, which includes all three days of the conference. Register by visiting midsouthautismconference.com, calling (901)379-8827 or coming to Transformations Autism Treatment Center at 6761 Stage Road, Bartlett.
