Parents Taking Action: Empowering Latina Mothers of Children with ASD
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Webinar Description
Latinos represent the fastest-growing population in the US, and Latino children are one of the fastest-growing ASD populations. Despite this growth, they are one of the most underserved groups with respect to diagnostic services, health care, and specialty autism services. Dr. Sandy Magaña will discuss the development of a culturally-based approach to addressing the informational needs of Latino parents, which is essential in order to better support their children with ASD. She will present preliminary findings of a randomized controlled trial that is underway to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model.
A Webinar from AUCD's Autism Special Interest Group (SIG)
Presenter:
Sandy Magaña, PhD, MSW, is a professor in Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has been a leader in investigating racial and ethnic disparities among children with autism and developmental disabilities and among their family caregivers. Building on this research, Magaña has developed culturally relevant interventions to address these disparities, bringing the Promotora de Salud (community health worker) model to the disability world. She is in the process of leading a large two-site randomized trial of an intervention that seeks to empower Latino parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She is also the director of the newly established Family Support Research and Training Center (FSRTC).
Target Audience:
This webinar discussed the design of culturally responsive engagement and educational programs. It is designed for program managers, administrators, and outreach staff. Service providers and professionals working with Spanish-speaking individuals with autism and their families are also encouraged to attend. Family members and individuals with autism are welcome to participate, but information and resources relevant to their specific needs will not be the focus of this webinar.
