The 45th TEACCH Autism Program Conference, Thriving with Autism: Strengthening Neuroaffirming Practices, brings together educators, clinicians, researchers, autistic advocates, and families to explore approaches that honor neurodiversity and promote authentic wellbeing. This conference centers lived experience, evidence-informed strategies, and collaborative solutions that empower autistic individuals to thrive in every environment — from classrooms and clinics to workplaces and communities.
The following topics and speakers will be featured at this year’s conference:
Speaker: Ari Ne’eman, Harvard University, T.H. Chan School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management
Over the last two decades, the neurodiversity movement has played a growing role in the public conversation on autism services and research. But despite neurodiversity’s increasing prominence, there exists a substantial lack of clarity on how to operationalize the movement’s objectives into service-provision and research practice. In this presentation, Ari Ne’eman will discuss ethical frameworks for implementing neurodiversity principles in autism service-provision as well as discuss their generalizability to the broader field of disability as a whole.
Objectives:
- Understand the objectives of the neurodiversity movement;
- Identify challenges in existing autism service-provision and outcome measurement;
- Operationalize the values of the neurodiversity movement in terms of changes to service-provision objectives and outcome measurement
Speaker: Aubyn C. Stahmer, PhD, BCBA, University of California, Davis, MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs) such as the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and Project ImPACT are widely used in early autism intervention. As the field evolves, there is a growing emphasis on delivering these interventions in ways that are strengths-based, respectful, and aligned with the goals and values of neurodivergent individuals and their families.
This session explores how neurodiversity affirming principles can be thoughtfully integrated into the development of early intervention strengths-based goals while maintaining the developmental and relational strengths of NDBIs. Drawing on research, clinical experience, and implementation examples, this talk will highlight practical strategies for supporting autonomy, communication, and well‑being in young neurodivergent children, while partnering effectively with families, educators, and clinicians.
Objectives:
- Describe core principles of neurodiversity affirming, strengths-based care and explain how they apply to early intervention for neurodivergent young children.
- Identify ways naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (e.g., ESDM, Project ImPACT) can be adapted to better support autonomy, communication, and well being while maintaining developmental and relational goals.
- Evaluate common early intervention goals and practices through a neurodiversity lens, including considerations related to social communication, play, behavior, and caregiver priorities.
Speaker: Jenny Eigenrauch, MSRA, University of North Carolina, TEACCH Autism Program
This presentation explores how Structured TEACCHing aligns with neurodiversity-affirming principles in educational settings. As the field moves away from compliance-based approaches, emphasis is placed on creating accessible, individualized environments that honor autistic learners’ strengths, needs, and engagement styles. Grounded in the “Culture of Autism,” Structured TEACCHing focuses on understanding learning characteristics and designing supports that reduce cognitive load, increase predictability, and promote independence.
The session highlights connections between Structured TEACCHing and neuroaffirming practices, including presumed competence, authentic communication, regulation support, and accessibility. Drawing on research and practice-based examples, participants will learn how structured environments can support autonomy, meaningful participation, and emotional safety while shifting to strengths-based, environmentally responsive approaches. Practical strategies for implementation across classrooms and programs will be emphasized.
Objectives:
- Describe key principles of neurodiversity-affirming practice and explain their alignment with Structured TEACCHing.
- Identify how Structured TEACCH components (e.g., visual structure, schedules, and work systems) enhance accessibility, support regulation, and promote independence.
- Apply neuroaffirming principles within Structured TEACCHing to design supportive environments that increase autonomy, engagement, and meaningful participation across educational settings.
Co-Moderated by:
- Christina Corsello Orahovats, PhD, University of North Carolina, TEACCH Autism Program
- Cameron Hollister, MSW, BS, University of North Carolina, TEACCH Autism Program
Autistic individuals and their family members will share their perspectives on neuroaffirming care and ways that neuroaffirming care have affected their journey.
Objectives:
- List three examples of neuroaffirming care from the perspective of autistic individuals and their families
- Identify three positive effects of neuroaffirming care on autistic individuals and their families
- Identify at least one neuroaffirming environmental modification professionals can put in place within their clinic
Speaker: Vanessa H. Bal, PhD, Rutgers University, GSAPP
This presentation will focus on assessment for autistic adults, including both first time diagnosis and re-evaluation. The increased awareness of autism, including disclosure of diagnosis by high-profile celebrity cases, has sparked an increase in adult referrals for first-time autism diagnosis. As greater attention to adult needs is explored, there is also an increased demand for re-evaluation of adults to inform support planning. Alongside this increase, the neurodiversity movement has challenged assumptions of autism and advocated for more affirming assessment practices. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the presentation of autism in adults and highlight ways in which features of autism can have positive and negative impacts on an autistic adult’s life. The need for new assessments to capture the range of strengths, skills, and challenges that autistic adults present, will be discussed alongside consideration of how examining both strengths and needs in the context of individual goals is critical to promote thriving.
Objectives:
- Provide two examples of autistic features that have both associated benefits and problems
- Describe two reasons that childhood autism assessment tools require adaptation to use when assessing adults
- Give two reasons why re-evaluation of autistic people throughout adulthood is important to promote thriving
Speaker: Giacomo Vivanti, PhD, Dalhousie University and IWK Health Centre, Department of Pediatrics
Neuro-affirming approaches to services and support for autistic individuals are grounded on the idea that autism can and should coexist with a happy, fulfilling life. However, there continues to be a gap between these principles and what autistic individuals and families actually experience. This gap may be especially pronounced for individuals with high support needs, a population described as experiencing profound autism. In this presentation, we will discussing emerging research on key elements proposed as foundational to neurodiversity-affirming care in this population, including: (1) promoting systems that recognize and address “forks in the road” in developmental trajectories, where disability may become effectively mitigated through access to timely and appropriate support; (2) fostering agency through practices grounded in positive affect and predictability to support meaningful learning experiences; and (3) affirming human rights in this population by prioritizing outcomes that promote physical health, emotional wellbeing, and self-determination. We will discuss these factors within a public health framework that situates both the challenges and opportunities associated with autism within an iterative process integrating rigorous scientific evidence with the perspectives and experiences of the end-users of autism services and supports.
Objectives:
- Describe current research regarding the unmet needs of vulnerable populations within the autism spectrum
- Identify vulnerable “turning points” within life-course trajectories in autism
- Explain how to translate neurodiversity-affirming principles into clinical and service practices that support physical health, emotional wellbeing, and quality of life for autistic individuals with high support needs.
Speaker: Christina Nicolaidis, MD, MPH, Portland State University, School of Social Work, and Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Medicine
Autistic adults experience significant disparities in health and healthcare. The Academic Autism Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE) has conducted multiple studies, using a community based participatory research (CBPR) approach, to understand and improve the health and healthcare of autistic adults. Dr. Nicolaidis will present AASPIRE’s research to develop and test the AASPIRE Healthcare Toolkit, and will demonstrate its potential use in clinical care. She will also briefly discuss AASPIRE’s newer research projects on suicide prevention, autistic burnout, and patient reported outcome measurement, as well as her own clinical experience working with neurodivergent patients with conditions such as long COVID or chronic fatigue. Ultimately, the presentation aims to provide insights into how to incorporate principles of neuro-affirmative care into research and clinical practice.
Objectives:
- Identify reasonable accommodations that can help autistic adults with diverse characteristics obtain high quality healthcare
- Recognize how health issues such suicidality, autistic burnout, long COVID, or ME/CFS may affect autistic adults
- Describe what constitutes neuro-affirmative care