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Mental Health Resource Collection

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Overview

This is a collection of resources from various sources on the topic of mental health for individuals with autism. Topics range from general mental health resources to anxiety, depression, behavioral concerns, services and assessment, psychopharmacology, and crisis intervention.

Overview

Mental Health America

Mental health matters everywhere.

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Transitioning Youth With Mental Health Needs to Meaningful Employment & Independent Living

This resource focuses on the role of skills development, work, and career exploration in helping youth with mental illness transition to meaningful employment and independent living.

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Staying Mentally Healthy

This resource provides tips for individuals with autism on how to maintain their mental health and wellbeing.

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Anxiety

Recognizing and Managing Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal part of life that keeps us safe and alerts us to danger. Having some anxiety is normal, but too much anxiety can be bad, especially when it becomes overwhelming or interferes with day-to-day living. These information sheets provide suggestions and tips to help people recognize and manage anxiety.

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How Anxiety Leads to Disruptive Behavior

Kids who seem oppositional are often severely anxious.

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How to Ease Anxiety for Adults with Autism during a Doctor’s Visit

Adults with autism spectrum disorder face unique challenges to receiving optimal medical care due to a number of factors.

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Depression

Men and Depression

Men and women both experience depression but their symptoms can be very different.

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Behavior

How Anxiety Leads to Disruptive Behavior

Kids who seem oppositional are often severely anxious.

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Functions of Behavior

Committed to excellence in specialized services through training, research, and the highest level of professional expertise to meet the broad range of needs in individuals, families, schools, and communities.

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Supporting Safe Behavior

This resource, developed by ASERT, provides information for direct support staff on how to support individuals with autism who may engage in challenging behavior and ways that support staff can help keep everyone safe.

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Recognizing and Managing Anger

Everyone has different warning signs so it is important to be able to identify your personal warning signs. Here is a list of common warning signs of anger so you can better learn to identify anger quickly.

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Recognizing and Managing ADHD in Children and Teens

This resource provides tips for parents to help manage ADHD in their Children and Teens.

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Services and Assessment

Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS)

Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) was previously known as Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services (BHRS) or “wraparound” services. These services are individualized mental health services provided in the home, school, or community. The services are provided by trained staff working one‐on‐one with your child to help with emotional or behavioral problems.

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Health Care Quality Units (HCQU)

Health Care Quality Units (HCQUs) serve as the entity responsible to county ID programs for the overall health status of individuals receiving services in the county programs.

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PA Health Law Project

PHLP is a nationally recognized expert and consultant on access to health care for low-income consumers, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

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Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

PBIS seeks to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of schools and other agencies.

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National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Attempting to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families, and communities throughout the United States.

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Psychopharmacology

Psychopharmacology Information Sheets

These information sheets developed by the ASERT Collaborative, provide information on psychopharmacology and answer common questions about the use of medication to treat autism.

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Crisis Intervention

Crisis Intervention and De-Escalation

In your direct support to adults with Autism, it is possible that you will encounter moments of crisis. A crisis can be triggered by environmental, social and communication stressors, changes in schedules or routines, task anxiety, and other factors. Crisis looks different for every individual, but in each situation, there will be a period of escalation before the crisis and then a de-escalation. Below you’ll find a helpful strategy for navigating how you can recognize and respond to an individual you’re supporting when he or she is escalating, in crisis, or de-escalating.

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Autism Speaks: Managing a Crisis Situation

This resource from Autism Speaks provides tips and suggestions for how to support someone who is engaging in challenging or dangerous behavior. It also includes information on what to expect if the individual goes to the emergency room as well as the legal rights of parents and the individual.

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Providing Support to an Individual with Autism in Crisis

This resource provides basic tips and information on how to support an individual with autism who may be experiencing a difficult situation or crisis. It is important to note that some individuals with autism engage in stereotypic or repetitive behaviors or self-injury, that can make the person “look” like they are in crisis when they are not. As in any situation, take cues from family members, friends or others who know the individual well to determine what, if any, action needs to be taken.

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Assuring Health and Safety: What does that mean for the Direct Support Professional?

This webcast from the Bureau of Autism Services, provides information on waiver assurance, incident management, abuse and neglect, restrictive procedures and assuring health & safety for direct support professionals who work with individuals who have autism.

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Responding To Suicidal Statements

This information sheet was developed by the Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative and provides warning signs and tips to help individuals respond to suicidal statements.

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Autism Speaks: Managing a Crisis Situation

This resource from Autism Speaks provides tips and suggestions for how to support someone who is engaging in challenging or dangerous behavior. It also includes information on what to expect if the individual goes to the emergency room as well as the legal rights of parents and the individual.

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