To raise awareness of Autism spectrum disorders and the needs of the children, youth and adults who have them, Camden County College’s Center for Civic Leadership and Responsibility is offering a trio of autism-related events at the Camden City Campus this spring. All three will take place in the Camden Conference Center, which is located inside the Camden Technology Center at Broadway and Cooper Street.
Scheduled are:
- 6:30 p.m. March 24: “A Basic Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders” with CCC Professor Jennifer Hoheisel, who is the parent of a child with autism and a Parents of Autistic Children Together board member. Her talk will introduce ASD concepts and emphasize the strengths and challenges of people with ASDs. It also will aim to equip teachers with “take-home” strategies to meet some of the educational needs of students with ASDs.
- 4 p.m. April 5: “Educating First Responders About Autism.” This talk will address the difficulties that emergency responders – police officers, firefighters, paramedics and so forth – might face when a person with an ASD is involved in an emergency. Attendees will learn the symptoms and behaviors characteristic of people with ASDs and explain how they might react to routine first-responder protocols.
- 6:30 p.m. May 3: Screening and discussion of the Emmy Award- and Golden Globe Award-winning biographical film “Temple Grandin.” Claire Danes portrays the high-functioning autistic woman who is a Colorado State University professor of livestock behavior and facility design as well as a prominent advocate of the humane treatment of animals and autism awareness. CCC Professor Jennifer Hoheisel will lead the discussion.
Admission is free and open to the public. To register or for additional details, call (856) 227-7200, ext. 4333, or e-mail [email protected].