Providing Autism Links and Support

State Conference & Workshops: PALS provides the organization and financial support to offer a conference for parents, students, and professionals working with individuals with Autism. One of the major conferences that PALS supports is the Annual Statewide Conference which is a three day event. The number of attendees for this conference in the year 2023 was 754. . In conjunction with the above conference, PALS offer a comprehensive 2-day workshop called The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2). ADOS-2 has become the standard instrument for assessing autism and PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder) across age, developmental level, and language skills. For the 2023, 59 psychologists/psychaitrists and therapeutic professionals were certified to administer the ADOS 2. .

Social Programs: PALS provides opportunities for interacton of individuals with autism diagnosis in general community settings with support of facilitators. These programs are separated by age appropriateness (ages) are called Aspire (+18), U13 (8-12), Teen Time (13-17) and AEIOU (2-7). Typically, participants select to register for events at low to no cost such as bowling, picnics, bingo, corn mazes, miniature golf, karaoke, dancing, chat seessions, dinners, board game night, and trivia. These events are typically hosted at community venues with PALS facilitators supporting individuals with autism to be successful in the community. Allthough some of the programs started to be held in person, some of the programs were still held online. Online events consisted of movie days, lunch and chats, or dinner and chats, Trivial Kahoot, Pictionary, Jeopardy, Charades, Name that Emoji, Sleuth Games, Bingo, Deserted Island, Scavenger Hunts, and Dance Offs. PALS facilitators still provided social input to assist with social skill growth. Any or all membership/software was purchased to make such programs continue. For 2023, the social programs PAL provided a total of 801 unique events with a total of 7,729 participants. . Family Events: PAlS provides family events for the entire family to attend. It is an opportunity for typical siblings to meet others and parents network while individuals with ASD to work on social skills, being in groups, enhance communications skills and work on sensory issues along with behaviors. PALS hosted 16 family events in 2023 with a total attendance of 1,405. . ASPIRE (Aspergers Syndrome Pursuing Interests, Recreation, and Entertainment) is a 18+ adult social community group typically meets 1- 2 times a week at various community venues for social interactions hosted by PALS facilitators. Participants have a choice to select which activities they wish to participated in. In 2023, PALS offered 161 unique ASPIRE events with 1,498 participants. . Teen Time is a group for individuals with autism between the ages of 13-17 to practice social skill enhancement in a safe, welcoming, supportive environment with PALS facilitators as support. Teen time meets typicall during the summer months and or school breaks and provided various activities listed above virtually. In 2023, PALS hosted 31 unique Teen Time events with 127 participants. . U13 is a group of individiduals with autism between the ages of 8-12 to practice social skills enhancement in a safe, welcoming, supportive environment with PALS facilitators as support. In 2023, we hosted 153 events with 1,103 participants. . AEIOU (Autism Early Intervenion Opportunities and You) is for individuals ages 2-7 with a diagnosis of autism to practice social skill enhancement in a safe, welcoming, supportive environment with PALS facilitators that incorporate play and meeting new friends. In 2023, PALS provided 16 AEIOU events with 169 participants. . Community Collaboration Programs: PALS collaborates with local community venues offering sports/dance and exercise programs for typical peers by providing autism awareness training, basic behavioral intervention techniques and facilitator support during programs. Programs PALS collabrated with was XL Soccer, Judo, and Martial Arts. PALS collaborated with XL soccer with 286 unique events and 2,538 participants; Judo collabration hosted 43 events and 134 participants; Tennis, and Pickleball had the paticipants of 336, and 107 respectively. Dance had 35 events and a total of 285 participants in 2023. . Diactic Social Enhancement Programs are programs designed to teach socials skills to individuals with autism spectrum disorders. These programs are active in the springs and fall for 16 weeks 1.5-2 hour weekly sessions with instructors teaching social skills, life skills, cognitive emotional regulations, executive functioning skills, and basic behavioral strategies, along with bullying and self-advocacy. Currently, PALS provides to age groups of 8-12 (Eight-12), and 13-18 (TAG) year old group. In 2023, PALS provided 104 unique TAG sessions with a total of 780 participants, and 84 Eight-12 sessions with 598 participants. There is also a collaborative group with teen and adult, which had 3 events and 5 participants. TAG is hosted in Volusia, Seminole, Orange, Osceola, and Lake Counties. Eight-12 is hosted in Orange, Seminole, and Volusia Counties. . In addition to the aformentioned programs, PALS hosted Girls Club for 13-17 age group in 2023. It had 12 unique sessions with 23 participants. . In additioned aformentioned the group programs divided by the age, PALS also hosted other activities such as Nutrition program called Nutritional Sense. There were 10 events for this program with 31 participants. .

Summer Camp Program: PALs provides support for Camp Two Can, which is a summer day camp program for children with and without ASD (Autistic Syndrome Disorder)in various Central Florida locations. Camp provides campers with natural environments to help build friendships, learn and use social skills, explore nature, make arts and crafts, participate in swimming/sports/games, and use various functional skills. Small groups of children are supervised by adults who are experienced in working with children with Autism. In 2023, Camp Two Can had 24 sessions with 454 attendees. Career Camp, which was added last year had 4 sessions with 36 attendees. .

Awareness Program - There was an Awareness event which had 352 attendees in 2023. .

Training and Convention programs In 2023, we conducted Empower PALS to help finance the gifts to activity attendees, as well as in-house staff traing to supervise and conduct all the activities. There were 3 staff trainings sessions with 45 total attendance in 2023. There was also 2 Parent Trainings (Orientation/Interviews) for 352 parents in 2023.