Introductory ABI Series: What is an Acquired Brain Injury?
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 28th, 2021 1:00pm-4:00pm
Location: Held virtually via Zoom 
Faculty: Francesca LaVecchia, Ph.D.
Description of Training: In this introductory lecture an overview of acquired brain injury (ABI) will be presented.
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Introductory ABI Series: How to Communicate with Persons with Acquired Brain Injury
Date & Time: Thursday, May 20, 2021, 1:00pm-4:00pm
Location: Held virtually via Zoom 
Faculty: Therese O’Neil-Pirozzi, Sc.D., CCC-SLP
Description of Training: Communication is an active process by which people exchange information, ideas, needs, and desires.  Communication requires a sender and a receiver.  It involves encoding a concept (the sender), transmitting that concept (the sender), and decoding the intended concept (the receiver).  Communication breakdowns are common after such acquired brain injuries (ABIs) as anoxia, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and tumor.  This presentation will focus on the steps involved in successful communication, causes of ABI communication breakdowns, and strategies to prevent as well as repair such breakdowns in everyday life. 
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Introductory ABI Series: Understanding, Assessing, and Responding to Challenging Behaviors Related to Acquired Brain Injury
Date(s) & Time(s):
Session I: Wednesday, June 23rd, 2021 1:00pm-4:00pm
Session II: Wednesday, June 30th, 2021 1:00pm-4:00pm
Location: Held virtually via Zoom 
Faculty: Susan Roberts, Ph.D.
Description of Training: Challenging behavioral outcomes of acquired brain injury (ABI) often impact recovery and compromise long-term quality of life. This six-hour training provides a brief overview of the most common behavioral challenges associated with ABI as well as evidence-supported practices for assessment and treatment. 

Session I reviews brain structures associated with behavioral outcomes including socially disinhibited, withdrawn, and agitated presentations. The components of a therapeutic environment and the use of Positive Behavior Supports for reducing challenging behaviors are reviewed.

In Session II, cognitive disorders contributing to challenges in behavioral regulation are presented.  Assessing behavior and implementing evidenced-supported practices for reducing challenging behaviors as well as techniques for teaching socially functional behaviors are reviewed. 
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