For too long, the behavior analytic field has concentrated its intervention energy on early childhood, treating the preschool and elementary years as the window during which real change is possible. The outcome of this orientation has been a generation of young adults with autism spectrum disorder who received intensive, high-quality ABA during childhood only to age out of services into a system that was largely unprepared for them — and a field that had relatively little to say about what adult life with ASD could look like when intervention was thoughtful, individualized, and genuinely focused on meaningful living.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via RethinkBH
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Join Free →This presentation introduces Make it Meaningful, a groundbreaking guide for practitioners working with individuals with autism spectrum and related disorders by Drs. Peter F. Gerhardt and Shanna Bahry. The book fills a critical gap by providing comprehensive guidance on selecting and teaching the right skills to ensure learners are prepared for meaningful adult lives. Key areas covered include adaptive behavior domains, goal writing with long-term considerations, evidence-based methods for community-based skills, and tools to support the development of high-quality, individualized programs.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | General |
| COA | 0 | — |
Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D., is the Executive Director of the EPIC Programs in Paramus, NJ. Dr. Gerhardt has over 40 years of experience utilizing the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis in support of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders in educational, employment, residential, and community-based settings. He has authored or edited several publications, including “Make it Meaningful: Creating Programs that Matter into Adulthood for Learners with Autism Spectrum and Related Disorders“ (Make it Meaningful Press, 2024) with Dr. Shanna Bahry, “Clinician’s Guide to Sexuality and Autism” (Academic Press, 2024) with Drs. Jessica Cauchi, Mary Jane Weiss, and Justin Leaf and “The Handbook of Quality of Life for Individuals with ASD” (Springer, 2022), on which he is a co-editor. He has presented nationally and internationally on these and related topics. Dr. Gerhardt serves as Co-Chairman of the Scientific Council for the Organization for Autism Research and is on numerous professional advisory boards, including the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. He serves as Affiliate Faculty in the Institute for Applied Behavioral Science at Endicott College. Dr. Gerhardt received his doctorate from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey’s Graduate School of Education.
Side-by-side comparison with a clinical decision framework
Research-backed educational guide for behavior analysts
Research-backed answers to common clinical questions
All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.