Monday October 20, 2025
8:15 - 3:30
Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2025: Theory, Assessment, and Difference vs. Disability
A training that will be valuable to all professionals who have an interest in the evidence-based diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), such as psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and behavior analysts
Continuing Education Credits
6.0 CPD hours are available for this event!
NHASP is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists to offer professional development for school psychologists and other professionals. NHASP maintains responsibility for the program. Certificates of Attendance will be provided following completion of the event. A total of 6.0 CPD hours will be awarded for this event. These hours are accepted towards the NCSP and other professional credentials.
Conference Description
Presenter: Dr. Nancy Sullivan, Clinical Psychologist, Associate Director for the Autism Spectrum Center at Boston Children’s Hospital
Dr. Sullivan will address the language used regarding autism and ASD, neurodiversity and neuro-affirming care, the function of clinical diagnoses, the role of self-advocates in changing practices, and controversies in ASD treatment. She takes a middle of the road approach to these topics and presents multiple vantage points.
This training will also feature:
- Best practices for a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of suspected ASD
- A review of standardized assessment tools including an introduction to administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2nd Ed. (ADOS-2), the tool with the best empirical connection to diagnosed ASD
- Differential diagnosis considerations between ASD and various other DSM-5-TR conditions, including other neurodevelopmental disorders and common disorders of childhood
- Defensible evidence-based medication and therapeutic interventions
- Ample time for questions and discussion
Learning Objectives
- Participants will describe contemporary perspectives on neurodiversity and the language used to discuss it.
- Participants will identify the types of information needed for a best-practices assessment of suspected ASD.
- Participants will explain important features in differential diagnosis between ASD, other disorders, and typical development.
- Participants will apply knowledge of evidence-based interventions for ASD to their own professional practices.
Schedule
7:30 Registration and breakfast
8:15 Start
10:00-10:15 Break
11:15-12:15 Lunch
12:15 Resume
2:00-2:15 Break
3:30 End
Location & Meals
Venue: Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)
Address: 2500 North River Road, Manchester NH 03106
Building: Dining Center banquet hall
Includes: continental breakfast and coffee, lunch, afternoon snack
Please refer to this document for driving instructions on how to arrive at SNHU Parking Lot 1. Please refer to this SNHU Campus Map for support with navigating to the Dining Center. Both Parking Lot 1 and the Dining Center are circled in yellow.
Registration Information
Purchase orders will not be accepted for this event.
Online payments are preferred for this event. Please note that NHASP is now using payment processing through our website Wild Apricot to simplify your checkout process. You will no longer be redirected to PayPal for payment.
No refunds will be provided for cancellations received after 5pm on Friday, October 10, 2025.
*Students currently enrolled in a school psychology training program receive a reduced registration fee for this event.
For questions, please contact NHASP President Joe Mahoney using the Contact Us page on our website, https://www.nhaspweb.org.
Presenter Information
Dr. Nancy Sullivan is a Clinical Psychologist with over twenty-five years of experience specializing in the assessment and behavioral treatment of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other neurodevelopmental conditions. She is an Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Director of Psychological Assessment in the Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Associate Director of the Autism Spectrum Center at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Sullivan is a certified independent trainer for the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2). She has expertise in applied behavioral analysis (ABA), family behavioral therapy, social skills training, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and subspeciality in the treatment of Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorders (ARFID).
Disclosure: NHASP and Dr. Sullivan have reported no conflicts of interest
