Crisis Services
ASERT does not offer crisis services through our Resource Center. If you or someone you love is experiencing mental health distress or thoughts of suicide please call or text 988 for support.
Mental Health Resource Collection
Overview
This is a collection of resources from various sources on the topic of mental health for individuals with autism. Topics range from general mental health resources to anxiety, depression, behavioral concerns, services and assessment, psychopharmacology, and crisis intervention.
Overview
Transitioning Youth With Mental Health Needs to Meaningful Employment & Independent Living
This resource focuses on the role of skills development, work, and career exploration in helping youth with mental illness transition to meaningful employment and independent living.
View ResourceStaying Mentally Healthy
This resource provides tips for individuals with autism on how to maintain their mental health and wellbeing.
View ResourceAnxiety
Recognizing and Managing Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal part of life that keeps us safe and alerts us to danger. Having some anxiety is normal, but too much anxiety can be bad, especially when it becomes overwhelming or interferes with day-to-day living. These information sheets provide suggestions and tips to help people recognize and manage anxiety.
View ResourceHow Anxiety Leads to Disruptive Behavior
Kids who seem oppositional are often severely anxious.
View ResourceHow to Ease Anxiety for Adults with Autism during a Doctor’s Visit
Adults with autism spectrum disorder face unique challenges to receiving optimal medical care due to a number of factors.
View ResourceDepression
Men and Depression
Men and women both experience depression but their symptoms can be very different.
View ResourceBehavior
How Anxiety Leads to Disruptive Behavior
Kids who seem oppositional are often severely anxious.
View ResourceFunctions of Behavior
Committed to excellence in specialized services through training, research, and the highest level of professional expertise to meet the broad range of needs in individuals, families, schools, and communities.
View ResourceSupporting Safe Behavior
This resource, developed by ASERT, provides information for direct support staff on how to support individuals with autism who may engage in challenging behavior and ways that support staff can help keep everyone safe.
View ResourceRecognizing and Managing Anger
Everyone has different warning signs so it is important to be able to identify your personal warning signs. Here is a list of common warning signs of anger so you can better learn to identify anger quickly.
View ResourceRecognizing and Managing ADHD in Children and Teens
This resource provides tips for parents to help manage ADHD in their Children and Teens.
View ResourceServices and Assessment
Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS)
The resource will provide families with information on IBHS and an explanation of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Services.
View ResourceHealth Care Quality Units (HCQU)
Health Care Quality Units (HCQUs) serve as the entity responsible to county ID programs for the overall health status of individuals receiving services in the county programs.
View ResourcePA Health Law Project
PHLP is a nationally recognized expert and consultant on access to health care for low-income consumers, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
View ResourcePositive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
PBIS seeks to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of schools and other agencies.
View ResourceNational Child Traumatic Stress Network
Attempting to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families, and communities throughout the United States.
View ResourcePsychopharmacology
Psychopharmacology Information Sheets
These information sheets developed by the ASERT Collaborative, provide information on psychopharmacology and answer common questions about the use of medication to treat autism.
View ResourceCrisis Intervention
Crisis Intervention and De-Escalation
In your direct support to adults with Autism, it is possible that you will encounter moments of crisis. A crisis can be triggered by environmental, social and communication stressors, changes in schedules or routines, task anxiety, and other factors. Crisis looks different for every individual, but in each situation, there will be a period of escalation before the crisis and then a de-escalation. Below you’ll find a helpful strategy for navigating how you can recognize and respond to an individual you’re supporting when he or she is escalating, in crisis, or de-escalating.
View ResourceAutism Speaks: Managing a Crisis Situation
This resource from Autism Speaks provides tips and suggestions for how to support someone who is engaging in challenging or dangerous behavior. It also includes information on what to expect if the individual goes to the emergency room as well as the legal rights of parents and the individual.
View ResourceProviding Support to an Individual with Autism in Crisis
This resource provides basic tips and information on how to support an individual with autism who may be experiencing a difficult situation or crisis. It is important to note that some individuals with autism engage in stereotypic or repetitive behaviors or self-injury, that can make the person “look” like they are in crisis when they are not. As in any situation, take cues from family members, friends or others who know the individual well to determine what, if any, action needs to be taken.
View ResourceAssuring Health and Safety: What does that mean for the Direct Support Professional?
This webcast from the Bureau of Autism Services, provides information on waiver assurance, incident management, abuse and neglect, restrictive procedures and assuring health & safety for direct support professionals who work with individuals who have autism.
View ResourceResponding To Suicidal Statements
This information sheet was developed by the Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative and provides warning signs and tips to help individuals respond to suicidal statements.
View ResourceAutism Speaks: Managing a Crisis Situation
This resource from Autism Speaks provides tips and suggestions for how to support someone who is engaging in challenging or dangerous behavior. It also includes information on what to expect if the individual goes to the emergency room as well as the legal rights of parents and the individual.
View Resource