Training • Workshops • School Consultations
Building Capacities in Schools to Support Students with Autism
For over 20 years, the MESA Program (formerly Project PEAK) has provided consultation and professional development to educators and professionals who work with children on the autism spectrum. Our team brings together the combined experience of certified special education teachers, general education teachers, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, board-certified behavior analysts, and psychologists.
Our goal is to build capacity in the public school system to support children with autism. We do this by teaching evidence-based practices in our statewide trainings and workshops and through consultation with individual school teams.
Statewide Trainings & Workshops
We offer a range of professional development opportunities throughout the year. The trainings cover a broad range of autism-related topics and include everything from basic autism awareness training to multi-day workshops that provide in-depth, hands-on learning opportunities. These trainings are led by experienced members of our MESA Program team as well as by nationally respected trainers, researchers, and clinicians.
- Training
- On-site collaborative consultation
- Mentoring, coaching, and demonstration teaching
- Information dissemination
- Program evaluation, and quality assurance
- Links to educators and professionals from other disciplines
Outcomes
- Increased capacity of schools and service providers to provide appropriate assessments and effective programs for children with ASD
- Retention of qualified personnel
- Enhanced partnerships with families
- Families, schools, and service providers are supported at the local, regional, and state levels
- Children with ASD reach goals for personal independence and social responsibility
- School Support Services are provided by an interdisciplinary team consisting of certified special education teachers, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, and psychologists
School Consultation
Sometimes teams just need a different set of eyes on the situation, this is where MESA Program team can help through our consultative services. Our consultative services can include on-site consultation for a specific student, on-site consultation for a classroom and/or program, or a fully virtual consultation. Our consultation services provide practical information the school can use immediately, while also providing the team with resources they can use throughout the school year.
If you are a teacher or other school staff and would like to set up a school consultation, we'd love to talk to you and see how we can help.
Schedule Virtual Consultation