Why would you call CARD at USF?

Our work focuses on providing communities, organizations, agencies, service providers and families with the knowledge and skills to support children and adults in early intervention, school, community, work, and home settings. In our work, we address issues that impact individuals across the life span.

Here is what we do:

• Develop and disseminate materials. Some of these materials are available online; others are available on CDs, videotape or in writing.
• Develop and distribute a newsletter two times a year. The newsletter is free to folks in our 14 county region of Florida.
• Organize and conduct regional and statewide training events. Each year, regional workshops are organized on topics of great interest to families and school personnel.
• Organize and conduct training events. CARD-USF partners with community providers such as FDLRS, FIN, FND and others to offer information on relevant topics for families and professionals.
• Maintain an active website. Families and professionals often access the web to gather information. Our website links to information about resources about autism and related disabilities, provides a list of training events, and other valuable information. The website is updated on a regular basis.
• Engage in individual consultations. Our staff may be asked to offer families or professionals strategies or information on best practices to increase skill development or address behavioral concerns by observing the individual in natural settings, and collaborating with the person's team and family members to suggest appropriate services and supports. These consultations require a time commitment from all involved.

There are a number of activities that are outside our work scope.

These are as follows:

• We are not a treatment provider. Children and adults with autism do not receive direct treatment from CARD-USF employees.
• CARD-USF employees do not conduct formal assessments, evaluations or testing, or provide diagnostic services.
• We are not a crisis management program, be instead focus on proactive programming. We maintain a list of professionals who can diagnose and assess, and may be able to identify professionals who can provide other forms of assistance.
• CARD-USF does not promote one intervention method or a single approach. Instead, we address the specific needs of the individual(s) by providing information and training on a variety of strategies and methods.