SESSION 6: 2.25-3.35pm
Room LK306
Exploring Diagnosis and Disclosure in Adult Life
About this session:
Dr. Vanessa Hus Bal will discuss ASD diagnosis, assessment and treatment for adults with ASD or suspected ASD. This presentation will provide an overview of of the diagnostic and assessment process, the pros and cons of receiving an ASD diagnosis at different stages of adulthood, decisions regarding disclosure of an ASD diagnosis and treatment approaches and strategies available for adults. The discussion will also highlight some current research on adults. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion with community stakeholders regarding existing clinical and research gaps that they hope to see addressed in the future.
Dr. Vanessa Hus Bal is currently a postdoc in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and will be transitioning to faculty in September. She is a licensed Clinical Psychologist at the UCSF STAR (Service, Training, Advocacy, & Research) Center for ASD and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs). The STAR Center provides comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, family education and support, and treatment services including psychological and behavior services, group treatment, medication management, and speech and language services. Dr. Bal helps to lead the clinical service and research programs for adults at STAR.
Dr. Bal’s research program includes two broad lines of research: 1) characterizing the manifestation of ASD in adulthood across the range of ability levels and 2) identifying factors at different developmental stages that affect longer-term adult achievements. In addition to expanding knowledge in these areas, Dr. Bal's work aims to develop and refine methods to assess and measure clinical phenotypes, including both biological and behavioral approaches that can be used in screening/diagnosis, tracking of symptoms across development, and evaluating response to treatment. Through a multidimensional approach, this work aims to inform the development of targeted interventions that capitalize on individual strengths to promote well-being in individuals with ASD across the lifespan.
Website:
http://profiles.ucsf.edu/vanessa.bal
Room LK306
Exploring Diagnosis and Disclosure in Adult Life
About this session:
Dr. Vanessa Hus Bal will discuss ASD diagnosis, assessment and treatment for adults with ASD or suspected ASD. This presentation will provide an overview of of the diagnostic and assessment process, the pros and cons of receiving an ASD diagnosis at different stages of adulthood, decisions regarding disclosure of an ASD diagnosis and treatment approaches and strategies available for adults. The discussion will also highlight some current research on adults. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion with community stakeholders regarding existing clinical and research gaps that they hope to see addressed in the future.
Dr. Vanessa Hus Bal is currently a postdoc in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and will be transitioning to faculty in September. She is a licensed Clinical Psychologist at the UCSF STAR (Service, Training, Advocacy, & Research) Center for ASD and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs). The STAR Center provides comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, family education and support, and treatment services including psychological and behavior services, group treatment, medication management, and speech and language services. Dr. Bal helps to lead the clinical service and research programs for adults at STAR.
Dr. Bal’s research program includes two broad lines of research: 1) characterizing the manifestation of ASD in adulthood across the range of ability levels and 2) identifying factors at different developmental stages that affect longer-term adult achievements. In addition to expanding knowledge in these areas, Dr. Bal's work aims to develop and refine methods to assess and measure clinical phenotypes, including both biological and behavioral approaches that can be used in screening/diagnosis, tracking of symptoms across development, and evaluating response to treatment. Through a multidimensional approach, this work aims to inform the development of targeted interventions that capitalize on individual strengths to promote well-being in individuals with ASD across the lifespan.
Website:
http://profiles.ucsf.edu/vanessa.bal