Brooklyn Parent Conference Promises to Be a Day of Resources For Parents of Children With Disabilities

Ari Ne’eman, founding president of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network and member of the National Council on Disability, will be the keynote speaker at the 2nd Annual Brooklyn Parent Conference at LIU's Brooklyn Campus on Friday, May 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.  

“A recent study found that almost 40% of autistic young adults leaving high school did not have access to services, with low and minority young adults several times less likely than their peers to have access to service provision,” said Ari Ne’eman. “Recalling my own transition experience, I see this as one of the most pressing untold stories in the national conversation on autism and disability awareness.”

The conference theme is “Living Well: Transitions, Independence & Community Inclusion.” Workshop topics include “Early Childhood Transitions,” “Recreation: Culture Outside the Box,“ “Preparing for Life after High School” and “Me Time! It’s All About the Parent,” among others. Representatives from more than 30 agencies and organizations will participate in the resource fair.

 The Brooklyn Parent Conference will take place in the Library Learning Center on the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University, located in Downtown Brooklyn at 1 University Plaza, at the corner of DeKalb and Flatbush Aves.

To register for the conference, visit www.brooklynparentcenter.eventbrite.com or call 718.998.3000. For more information about the program, email community@brooklyn.liu.edu.

The Office of the Brooklyn Borough President; Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled, Inc.; the Occupational Therapy Department and School of Health Professions on the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University; and the Brooklyn Parent Center, funded by the New York State Department of Education, sponsor the Brooklyn Parent Conference.