Provider-specific training involves dedicated and tailored training time for mental health professionals, centred on a more in-depth focus on how mental health problems present in autism; adaptations to service delivery that span multiple kinds of intervention; and communication strategies to improve interactions between provider and client. Case-based examples of the delivery of psychological interventions to autistic youth will be used to demonstrate adaptations.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Increased knowledge of how to adapt psychological interventions to be autism-informed.
• Increased awareness of how autistic mental health involves biopsychosocial considerations.
• Increased connections with other mental health providers within the region.

STRUCTURE OF TRAINING
• Length of Training: 2–3-hour sessions.
• Program Delivery: Virtual. Training will also be recorded and accessible to participants.
• Language of Instruction: English and French.
• Cost: There is no charge to you or your organization for this training as this project is funded by the Government of Ontario.

The full training curriculum is available here.
Due to demand, CMHO will offer a final last chance to complete the Advanced Training in Fall 2023.
See training schedule here.

This training will deliver autism mental health literacy training, focusing on how to first identify potential mental health concerns, including steps to take to provide mental health care first aid (e.g., being supportive of the client and family, identifying current informal and formal supports, looking for easy immediate steps that can help, etc.); learning about the mental health resources that exist (both informal and formal support sources), and identifying what they can do within their scope of practice to promote positive mental health in autistic clients.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Increased knowledge of mental health symptoms in autistic children and youth.
• Increased knowledge on steps providers can take to support the mental health of autistic people before and after the presentations of mental health symptoms.
• Increased knowledge of when to refer clients to other services for mental health concerns.

STRUCTURE OF TRAINING
• Length of Training: 2–3-hour sessions.
• Program Delivery: Virtual. Training will also be recorded and accessible to participants.
• Language of Instruction: English and French.
• Cost: There is no charge to you or your organization for this training as this project is funded by the Government of Ontario.

The full training curriculum is available here. 
Due to demand, CMHO will offer a final last chance to complete the Advanced Training in Fall 2023.
See training schedule here.

• Due to demand, CMHO will offer a final last chance to complete the Advanced Training in Fall 2023.
• The Fall 2023 provincial training cohorts will be hosted in English.
• These virtual sessions will span over two-half day training sessions, led by Dr. Jonathan Weiss.
• Register here – limited spaces available!
• See training schedule here.

• The Foundational and Advanced Trainings hosted in French closed May 2023.
• For mental health and autism providers practicing in Ontario email training@cmho.org for access to the recordings, slides, and training resources in French.

● CMHO will launch five regional (English) and one provincial francophone communities of practice in September 2023 with the support of Dr. Weiss and Dr. Prud’homme until March 2024.
● The sessions will be held virtually for one-hour and will allow providers within each region to connect, learn about the services that are accessible to their clients, and continue to increase their knowledge based on the wisdom that is held within that community.
● After the completion of the project, the communities of practice will continue.
● In Fall 2023, we will host additional booster sessions based on the needs identified through our evaluation and communities of practice.

• Register here for the Fall 2023 Training cohorts.
• This will be the last opportunity for the Specialized Training for Mental Health Providers.

• Register here for the Fall 2023 Training cohorts.
• This will be the last opportunity for the Specialized Training for Autism Providers.

• The Foundational and Advanced Trainings hosted in French closed May 2023.
• For mental health and autism providers practicing in Ontario email training@cmho.org for access to the recordings, slides, and training resources in French.

Registration will close 5 business days before each individual training session.

Yes.

Any of the mental health and autism providers that are eligible for the foundational training can also participate in the advanced training. You do not need to complete the foundational training to take the advanced training, though it is encouraged. Please refer to the list above.

No, while it is recommended, it is not required.

Families and caregivers play a significant role in providing support for autistic children and youth. This training is specifically designed to support mental health and autism professionals to help them better support autistic children/youth who also have mental health needs. Resources and learning designed for families and care givers can be accessed here.

There is no charge to you or your organization for this training as this project is funded by the Government of Ontario.

All training sessions will be hosted virtually.

The foundational training is a total of 6 hours, split into 2–3-hour sessions.

The advanced training for mental health providers is a total of 6 hours, split into 2–3-hour sessions.

The advanced training for autism providers is a total of 6 hours, split into 2–3-hour sessions.

The training sessions will include breakout rooms where you will have the opportunity to have an engaged and collaborative discussion on the course curriculum with your peers and colleagues. You are also encouraged to ask questions.

Attendees will be presented with foundational knowledge regarding autism and mental health within an interprofessional education context. Topics will include:
– Reviewing core content regarding the broad spectrum of common needs for autistic youth. Practical conceptualizations of mental health.
– Up-to-date evidence about the causes of mental health challenges for autistic youth and psychosocial interventions to address symptoms.
– Learn through case-based learning by hearing from speakers with lived experience focusing on the intersecting sociodemographic factors that can affect mental health.

The regional focus will also include a distribution of local autism and mental health agencies and professionals in attendance, setting the stage for increased collaboration by knowing others who share similar foundational knowledge.

To learn more, download the training curriculum here.

To learn more, download the training curriculum here.

To learn more, download the training curriculum here.

Mental health clinicians who intend to actively engage in treatment of autistic children and youth with co-occurring mental health challenges will gain a deep knowledge of psychotherapy techniques.

Autism clinicians will learn how to identify mental health challenges in autistic children and youth and learn more about how to support these children and youth.

The project has developed a modified training plan for francophone providers across the province based on advice from francophone stakeholders. Dr. Marie-Hélène Prud’homme will work with Dr. Jonathan Weiss to deliver the foundational and advanced training to a provincial francophone cohort. The foundational and specialized advanced trainings will launch in the Winter and Spring of 2023. We will develop a provincial francophone community of practice for autism and mental health service providers. Dr. Marie-Hélène Prud’homme will participate in the community of practice until the completion of the project in March 2024, at which time the communities of practice will continue. In September 2023, there will be additional booster sessions provided based on the needs of francophone providers identified from the training evaluations and community of practice.

• The assessment, diagnosis and treatment of autism.
• Reviewing how families access services and support.
• OAP logistics including how to become eligible for the OAP services.

Upon completing the foundational and/or advanced training, providers will be invited to attend regional communities of practice, which will be led by providers in each region and with agendas set by that community and focused on real world advice giving and problem solving. These 1-hour online meetings will allow providers within each region to connect, learn about the services that are accessible to their clients, and continue to increase their knowledge based on the wisdom that is held within that community. Dr. Weiss will support the communities of practice until the completion of the project in March 2024. To build upon the lessons and skills acquired in the training, in Fall 2023, CMHO, in partnership with Autism Ontario and Dr. Weiss, will host additional booster sessions based on the needs identified through our evaluation and communities of practice. After the completion of the project, the communities of practice will continue.

Certificates will be emailed to those who complete the foundational and/or advanced training sessions.

Continuing education credits are available depending on the college you are a member of. For example, if you are a member of the Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), College of Occupational Therapy of Ontario (OT), or Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, you can include this training as part of your continuing education credits as long as you put this training as part of your goal and you receive a certificate of completion.

We encourage you to find a quiet space where you will have no distractions so you can fully immerse yourself in the training curriculum. Think about what you will need in order to have the best training experience that will allow you to retain your learning; this can include having a tea or coffee, using noise cancelling headphones, placing your work status to “Do Not Disturb,” and/or having a notepad to write insights, key learnings, and questions. We also encourage you to use the chat function when in the training. If you’re comfortable, turn your camera on during the breakout sessions, ask questions throughout the training, and attend your community of practice to sustain your learnings and ask any additional questions.

We highly recommend using a desktop and Google Chrome browser as mobile devices and tablets have limited compatibility.

You will receive the links automatically in the confirmation and reminders emails.

Check your junk folder; if you still can’t find your confirmation email contact training@cmho.org

Yes! All materials presented will be available including a recording of the training sessions. Please note the training recording may not be the specific session you attended. These resources will be emailed to you after you complete both training sessions for the foundational and advanced training.

No! CMHO has copyrights to all of the materials provided during the training sessions now and in the future. If you are interested in partnering on an initiative in the future, please contact training@cmho.org.

You can contact the training team via email at training@cmho.org.