Welcome to GAIN!
The Global Autism Interactive Network (GAIN) is a professional development program designed to improve proficiency on the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2nd Edition) the gold-standard autism diagnostic test, while creating with a network of fellow ADOS-2 implementers. GAIN is a virtual, live training webinar hosted by preeminent national ADOS-2 trainers, Vanessa Bal, Ph.D., Somer Bishop, Ph.D., Kourtney Christopher, Ph.D., Amy Esler, Ph.D., Stephen Kanne, Ph.D., and So Hyun “Sophy” Kim, Ph.D.
GAIN Module Series
The purpose of the module series is to review ADOS-2 administration and scoring of specific modules in depth. Upon completion of each module series GAIN participants should be able to describe the administration and intent/purpose of the tasks in the module discussed in the webinar, describe the meaning of the specific codes on the module discussed in the webinar, and evaluate their and others’ administration of the ADOS-2 module presented in the webinar.
GAIN Workshops
Introduction to ASD Workshops
The purpose of the Introduction to ASD workshop series is to provide an introduction to best practices for diagnostic evaluation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The primary focus is on diagnostic evaluation of children, but we will cover some issues related to assessment of ASD in adolescents and adults. The workshop is designed for people who are relatively new to diagnostic evaluation of ASD. We will provide an overview of the essential components that are needed to evaluate DSM-5 criteria for ASD, and we will also review commonly used diagnostic tools. This course may be helpful as a prerequisite for people who will be seeking more focused and in-depth training on specific diagnostic instruments, or on more complex issues related to differential diagnosis.
Differential Diagnosis Workshops
The purpose of the differential diagnosis workshop series is to provide training about issues to consider when attempting to differentiate between ASD and other disorders associated with social-communication deficits and/or restricted and repetitive behaviors. The workshops are intended for clinicians and researchers involved in the diagnostic assessment of ASD. We will present recent research, including studies detailing the use of specific diagnostic instruments in particular populations, as well as clinical case examples and video clips about diagnostically differentiating behaviors.
Meet our GAIN Trainers
Vanessa Bal, PhD
Rutgers University, USA
Dr. Vanessa Bal is an Associate Professor and Karmazin and Lillard Chair in Adult Autism at Rutgers University – New Brunswick. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in New Jersey and director of the LifeSPAN ASD Lab. Her research program emphasizes a lifespan perspective to furthering understanding of autism spectrum disorder in adulthood. Her expertise centers on assessment and measurement of clinical behavioral phenotypes in neurodevelopmental disorders to inform interdisciplinary approaches to delineating biological-behavioral associations and characterization of strengths and challenges in autistic adults.
Somer Bishop, PhD
University of California San Francisco, USA
Dr. Somer Bishop is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and Weill Institute for Neurosciences at the University of California San Francisco. She is a clinical psychologist within the UCSF Center for ASD and NDDs, and participates in comprehensive, multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment of children and adults with ASD and related disorders. Dr. Bishop's research and clinical interests focus on assessment and measurement of social-communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors associated with ASD/NDDs, and how these symptom dimensions are affected by developmental, comorbid emotional/behavioral and contextual factors.
Kourtney Christopher, PhD
University of Kansas, USA
Dr. Christopher is a psychology postdoctoral fellow with the University of Kansas Medical Center’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program in Kansas City, KS. Dr. Christopher received her doctorate from the University of California-Los Angeles under the mentorship of Dr. Catherine Lord, where she assisted in the development of the Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism (BOSA) and Brief Observation of Social Communication Change (BOSCC). Before returning to graduate school, Dr. Christopher had a background in special education and worked at the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders at the University of Missouri-Columbia. There, she founded Global Autism Interactive Network (GAIN) and brought together a talented group of ADOS-2 trainers to share their expertise in autism diagnostics. Dr. Christopher has over 15 years of experience conducting ASD evaluations and training across the US and internationally. Dr. Christopher’s research interests include the early identification of autism through phenotyping and creating meaningful assessment models for clinicians and families.
Amy Esler, Ph.D., L.P.
University of Minnesota, USA
Amy Esler is a licensed psychologist and co-director of the clinics at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain at the University of Minnesota. She completed her PhD in school psychology from the University of Minnesota. Her clinical interests include early diagnosis of autism and care and support of individuals with profound autism as well as fragile X and other rare genetic conditions. Her research focuses on improving access to care and quality of care, effective interventions for aggression and self-injury, and measurement of behaviors and characteristics for tracking growth and change in development. She has been an ADOS-2 and ADI-R trainer for 20 years.
Stephen Kanne, PhD
Weill Cornell Medicine, USA
Dr. Stephen Kanne is the Director of the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain at Weill Cornell Medical School. Prior to this, he was the Executive Director of the MU Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders and a Professor in the Department of Health Psychology. He received his bachelor's degree and his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Washington University. He completed a clinical internship at the University of California, San Diego, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship in Pediatric Neuropsychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He then worked for 5 years at St. Louis Children's Hospital as a pediatric neuropsychologist followed by 4 years in the at the University of Missouri specializing in autism and pediatric neuropsychology, before becoming the Director of the Autism Center at the Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital. He returned to the University of Missouri in 2012 as the Executive Director of the Thompson Center, and transitioned to Weill Cornell in 2020. Dr. Kanne's current research interests focus on children with autism, targeting diagnostic tools, outcome measures, behavioral phenotyping, co-occurring symptoms, evidence-based therapies, and subthreshold symptoms. In addition to publishing in the areas of autism, Dr. Kanne has also published in the areas of cognitive neuropsychology, history of neuropsychology, and pediatric traumatic brain injury. Dr. Kanne is board certified in Clinical Neuropsychology. He also loves to teach and train, providing workshops nationally and internationally in autism.
So Hyun "Sophy" Kim, PhD
Korea University, South Korea
Dr. So Hyun “Sophy” Kim is an Associate Professor at the School of Psychology at Korea Univesity. Dr. Kim is a clinical researcher with an extensive background in identification of early behavioral phenotypes and examining developmental trajectories of children with ASD and other NDDs. She has developed a new language assessment tool, the Observation of Spontaneous Expressive Language (OSEL), which is now undergoing a national norm based on a partnership with the publisher, WPS, in collaboration with Dr. Catherine Lord. She has also led the development of the new treatment outcome measure for ASD, the Brief Observation of Social Communication Change (BOSCC) with Dr. Catherine Lord. Currently, she is a PI of a NIMH funded project designed to examine the mechanisms of early, parent-mediated interventions for toddlers with ASD (1R01MH114925-01). Dr. Kim has led efforts to examine school readiness in kindergarteners with ASD while integrating behavioral and electrophysiological (ERP/EEG) methods, with a particular focus on executive function.
Tomoko Haramaki, PhD
Minds & Hopes, Japan
Dr. Haramaki is the Director of Minds and Hopes, an ASD specified clinic in Saga, Japan. She is a Public Certified Psychologist in Japan.
Robin Rumsey, PhD
University of Minnesota, USA
Dr. Robin Rumsey is an assistant professor and Pediatric Neuropsychologist at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB) Clinic at the University of Minnesota. She has been conducting comprehensive autism assessments since 2005. Dr. Rumsey is active in training of professionals on autism assessment and early signs of autism.
Tanya St. John, PhD
University of Washington, USA
Dr. Tanya St. John is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist at the University of Washington Autism Center and Research Scientist in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences. Dr. St. John has devoted her career to understanding autism across the lifespan, with a particular emphasis on development and early behavioral manifestations and diagnosis of autism. Dr. St. John is co-PI of the IBIS Behavior Core, an independent ADOS trainer, and a diagnostic clinician and clinical supervisor on multiple, NIH-funded studies investigating brain and behavioral development, biomarkers, and interventions in autism including the Infant Brain Imaging Study.
Yu-Yu Wu, PhD
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan
What to Expect
What to Expect
GAIN participants will view and score 2 different ADOS-2 administration videos. GAIN trainers will review ADOS-2 administration guidelines and will discuss the recorded video in detail during each webinar. Scoring data collected from all participants will also be analyzed and reviewed during the webinar. GAIN participants will be able to submit questions, comments and concerns to the GAIN training team which will be reviewed and answered in a separate webinar. GAIN trainers will also review and share relevant research findings with participants.
GAIN offers 4 individual module series which highlight various modules of the ADOS-2 (Toddler Module & Module 1, Module 2, Module 3 and Module 4). Each module series consists of 3 monthly webinars held on the 4th Friday of every month from 12:45pm-2:15pm EST (11:45am-1:15pm CST/10:45am-12:15pm MST/9:45am-11:15am PST). Each webinar is schedule for 90 minutes and includes 60-75 minutes of instructional time. Webinars will be recorded for your viewing convenience.
GAIN Archived webinars from prior years (2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022) are available for purchase.
Prerequisite Training
Prerequisite Training
In order to participate in GAIN, you must have attended and completed a clinical ADOS-2 training program.
Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of each module series GAIN participants should be able to:
- Describe the administration and intent/purpose of the tasks in the module discussed in the webinar
- Describe the meaning of the specific codes on the module discussed in the webinar
- Evaluate their and others’ administration of the ADOS-2 module presented in the webinar
Fees & Discounts
Fees
The fee for each 3-month module series is $60.00. Optional CE credits are an additional $50.00.
Group Discounts
To request a group discount, please contact Angela Constantine at GAIN@med.cornell.edu
- 10% discount is available to those registering a group of 5 or more individuals from the same institution.
- 10% discount is available to those purchasing all 4 modules series.
- 20% discount is available to those purchasing all 4 module series for a group of 5 or more individuals from the same institution.
- DISCOUNTS DO NOT APPLY TO CE CREDIT FEES.
Disclosures
Disclosures
Western Psychological Services (WPS), publisher of the ADOS-2, does not fund the GAIN program. GAIN focuses on the ADOS-2 only and will not include explicit training on other instruments.
Dr. Vanessa Bal has no conflicts of interest or relevant financial or non-financial disclosures as related to ADOS-2. Dr. Somer Bishop receives honoraria from WPS as an author of the ADOS-2. This will not influence her discussion and she will not make recommendations for commercial products. She has no non-financial disclosures related to ADOS-2. Dr. Amy Esler has no conflicts of interest or relevant financial or non-financial disclosures as related to ADOS-2. Dr. Stephen Kanne has no conflicts of interest or relevant financial or non-financial disclosures as related to ADOS-2.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel your ticket after registration please send written notification to Angela Constantine at gain@med.cornell.edu. Refund requests will be processed according to the following guidelines:
MODULE 3 SERIES
Refund Requests made:
- Before Monday, January 9, 2023: Refund minus $10 fee
- Between Monday, January 9 and Monday, January 16, 2023: Refund minus $15 fee
- Between Tuesday, January 17 and Monday, January 23, 2023: Refund minus $20 fee
- After Monday, January 23, 2023: No refund
- Refunds will not be provided to those not meeting the CE attendance requirements.
MODULE 4 SERIES
Refund Requests made:
- Before Monday, April 10, 2023: Refund minus $10 fee
- Between Monday, April 10 and Monday, April 17, 2023: Refund minus $15 fee
- Between Tuesday, April 18 and Monday, April 24, 2023: Refund minus $20 fee
- After Monday, April 24, 2023: No refund
- Refunds will not be provided to those not meeting the CE attendance requirements.
MODULE 1 SERIES
Refund Requests made:
- Before Monday, July 10, 2023: Refund minus $10 fee
- Between Monday, July 10 and Monday, July 17, 2023: Refund minus $15 fee
- Between Tuesday, July 18 and Monday, July 24, 2023: Refund minus $20 fee
- After Monday, July 24, 2023: No refund
- Refunds will not be provided to those not meeting the CE attendance requirements.
TODDLER MODULE SERIES
Refund Requests made:
- Before Monday, October 9, 2023: Refund minus $10 fee
- Between Monday, October 9 and Monday, October 16, 2023: Refund minus $15 fee
- Between Tuesday, October 17 and Monday, October 23, 2023: Refund minus $20 fee
- After Monday, October 23, 2023: No refund
- Refunds will not be provided to those not meeting the CE attendance requirements.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I receive access to my GAIN purchased modules?
Payments via PayPal take 1-2 business days for our team to receive and process. If you are new to GAIN, you will then receive an email from GAIN@med.cornell.edu with the subject, "Welcome to GAIN." This email will then lead you to a brief demographic/self-efficacy survey. Once complete on your end, you will then be granted access to your purchased module series.
I want to change my GAIN account email address. How do I do that?
Please email GAIN@med.cornell.edu and let us know your current GAIN email address and the new email address you would like your account updated to. We will then update your account within 1-2 business days, and send you a confirmation email once complete.
How do I register a group for GAIN?
To request a group invoice, please contact GAIN@med.cornell.edu with a list of the names and email addresses of the individuals you would like to register. Invoice will be sent within 1-2 business days.
- 10% discount is available to those registering a group of 5 or more individuals from the same institution.
- 10% discount is available to those purchasing all 4 modules series.
- 20% discount is available to those purchasing all 4 module series for a group of 5 or more individuals from the same institution.
Do you accept purchase orders?
Due to increased enrollment, we no longer accept purchase orders.
Can I pay by check instead of credit/debit card via PayPal?
Credit/debit card payment via PayPal is highly preferred and will grant you the quickest access to purchased module series. If this is not possible, please contact GAIN@med.cornell.edu to request an invoice. Such exceptions are only made for group purchases, not for individual participants.
I missed my purchased live GAIN module series and/or GAIN Workshop. Can I receive a refund?
Unfortunately, we do not offer refunds for missed series and/or workshops. If you need to cancel, please refer to our Cancellation Policy and be sure to cancel in advance accordingly.
I'd like to submit an ADOS-2 administration video to GAIN. How do I do so?
We are always seeking great ADOS-2 administration videos for our module series! If you are interested, please contact GAIN@med.cornell.edu to receive a patient consent form prior to submitting tapes.
