Midwest Chapter Meeting April 25, 2025
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM ET | Live, Virtual | Registration closes 4/22/2025 5 PM ET
5.5 ADED Contact Hours | Members $30/Non-Members $60 | Attendance at the entire event is required to earn contact hours

Meeting Agenda (Subject to Change)

9:00am EST/8:00am CST - Start of Conference, welcome and discuss plan for the day
9:10 to 10:10am EST/8:10 to 9:10am CST - Laurie Misslich, OT/CDRS. Topic: Training Approaches for ADHD, Autism, Anxiety
10:15 am to 12:15pm EST/9:15 am to 11:15am CST - Spectrios Institute. Topic: Low Vision Driving
12:15 pm to 12:50pm EST/11:15 am to 11:50am CST - Lunch
12:50 pm to 3:20pm EST/11:50 am to 2:20pm CST - DeAnna Frye, Ph.D. Topic: Cognition and Driving: A Neuropsychological Perspective
3:25 to 3:55 pm EST/2:25 to 2:55 pm CST - Business meeting/Wrap Up
4:00 to 4:15pm EST/3:00 to 3:15pm CST - Social with game that includes prizes

Strategies for Teaching Novice Drivers with ASD, ADHD, and Anxiety 

It is possible for new drivers with diagnoses such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Anxiety to obtain their driver's license and maintain safe and independent driving practices. It is important for the driving instructor to have experience with treating these diagnoses, understanding of the medications that can be involved and the ability to build an individualized approach for each student. Specific strategies can enhance the driving student's learning and behind the wheel experience. 

Learning Objectives:
1. The participant will identify eight key strategies for helping people with autism learn to drive.
2. The participant will verbalize at least three tips to assist individuals with ADHD be a safer driver.
3. The participant will explain how exposure can help with reducing anxiety related to driving. 

Presenter Bio: Laurie Misslich has been an Occupational Therapist for twenty-nine years in the state of Wisconsin. She has completed pre-driving clinical evaluations for twenty years and has owned Adaptive Driving LLC. with her husband for almost six years. She has spent all of her career working with individuals with neurological impairments in the acute, inpatient rehab and outpatient neuro settings. During ten years of her clinical experience, she has served in a supervisory role over other rehab professionals and has helped to develop programs and education for driving including cognitive impairments, physical impairments and vision impairments. She has specialties in NDT, Neuro Developmental Treatment, lymphedema, low vision, dementia and Parkinson's, LSVT and PWR. She has worked with individuals with Autism, ADHD and Anxiety in driver's that are fifteen years old through adulthood. She provides education about driving rehabilitation to local Universities with programs for Occupational Therapy, has spoken at several WOTA the Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association conferences, and has instructed other Occupational Therapists in her specialty areas at the UW-Milwaukee Education Extension Program and through Advocate Health. 

Low Vision in Drivers: Considerations and Case Studies 

Meeting the needs of the client with low vision can be a challenge for any driver rehabilitation professional. The goals of the client, state vision requirements, the nature of the vision condition(s), and of course safety concerns must be considered. This seminar will explore vision loss and related concepts, dive into a low vision exam and bioptic system fittings and recommend intervention strategies for both the non-bioptic and bioptic potential drivers. 

Learning Objectives:
1. How vision loss impacts driving ability
2. What to look for during the low vision eye exam
3. When to consider bioptics (telescopic systems)
4. Collaboration between optometry and occupational therapy
5. Intervention and education for low vision daylight drivers
6. Pre-driving training with bioptic telescope systems 

Presenters Bios:
Rachel Park, OD, FAAO
Clinical Director at Spectrios Institute for Low Vision
Optometry Residency – V.A Healthcare System, Portland, Oregon
Doctor of Optometry – Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago, Illinois

Katrina Stratton, OTR/L
Assistance Clinical Director at Spectrios Institute for Low Vision
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy – Rush University, College of Health Sciences, Chicago, IL 

Cognition and Driving: A Neuropsychological Perspective 

This presentation will provide an overview of neuropsychological assessment for occupational therapists to help improve understanding of the purpose and role of neuropsychology in individuals with known or suspected neurological injuries/illness. Discussion will include the difference between screening batteries and comprehensive assessments. General guidelines regarding how to understand a neuropsychological report will also be provided. Emphasis will be placed on how cognitive abilities impact ability to drive and what areas of neuropsychological assessment are beneficial in driving assessments. 

Learning Objectives:
1. Individuals will be able to describe the role of a neuropsychologist in identifying cognitive strengths and limitations
2. Describe the difference between a cognitive screening test and a comprehensive assessment
3. Identify two reasons why an individual would benefit from a referral for a neuropsychological evaluation\
4. List at least two cognitive domains that are evaluated by a neuropsychologist
5. Develop an understanding of the relationship between cognitive impairment and driving abilities 

Presenter Bio: DeAnna Frye Ph.D. is a neuropsychologist who has been providing services to brain injury survivors and their families since 1994 in the northeast Ohio area. She has worked in a variety of rehabilitation settings, including at an inpatient acute rehabilitation hospital, a neurology practice, as the clinical director of a post-acute community-based day program and as the staff neuropsychologist for a post-acute residential treatment program for brain injury survivors. She is currently providing outpatient services at Cleveland Clinic Akron General where duties include neuropsychological evaluation and therapy services in addition to serving as the neuropsychologist for the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute’s Summit county TBI clinic. Dr. Frye is a founding member of the Summit County TBI Collaborative and current chair. She also serves as the President for the Northeast Ohio Brain Injury Foundation and is the current First Vice President for the Brain Injury Association of Ohio. 

Attendance at the entire event is required to earn contact hours, no partial hours are awarded. Registration confirmation and payment receipts are e-mailed to the attendee. All cancellations must be made in writing to the ADED Executive Office by April 18, 2025 5:00 PM ET; a 20% handling fee will be charged. Refunds will not be issued after this date or for “no-shows.” Partial refunds will not be granted. ADED reserves the right to modify content, timetable, change speakers, or cancel events due to unforeseen/unavoidable circumstances at any time. If ADED cancels an event, a full refund will be provided to registrants. All complaints relative to the content, instructor, and registration procedures are to be directed to the ADED executive office: 200 1st Ave NW #505 Hickory NC 28601 or via email eLearning@aded.net

ADED's Education Code of Conduct applies to this and all ADED education.