On-Demand CE Training
ODL 400: Women with Autism: Addressing the Overlooked and Misdiagnosed
Please make sure to check with your own state board to ensure the transferability of CE credit for an asynchronous course. Some state boards may place restrictions regarding the modality of training required for ethics credits to be awarded. If this training indicates ethics credits are available, please verify that your state allows them to be earned through an on-demand course format.
Please note: This on-demand webinar is a replay of a live CE event. The format reflects the original presentation and may include live Q&A, transitions, and intermittent audio/visual fluctuations typical of a live recording.
1 CREDIT HOUR APPROVED FOR:
Social Workers
ASWB ACE – 1 Clinical Continuing Education credit
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work – 1 Contact hour
Psychologists
APA – 1 CE credit
Counselors 1 Contact hour
NBCC ACEP – 1 Contact hour
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners – 1 Contact hour
Addiction Professionals
NAADAC – 1 Contact hour
Nurses
California Board of Registered Nursing – 1 Contact hour
Case Managers
CCMC – 1 CE Contact hour
Created On: 4/1/26
Target Audience:
This course is targeted for social workers, psychologists, counselors, nurses and case managers.
Counselor Skill Groups:
4. Counseling Services
Overview:
Throughout the United States and abroad, boys are more commonly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many girls and even females in adulthood are overlooked as having ASD. While the manifestation and exhibited characteristics associated with ASD in females often appear different than for males, females with autism are often misdiagnosed and overlooked altogether, requiring them to navigate a world predicated on social interaction without a proper diagnosis and relevant services. This training will discuss the common ways that autism manifests for females and clinical considerations for practitioners.
Course Objectives:
By the end of the session, the participant will be able to:
- Analyze common differences in the characteristics and manifestation of autism among females versus males.
- Recognize common co-occurring conditions that females with autism often experience.
- Explain the reasons for misdiagnosis and under-diagnosis for females with autism.
- Summarize strategies and interventions to support females with autism and their family caregivers.
Presenter:
Christina Marsack-Topolewski, PhD, LMSW
Christina is a licensed social worker and an Associate Professor of Social Work at Eastern Michigan University. She received her Bachelor of Science in Special Education from Wayne State University, Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, and her PhD in Social Work with a dual title in Gerontology from Wayne State University. She has 20 years of experience supporting individuals with disabilities and their family caregivers. She has consulted on cases of individuals with disabilities with various co-occurring conditions. Dr. Marsack-Topolewski has worked as a professor, clinical therapist, teacher, consultant, and speaker. She has published over 80 research articles in scholarly journals and encyclopedias regarding individuals with disabilities, family caregiving, and aging.
Dr. Marsack-Topolewski has served as the lead principal investigator on multiple grant-funded programs tailoring services for individuals with disabilities, older adults, and chronic illnesses. She is an appointed board member of the U.S. National Task Group (NTG) on Intellectual Disability and Dementia Practices. Dr. Marsack-Topolewski’s research has been featured on National Public Radio (NPR) and ABC News Detroit. Over the past 5 years, she testified before members of the Michigan Legislature to advocate for new laws that protect against the exploitation and abuse of adults with disabilities. The first of these house bills was signed into law in the state of Michigan in December 2023. In 2024, she received the Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Research Award for Research Excellence. In addition, she received the Arc of Oakland County’s Advocacy Hall of Fame Award in 2024.