MISSdiagnosed and MISSunderstood: A Deeper Dive into Clinical Strategies to Support Autism and Other Co-Occurring Realities in Females
Date/Time
Time: 8:45 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern
Location: LIVESTREAM
Cost: $99.99
Credits: 5 CE Credits
Events open 15 minutes before the hour. Registration ends 30 minutes before the event opens.
Presenter(s)
CEU Creations presents:
MISSdiagnosed and MISSunderstood: A Deeper Dive into Clinical Strategies to Support Autism and Other Co-Occurring Realities in Females
FEATURING:
- A gender-responsive lens on ASD—how autism can present differently in females and why that often leads to missed or delayed identification
- Evidence-based strategies to address co-occurring conditions and build individualized supports for autistic females and their family caregivers
EVENT INFO:
8:45 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern
COST:
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS:
Social Workers:
ASWB ACE – 5 Clinical CE credits
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work – 5 Contact hours
Psychologists:
APA – 5 CE credits
Counselors:
NBCC ACEP – 5 Contact hours
NY State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners – 5 Contact hours
Addiction Professionals:
NAADAC – 5 Contact hours
Nurses:
California Board of Registered Nursing – 5 Contact hours
Case Managers:
CCMC – 5 Contact hours
Attendance or applied credit certificate available for other credentials.
Please make sure to check with your own state board to ensure the transferability of CE credits.
Counselors: If this course awards Ethics hours, please note that some states do not recognize Ethics hours; in those cases, Contact hours will be awarded.
Target Audience: Social workers, psychologists, counselors, nurses, and case managers
Counseling Skill Group:
4. Counseling Services
OVERVIEW:
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is diagnosed more frequently in males, while females are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. This current diagnostic reality lends itself to many females not receiving the recognition, services, or support they need. Emerging research shows that autism may present differently in females, with distinct behavioral, social, and developmental patterns that can mask or complicate clinical identification.
This webinar will provide foundational information pertaining to the unique ways ASD may appear in females and the clinical challenges these differences create for professionals. The session will highlight how autism can manifest for females, explore common co-occurring conditions, and discuss systemic and diagnostic factors that contribute to missed or delayed diagnoses. Participants will also gain evidence-based strategies and interventions to more effectively support autistic females and their families as they navigate social, developmental, and clinical needs.
OBJECTIVES:
By attending this training, you will be able to:
1. Analyze key differences in how autism characteristics and symptoms commonly present in females compared to males.
2. Identify common co-occurring conditions that females with autism often experience.
3. Describe the reasons for misdiagnosis and under-diagnosis for females with autism.
4. Explain strategies and interventions to support females with autism and their family caregivers.
5. Evaluate how social, cultural, and systemic factors influence the identification and support of females with autism.
6. Formulate individualized support strategies that address the unique social, emotional, and developmental needs of autistic females across various settings.
AGENDA:
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. MISSdiagnosed and MISSunderstood (includes a 10 minute break)
12:00 p.m. – 12:40 p.m. Midway Reset
12:40 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. MISSdiagnosed and MISSunderstood (includes a 10 minute break)
PRESENTER BIO:
Christina Marsack-Topolewski, PhD, LMSW, 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 on Intellectual Disability and Dementia Practices. Dr. Marsack-Topolewski’s research has been featured on National Public Radio 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.
COURSE PARTICIPATION INFORMATION:
To ensure you are ready to participate, please review these tips and tricks to ensure a better webinar experience.
This live webinar is fully interactive. Attendees may ask and answer questions throughout the presentation and participate in instructor-led discussions. A computer or mobile device is required. Zoom account is not required.
You will receive a reminder email approximately 24 hours prior to the start of the training and a link to join the webinar will be in your CEU Creations account under Member Profile.
To receive credit, you must log in on time, attend the entire presentation, and interact.
POST EVENT: When the training ends, your attendance will be processed using Zoom analytics. Once processed, the evaluation link will be available in your account and we ask that you complete it within 3 days of the training. Once your evaluation is complete, your certificate will be available in your CEU Creations account within 24-72 hours.
Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions.
FINE PRINT
SOCIAL WORKERS: CEU Creations, #1239, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/24-11/22/27. Social workers completing this course receive 5 Clinical CE credits.
CEU Creations, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0616. This activity is approved for 5 Contact hours.
PSYCHOLOGISTS: 5 CE credits. CEU Creations is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CEU Creations maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
COUNSELORS: 5 Contact hours 
CEU Creations has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6941. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CEU Creations is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. CEU Creations, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0199. This activity is approved for 5 Contact hours.
ADDICTION PROFESSIONALS: This course has been approved by CEU Creations, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for 5 CEs.
NURSES: 5 Contact hours. CEU Creations is an approved provider of nursing CEs through the California Board of Registered Nursing. Provider number: CEP17905. All states retain their own licensing authority through their own boards. Please make sure to check with your own state board to ensure transferability of the CE credits.
Cancellation Policy: Registrants must cancel their registration in their CEU Creations account. No email, faxes, or mail cancellations will be accepted. Cancellation fee: $25. Refunds will not be given for cancellations within five (5) business days prior to the workshop date.
Accessibility Accommodations: At CEU Creations, we are dedicated to providing an inclusive and accessible experience for all individuals. We strive to ensure our continuing education content, website, and services are usable by everyone, regardless of ability. We are continually working to enhance accessibility and user experience for all of our users. If you encounter any barriers, have questions, or wish to request accommodations, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact us at [email protected] and a member of our team will review your message and respond promptly.
Event Cancellation and Rescheduling Policy: In the event that CEU Creations cancels or reschedules an event, registered participants will be given the option to receive a full refund, a credit toward a different event of the same value, or to transfer their registration to the rescheduled date.