Training
Learning designed for real-world use
HANDS training connects evidence with application. Learning is designed for autistic people, people with developmental disabilities, families, professionals, teams, and organizations across educational, healthcare, behavioral health, public safety, employment, home, and community settings.
Offerings may range from focused workshops and webinars to asynchronous modules, learning series, intensive experiences, train-the-trainer opportunities, and customized professional development. Available formats and levels of support vary by topic and partner need.
Designed for the People Doing the Work
Learning for varied roles, responsibilities, and settings
HANDS serves educators, paraprofessionals, healthcare and behavioral health professionals, first responders, direct support professionals, families, community providers, supervisors, leaders, and organizations. Offerings identify the intended audience, format, learning goals, and any participation requirements so visitors can choose an appropriate starting point.
Evidence Connected With Application
Content is adapted to audience and context
Training draws from behavioral and educational evidence, more than two decades of HANDS research-to-practice experience, and the realities of the settings in which practices will be used. Content, examples, activities, and tools are adapted to participant roles, goals, existing knowledge, setting, and context.
A session for educators may look different from a session for public safety professionals, even when both draw from shared behavioral and educational principles.
Training Topics(need to make a fliter/link to filter)
Specific topics vary by offering and partner need
See topic areas
- Autism and developmental disabilities
- Communication, participation, and self-advocacy
- Understanding behavior and supporting regulation, well-being, and safety
- Teaching, learning, and skill development
- Visual, environmental, and organizational supports
- Data-informed planning and decision-making
- Implementation, coaching, and sustainability
From Learning to Confident Use
Training may combine multiple ways to build skill
| Element | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Clear Instruction | Builds shared understanding of concepts, practices, and the reasons behind them |
| Demonstration & Modeling | Shows how a practice looks in action |
| Guided Practice | Gives participants opportunities to apply new skills with support nearby |
| Feedback & Problem-Solving | Helps participants refine use and address questions or barriers |
| Practical Tools | Connects learning with resources that can be used in everyday routines |
| Next-Step Planning | Identifies how learning can continue after the session |
Training as Part of a Broader Continuum
Match support to readiness and need
Training is one point within a broader continuum of support. When appropriate, HANDS connects learning with coaching, mentoring, consultation, or implementation support so participants can apply new practices, review progress, address barriers, and strengthen consistency over time.
Partners can begin with a focused learning need or a broader question. The HANDS and CBSI teams can help identify whether information, training, coaching, customized consultation, or more intensive implementation support is the most useful next step. Partners may move between levels as needs and readiness change.
Customized Learning and Organizational Support
HANDS can collaborate with schools, healthcare and behavioral health organizations, public safety agencies, service providers, employers, and community groups to develop learning that reflects specific roles, routines, and goals. Customized engagements may connect training with needs assessment, facilitation, tools, coaching, data and feedback routines, or implementation planning.
Find the Right Learning Pathway
Bring HANDS a topic, audience, challenge, or implementation goal. The team can help identify a useful starting point.