For Immediate Release

Media Contact: Vicki Walker
Phone: (704) 621-2085
E-mail: communications@albanyhealthmanagement.com

Patricia Fennell Offers Help for Families with Autism at National Conference

ALBANY, N.Y., JULY 7, 2008 — Nationally recognized expert on chronic illness Patricia A. Fennell, MSW, LCSW-R, will be a speaker at the 39th National Conference on Autism Spectrum Disorders on July 10th in Orlando. The conference is sponsored by the Autism Society of America.

The experience of living with an autism spectrum disorder is often difficult, traumatizing and life-changing for the entire family unit. These challenges change frequently, depending upon factors such as the affected person’s age, life and developmental stage; family conditions and resources; and social needs and expectations. Ms. Fennell's talk, Helping Families Cope with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Four-Phase Approach, will help families and their health care teams integrate into families’ lives the ever-evolving realities of being or living with a person with autism.

The Autism Society of America's 39th National Conference & Expo on Autism Spectrum Disorders will take place July 9-12 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center, 6000 W. Osceola Parkway in Kissimmee, Fla.

ASA is the nation’s leading grassroots autism organization. It exists to improve the lives of all affected by autism by increasing public awareness about the day-to-day issues faced by people on the spectrum, advocating for appropriate services for individuals across the lifespan, and providing the latest information regarding treatment, education, research and advocacy. For more information, visit autism-society.org.

Ms. Fennell, President and CEO of Albany Health Management Associates, Inc., is the creator of the Fennell Four-Phase Treatment (FFPT™) model, a highly practical, internationally utilized and empirically validated approach to clinical management of chronic illness, trauma and emotional loss. It addresses the complexity of these conditions by matching best clinical practices to four phases — crisis, stabilization, resolution and integration — and identifies the most appropriate and effective interventions for each phase. The FFPT model provides a narrative framework and cognitive map for all persons affected by a crime, helping them describe, understand and adapt to life following a trauma-producing event or condition.

For more information about Ms. Fennell or Albany Health Management Associates, Inc., please call (518) 782-0551 or visit AlbanyHealthManagement.com or PatriciaFennell.com.

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