The Help Group was joined by leading experts at its 20th annual Summit: Advances and Best Practices in Autism, Learning Disabilities and ADHD on Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 15 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

Over the two days, 500 guests that included professionals and parents, heard from 30 cutting edge presentations on a wide range of topics related to basic and applied research, evidence-based best practices in assessment, intervention and treatment.img_4315

During Friday’s luncheon program, The Help Group saluted The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® in recognition of its 15-year partnership in promoting autism awareness and supporting The Help Group’s autism programs. The W.M. Keck Foundation was recognized for its recent major grant to The Help Group’s STEM³ Academy, dedicated to preparing students with social and learning differences for a successful transition to the 21st century workforce.

Keynote speakers included: Dr. Matthew State, Oberndorf Family Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry, USCF; Dr. Thomas E. Brown, Director of the Brown Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Keck Medical Center of USC; Dr. Kevin Pelphrey, Carbonell Family Professor in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Director, Autism and  Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, The George Washington University; and Dr. Maryanne Wolf, John DiBiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service, Director Center for Reading and Language Research, Tufts University.

“We were so pleased to be joined by an outstanding line-up of thought leaders who are at the forefront of their fields and to thank The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® and the W.M. Keck Foundation for their generous support,” said Dr. Barbara Firestone, The Help Group President and CEO.  Dr. Firestone serves as Summit Chair along with Peter C. Whybrow, MD, Director, UCLA Semel Institute, Summit; and Robert M. Bilder, PhD, Chief, Medical Psychology – Neuropsychology, UCLA Semel Institute

This year’s Summit media sponsors were NBC4 Los Angeles and L.A. Parent and major sponsors First 5 California and First 5 LA.