Social
Information on social groups, books, websites, etc. on helping give children with Autism the social help they need.
One of the most important areas parents want information about is in social functioning. Here are a few resources to help you as you discover all the ways to help your child in this vital area.
Social Groups Guide – Greater Phoenix
About This Social Groups Guide: Thanks to recommendations from members of the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix, we have compiled listings of professional who provide social skills groups in Arizona for individuals on the autism spectrum. All entries in the latest version of the Resource Directory are agencies and/or providers that have been deemed helpful by families in the area.
Their listing should not, however, be considered an endorsement or recommendation either by the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix or its Board of Directors.
For convenience, all entries are listed alphabetically by clinic, organization or private practitioner.
If you know of another group going on in the valley that you think should be included, please submit it to us in writing (either by email or regular mail). Make sure you include the organization’s name, complete address, phone number and email address. You may also include a brief statement of services provided. Please also include your name, phone number, and email address. Please email Katie Wride if you are providing social groups in the valley.
We hope that you find the Resource Guide helpful in locating appropriate services for your children and families.
BAIO ENTERPRISES SOCIAL INTERACTION GROUPS (SIG)
Location: 1745 S. Alma School Rd. Suite #145 Mesa, AZ 85210 Phone: (480)963-3634 Fax: (480)855-8384
Email Address: info@baioenterprises.com Web: http://www.baioenterprises.com/index.htm
Groups offered:
-3 to 5 years – Therapeutic Social Interaction Therapy Group Third Saturday of the Month: 10:00-10:50am
Cost: $35/class, you can pay as you go
Therapist: Marti Baio, M.A., CCC-SLP, Speech Pathologist. This group works on specific play and social skills. (staying at an activity together in a parallel way, playing with a toy together, sharing, asking/commenting to peers, body language, joint attention, etc.).
-6 to 8 years – Therapeutic Social Interaction Therapy Group Third Saturday of the Month: 11:00-11:50am
Cost: $35/class, you can pay as you go
Therapist: Marti Baio, M.A., CCC-SLP, Speech Pathologist. This group works on specific play and social skills (staying at an activity together, making a pretend story together, sharing, asking/commenting to peers, body language, joint attention, etc.).
-9 to 16 years – Therapeutic Social Interaction Tween/Teen Therapy Group
Third Saturday of the Month: 12:00-12:50am Cost: $35/class, you can pay as you go
Therapist: Marti Baio, M.A., CCC-SLP, Speech Pathologist. This group works on specific social skills that will benefit the tweens/teens in developing social skills with peers, developing friendships, learning to get along at school and handle school based social issues, negotiating with parents and teachers, and skills needed in the community at large.
-9 to 17 years – Casual Saturday Third Saturday of the Month: 1:00-3:00am Cost: $10 per child pay as you go
Therapists: At least 1 Therapist and 1 Assistant will facilitate the activities. We will rotate the Facilitators each week. This group is designed to be a place where tweens and teens can have fun and generalize the social skills they have been learning. This is not a therapeutic setting but a “YMCA” type, fun setting. The facilitators will make sure the kids are interacting and having fun.
Foundations Developmental House
Location: 1815 E. Queen Creek Rd. Suite #1 Chandler, Arizona 85286 Phone: 480-219-3953
Fax: 480-219-4203 Web: http://www.fdhkids.com/
Children gather in a supportive environment in small groups of no more than 5 children. Each group meets once a week for 10 weeks. Sessions run throughout the year. Speech-Language Pathologists experienced with pragmatic language disorders teach and reinforce social skills development through structured social skill building activities, guided play, social stories, role play, modeling and other activities.
Friday Afternoon Social – for Young Adults with Disabilities
A social gathering for young adults emphasizing life skills, physical fitness, music, and social participation incorporating music and occupational therapy. This is a 6-week Pilot Program from 12-3pm on Fridays including:
Due to limited space, pre-registration for the 6-week program is required. Various funding options including DDD, third party, and private pay. To pre-register, contact Higher Octave Healing: Phone: (602) 403 – 8800
E-mail: higheroctavehealing@yahoo.com Location: ASU Comm. Services Bldg 200 E. Curry Rd, Tempe, 85281
Pediatric Speech and Language Specialists
Location: 6865 E Becker Lane, Suite 101 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Phone: 480-991-6560
Web: http://www.pediatricspeech.net/index.php
Groups offered:
-Talking Toddlers: A Toddler Communication Therapy Group – Encourage expressive language in very young children
-Child-To-Child: A Preschool Social Language Therapy Group – 2 Groups: 3-4 year olds and 5-6 year olds
-Kid Talk: An Elementary Social Language Therapy Group – Often grouped in 7-10 year olds and 10-13 year olds
-Teen Talk: A Middle and high School Social Thinking Group – Focuses on hidden social rules
S.E.E.K. Arizona
1830 S. Alma School Road, Suite 130, Mesa, AZ 85210 Phone: 480-902-0771 Fax: 480-967-0804
Contact: Jessica Irwin – Executive Director Email: jessica@seekarizona.org Web: www.seekarizona.org
Groups Offered:
-Social Groups-Every other Saturday, times vary by age
-Chess Group- Ages 6 and up for those with special needs
-Girl Scouts- Troop 1109 – troop for girls with special needs, parents must be present at the meetings held one Saturday per month from 9-11:30am
-Junior Life Skills Group- From 9-12 years old M/W from 4-6pm at the Therapy House
- Senior Life Skills Group- From 13-20 years old T/Th from 5:45-8:15pm at the Therpy House
-Playtime with Baby – From 4months to 16 months – Tuesday Mornings
-Tunes ‘n’ Tots – From 18 months to 3.5 years using music to address skill needs
-Paw Pursuits- Vocational skills training program for teens and young adults using service dogs in training
Touchstone Behavioral Health
ADDRESS: 15648 N. 35th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85053 Phone: 602-732-4950 Web: http://www.touchstonebh.org/
Contact: Traci Brown
Social group for girls ages 10-15 yrs old on Tuesdays from 4:30-5:30pm starting on April 3rd. The cost is $160.00 for 8 weeks. This girl’s group is led by a master’s level therapist and ABA interventionist who provide direct instruction through a variety of techniques. Methods include modeling, role play, multi-media, social coaching, games and craft activities to help teach a variety of interpersonal and social signals.
Goal: to increase social strategies, boundary awareness, hygiene, self advocacy and promote healthy relationships.
Social Links
Social Skills Books
- Social Skills Activities for Special Children by Darlene Mannix
- It’s So Much Work to Be Your Friend by Richard LaVoie
- Social Behavior Mapping: Connecting Behavior, Emotions & Consequences Across the Day by Michelle Garcia Winner
- Worksheets for Teaching Social Thinking and Related Skills by Michelle Garcia Winner
- Comic Strip Conversations by Carol Gray
- Solving the Relationship Puzzle by Steven Gutstein, Ph.D.
- Navigating the Social World by Jeanie McAfee, M.D.
- That’s What’s Different About Me! by Kathryn Robbins
- The Hidden Curriculum by Brenda Smith Myles
- Thinking About YOU Thinking About ME, 2nd Edition by Michelle Garcia Winner
- Sticker Strategies to Encourage Social Thinking and Organization by Michelle Garcia Winner
- Think Social! A Social Thinking Curriculum for School-Age Students, 2nd Printing by Michelle Garcia Winner
- Inside Out: What Makes a Person with Social Cognitive Deficits Tick? by Michelle Garcia Winner
- Building Social Relationships by Scott Bellini
- TalkAbility by Fern Sussman
- The Social Skills Picture Book by Jed Baker
- Social Skills Training for Children and Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and Social-Communications Problems by Jeb Baker
- Raise Your Child’s Social IQ: Stepping Stones to People Skills for Kids by Cathi Cohen
- The Unwritten Rules of Friendship: Simple Strategies to Help Your Child Make Friends by Natalie Madorsky Elman
- A is for Autism, F is for Friend by Joanna Keating-Velasco
- The Incredible 5-Point Scale: Assisting Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders in Understanding Social Interactions and Controlling Their Emotional Responses by Kari Buron Dunn, Mitzi Curtis
