Are you a UF CARD constituent who would like to showcase your talents?
Join us for Celebrating Autism in the Arts, an afternoon dedicated to highlighting the creativity and talents of UF CARD constituents.
We welcome artists and performers of all types, including:
Interested in participating? Complete the application form.
Sunday, November 8, 2026
1:00PM – 4:00PM
Congregation B’nai Israel
3830 NW 16th Blvd
Gainesville, FL 32605
Contact Danielle Liso at card-training@ufl.edu or 352-265-2241.
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Wednesdays
September 2 & 16, 2026
October 7 & 21, 2026
November 4 & 18, 2026
12:00PM – 1:00PM
Online
Join us for this six-part series focusing on understanding human behavior. Learn how to predict and prevent behavior, how to teach new, appropriate behaviors, and how to reward positive behavior.
parents/caregivers, professionals
UF CARD Staff
We strive to host accessible events that enable all individuals living in our catchment area* to engage fully. To request accommodations or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Dr. Danielle Liso at 352-265-2241 or card-training@ufl.edu.
Counties Served by UF CARD: Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Suwannee, Union
If you live in a different county in Florida, find your CARD here.
Danielle Liso
card-training@ufl.edu
352-265-2241
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
5:00PM – 6:00PM
Online
Children with ASD often demonstrate strong word-reading skills while experiencing difficulty with understanding, inferencing, and making meaning from text. This practical, collaborative training brings parents and school professionals together to build consistent, research-informed approaches to strengthening listening and reading comprehension.
parents/caregivers, school professionals
Noelle Balsamo, Ed.D., BCBA-D is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Applied Behavior Analysis at Augustana University, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and author of parent guides that translate evidence-based practices into practical strategies for families of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She specializes in applied behavior analysis and instructional practices that support academic, communication, and behavioral development. Her work focuses on designing and evaluating specialized interventions across educational and home settings and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to promote meaningful outcomes for individuals with ASD and their families.
We strive to host accessible events that enable all individuals living in our catchment area* to engage fully. To request accommodations or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Dr. Danielle Liso at 352-265-2241 or card-training@ufl.edu.
Counties Served by UF CARD: Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Suwannee, Union
If you live in a different county in Florida, find your CARD here.
Danielle Liso
card-training@ufl.edu
352-265-2241
Monday, September 21, 2026
4:00PM – 5:30PM
Online
Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational skills PEERS® for School-Based Professionals is an evidence-based treatment developed by UCLA to teach neurodivergent adolescents how to make and keep friends. Topics that are addressed over the course of treatment include: conversational skills, finding common interests, reciprocal conversation, nonverbal communication, electronic communication, safety, choosing friends, extracurricular activities, appropriate use of humor, get-togethers, good sportsmanship, peer rejection, teasing & bullying, changing a bad reputation, and peer conflict. This presentation will provide an overview of the PEERS® for School-Based Professionals model, the research supporting its efficacy, and the recommended formats for utilizing this program in educational settings.
school professionals
Cheryl Checkers, M.S., LMHC-QS, NCC is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, National Board-Certified Counselor, and Qualified Supervisor in the State of Florida. She maintains a private practice specializing in the treatment of autistic adolescents and adults with co-occurring mental health conditions. In addition to her clinical work, Cheryl serves as a consultant for the Florida Atlantic University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. She earned her Master of Science in Psychology and Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University and holds advanced certifications in autism, anxiety, obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD), trauma, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). With over two decades of experience supporting autistic individuals and their families, Cheryl is a respected presenter at both local and regional levels on the intersection of autism and mental health. She is also a certified UCLA PEERS® therapist, having completed her training in 2011 under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, the program’s founder.
We strive to host accessible events that enable all individuals living in our catchment area* to engage fully. To request accommodations or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Dr. Danielle Liso at 352-265-2241 or card-training@ufl.edu.
Counties Served by UF CARD: Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Suwannee, Union
If you live in a different county in Florida, find your CARD here.
Danielle Liso
card-training@ufl.edu
352-265-2241
Wednesdays
December 02, 2026 | Prologue through chapter 6
December 09, 2026 | Chapter 7 through 13
December 16, 2026 | Chapter 14 through 20
6:00 – 7:30PM
Online
Join us to discuss the incredible memoir, A Little Less Broken. One woman’s decades-long journey to a diagnosis of autism, and the barriers that keep too many neurodivergent people from knowing their true selves. Marian Schembari was thirty-four years old when she learned she was autistic. By then, she’d spent decades hiding her tics and shutting down in public, wondering why she couldn’t just act like everyone else. Therapists told her she had Tourette’s syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, sensory processing disorder, social anxiety, and recurrent depression. They prescribed breathing techniques and gratitude journaling. Nothing helped. It wasn’t until years later that she finally learned the she wasn’t weird or deficient or moody or sensitive or broken. She was autistic. Today, more people than ever are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Testing improvements have made it easier to identify neurodivergence, especially among women and girls who spent decades dismissed by everyone from parents to doctors, and misled by gender-biased research. A diagnosis can end the cycle of shame and invisibility, but only if it can be found. In this deeply personal and researched memoir, Schembari’s journey takes her from the mountains of New Zealand to the tech offices of San Francisco, from her first love to her first child, all with unflinching honesty and good humor. A Little Less Broken breaks down the barriers that leave women in the dark about their own bodies, and reveals what it truly means to embrace our differences.
The first 20 registrants from our 14 county catchment area* will receive the book for free.
This book is written by a woman with autism who describes her journey to diagnosis that helped her better understand herself. Although it is a great resource for individuals with autism, it is also recommended for anyone who wants to understand the autistic experience better. All are welcome!
Please note: This book was written for an adult audience and contains a few instances of adult language.
Danielle R Liso, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Associate Director
University of Florida Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (UF CARD)
We strive to host accessible events that enable all individuals living in our catchment area* to engage fully. To request accommodations or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Dr. Danielle Liso at 352-265-2241 or card-training@ufl.edu.
*Counties Served by UF CARD: Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Suwannee, Union
If you live in a different county in Florida, find your CARD here.
Danielle Liso
card-training@ufl.edu
352-265-2241
Please email us if you have any questions.
Full report available upon request. Please contact our office.
Total UF CARD Constituents
UF CARD serves children and adults of all ages and levels of intellectual functioning who have autism, autistic-like disabilities, pervasive developmental disorder, dual sensory impairments (deaf-blindness), or a vision or hearing loss with another disabling condition. Of the 9,392 constituents, 92 have related disabilities.
Annual New Registrations
During 2025-2026, UF CARD received registrations for 1, 094 new individuals who live in the 14 counties served and met diagnostic criteria.
Constituents by County
| COunty | # of consituents |
|---|---|
| Alachua | 3,344 |
| Bradford | 243 |
| Citrus | 712 |
| Columbia | 482 |
| Dixie | 97 |
| Gilchrist | 186 |
| Hamilton | 67 |
| Hernando | 639 |
| Lafayette | 39 |
| Levy | 381 |
| Marion | 2,343 |
| Putnam | 426 |
| Suwannee | 280 |
| Union | 153 |
Constituents by Age
| Age Range | # of consituents |
|---|---|
| 0-2 | 50 |
| 3-4 | 361 |
| 5-15 | 3,961 |
| 16-21 | 1,969 |
| 22+ | 3,051 |
Constituents by Gender
| Gender | # of consituents |
|---|---|
| Male | 6,416 |
| Female | 2,113 |
| Non-Binary | 41 |
Individualized Assistance
Direct constituent/family assistance contacts provided virtually or face-to-face in constituent’s home, UF CARD office, or the community.
Techincal Assistance provided
Face-to-face and virtual professional and programmatic support, including resources, referrals, and programmatic consultation including specific intervention and assistance for a client of the center, the client’s family, and the school district/agency.
Training
Regional or online general overview presentations and online skill development workshops provided to schools, agencies, and caregivers. Topics include: Overview of CARD services, Overview of ASD, Behavioral Supports, Visual Supports, Social Skills, and Post-school transition.
Public Education Events
Host, co-sponsor and/or participate in autism/disability awareness events to enhance public education through the dissemination of literature on ASD and CARD services.