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Supporting and Enhancing Resilient Families

Program Description

The ASD Clinic’s Supporting and Enhancing Resilient Families (SERF) Program was developed to provide parent education, skills training, and other supports for children with ASD and other neurodevelopmental or emotional/behavioral needs and their parents/caregivers.  The SERF Program incorporates evidence-based practices for families of children with developmental delays and emotional/behavioral needs and  provides families with opportunities to receive services through both in-clinic and online formats.  The Services provided through this program are free of charge.  For most services, reimbursement to the family for expenses such as mileage, childcare, etc. are provided.

Services Provided

Services provided through the SERF program are completed at no cost to the family.  Enrollment in the program begins with a brief family assessment that can be done in person or online/by phone.  Once the assessment is completed, families can choose along with SERF Program staff which of the following services are most appropriate for them and their families.

Child/Adolescent Services

  1. Child and Adolescent Skill Building Group: This group is designed for children and adolescents between the ages of 9 and 17 who have a diagnosis of ASD or other neurodevelopmental  (e.g., ADHD, Learning Disability) or anxiety disorder (e.g., social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder).  The program focuses on developing social skills, social competencies, and emotion control/regulation skills among children with these diagnoses.  The curriculum used for the groups is a research-supported program and incorporates practice activities both during the session and at  home.  The groups meet on a weekly basis either online or in person over the course of 12 to 16 weeks.
  2. Social Activities: Social activities including movie night, game night, sports nights, etc. are  provided for children and adolescents enrolled in the SERF program.  In order to attend these activities, the child or parent has to be currently or previously enrolled in either the Child Skill Building Group or the Parent Support and Behavior Management Group.

Parent/Caregiver Services

  1. Parent Support and Behavior Management Group: These groups are held both in person and online with free childcare provided at each in-person meeting.  Additionally, compensation in the form of Visa Gift Cards are provided  to parents for each assessment completed and meeting attended.  Meetings occur weekly and are led by a trained therapist.  Parents are guided through a curriculum on child/adolescent behavior management as well as provided with relevant information on autism-specific topics and resources.  enrollment in a research-supported parenting program.
  2. Online and Community Resources: Access to online resources including short videos  that address issues covered in the parenting program and social support meetings (e.g., positive behavior parenting techniques, access to community resources, stress management, etc.).
  3. Respite Care Evenings: Free childcare is provided for families enrolled in the Parent Support and Behavior Management Groups or Child Skill Building Groups for children between the ages of 2 and 14 years of age.  These evenings will be provided on a bimonthly to quarterly basis.

Contact Us

If you or your child may be interested in enrolling in the SERF Program, please contact us at (205)-348-3130 or autismclinic@ua.edu to request more information or to set an appointment for an initial assessment for the program.

Further Resources for Families

For further information on resources in the Central to West Alabama region related to mental health, financial, medical, educational or other needs that families may have please click here: https://autism-clinic.ua.edu/family-support-and-resources/

Funding for this program is provided through a grant received from the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect, Children’s Trust Fund.  To learn more about the Children’s Trust fund, click on the following link.  https://ctf.alabama.gov/

Children's Trust Fund of Alabama