Jacob and Mae: A Story About My Friend with Autism

By Vanetta LaRosa and Jiri Mesicki, MA

This book is a great instructional tool for teachers to use to help students understand peers with Autism, as well as how to manage situations regarding bullying.
Jane Albert, Ed.D., School District Administrator, Director of Pupil Personnel Services for a Long Island based school district.

This book vividly depicts the power of friendship the special bond that Jacob and Mae share is the perfect example of the value of how positive social relationships play in the lives of ALL children.
Christopher Long, Ed.D., Chief Administrative Officer of Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496936745

Vanetta LaRosa

Dr. Vanetta LaRosa has worked with people with Autism Spectrum Disorders for over 20 years. Her education and training, as well as a deep empathy for others, enable her to work hard on behalf of the students with Autism and behavioral challenges that she serves. She hopes to inspire others to work to change the lives of people with Autism in a positive way. Dr. LaRosa completed a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a sub-specialty in Human Learning and Development in 2007 from the distinguished program at Southern Illinois University. She became a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. While at SIUC, she trained at the clinical ACHIEVE program, the first college program of its kind specifically designed for students with learning disabilities. ACHIEVE was developed by the esteemed, late Dr. Barbara Cordoni in 1978. Dr. Cordoni, one of her most cherished mentors, influenced her career greatly. She received a Master of Arts degree from Queens College in 1998 in Psychology with a behavioral focus. She was named student of the year by The New York State Association in Applied Behavior Analysis (NYSABA) in 2006. She became Board Certified in Behavior Analysis in 2003 and subsequently earned Doctoral distinction. She is a New York State Licensed Behavior Analyst. Dr. LaRosa taught undergraduate psychology courses at the City University of New York at Kingsborough for eight years, two of which were full time. Those courses included Developmental Psychology, Introduction to Psychology, Psychology of Women, Abnormal Psychology, and Applied Social Sciences. She led a co-taught Social Science research course through the College NOW program at CUNY KCC for two years, where she assisted academically gifted high school juniors and seniors complete research projects that led to the submission in the National Intel Science Competition. Dr. LaRosa mentored several students, one who was named a semi-finalist in 2007. She was given two social science research and mentoring awards from Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn, New York in 2005 and 2006. She was named a favorite professor by the students at Kingsborough in 2003. She now teaches Graduate Psychology courses and in the BCBA program at Long Island University-Post. Dr. Vanetta LaRosa is the founder of Helping Hands Consultation Services, Inc. DBA Helping Hands Children Services (www.helpinghandschildren.com). The Helping Hands staff and Dr. LaRosa have been providing Behavioral Consultation (ABA) to several Long Island and NYC schools for over ten years. They provide Special Education Related Services, with a focus on Behavioral consultation. They have written and implemented hundreds of successful Behavior Intervention Plans, which have directly improved the quality of the lives of the students they serve. Dr. LaRosa is also the founder of a not for profit agency developed for children with Autism and developmental disabilities. This Agency, Helping Hands Behavioral Outreach, Inc. is a socialization program that includes typically developing peers. She was awarded grants from the New York State Office of People with Developmental Disabilities, the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation, as well as private donations and supports from The Italian Welfare League, and others. Dr. LaRosa enjoys supporting all people with special needs and abilities. It is her life’s work!

Book preview

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