What Is It?
Parents and caregivers often seek guidance on how to best support their autistic children and adolescents as they navigate daily experiences.
The CALM Compass is a program designed to strengthen collaboration between professionals and families by providing parents and caregivers with practical strategies grounded in best practices.
The autistic individuals in your school, center, or clinic receive high-quality care and programming. How can parents and caregivers extend this support into home and community settings? The CALM Compass provides concrete strategies that promote connection, communication, and confidence in caregiving.
This program offers four key pillars for parents and caregivers: CONNECT, ARTICULATE, LIFT, and MOVE. Each pillar provides actionable strategies that can be applied in everyday situations, such as supporting emotional regulation during moments of distress, preparing for upcoming transitions, and creating environments that reduce sensory overwhelm.
“My goal for The CALM Compass is to put positive and proactive parenting strategies in the hands of people who need them the most: parents and caregivers of children with Autism.”
Skill categories
emotional regulation | empathy | communication skills | how to redirect | behavior guidelines | social skills and scripts | how to use repair
Who Is It For?
The CALM Compass is intended for you to use with parents and caregivers of students or clients in your schools, centers, and clinics.
Professionals working with autistic individuals benefit from tools that support collaboration among educators, clinicians, and families. The CALM Compass provides guidance on effective ways to assist parents and caregivers, fostering a unified and connected approach across schools, centers, and clinics.
While many programs appropriately focus on the needs of the student, parents and caregivers also require support. Without clear guidance, they may struggle to find a cohesive approach that aligns with the strategies used by professionals.
By incorporating The CALM Compass, program professionals and front-line staff can implement proactive, strengths-based strategies that support both families and the individuals they serve. Equipping schools, clinics, and centers with evidence-informed practices helps create a more collaborative and supportive environment for autistic individuals and their support networks.
“As an experienced autism expert and licensed clinical social worker, Mitch brings a rare combination of professional expertise, approachability, and deep empathy to his work with families navigating ASD.
I had the privilege of collaborating with Mitch to facilitate an ASD parent support group in the Stillwater Area Public School District. His ability to create a safe, welcoming space for parents was invaluable. Families felt comfortable sharing their experiences, seeking advice, and connecting with others who understood their challenges. Mitch’s knowledge of autism-related resources, therapeutic strategies, and advocacy was instrumental in guiding parents, while his warmth and openness encouraged meaningful dialogue.
Mitch’s vision for expanding ASD parent groups is both timely and necessary. His clinical background, coupled with his ability to connect with families, makes him an ideal leader for this initiative. I have no doubt that any community or organization he partners with will benefit greatly from his expertise and compassionate leadership.”
Why Should You Use It?
Designing and implementing effective educational and center-based supports for autistic individuals requires careful planning and coordination. Many schools and centers prioritize direct support for students but may lack systems to address the needs of parents and caregivers, who often navigate complex challenges without adequate guidance.
The CALM Compass offers a structured, accessible approach to strengthening connections between professionals, caregivers, and the individuals they support. By integrating this program into schools, clinics, and centers, professionals and front-line staff can equip parents and caregivers with effective strategies to support their child’s development at home.
Key Benefits of The CALM Compass:
Promotes collaboration between professionals and families, fostering a unified approach to support.
Provides practical, evidence-informed strategies for parents and caregivers to use in home environments.
Encourages connection and stability within families by aligning professional and caregiver approaches.
Focuses on proactive and strengths-based strategies rather than punitive responses.
“Mitch has coordinated an autism parent support group with the Stillwater School District and I was fortunate enough to work with him when I came on board four years ago as a CIP/ASD teacher at Lily Lake Elementary, and as the CIP/ASD facilitator.
In my experience, Mitch has demonstrated strengths at leading discussion groups, asking poignant questions, listening to parents’ needs, and directing conversations towards resolve. Mitch’s experience and knowledge in the area of autism present a solution for a specific community need. Having a parent support group for parents of students with autism builds community and supplies a resource that is needed within so many communities.
I would strongly support building a partnership with Mitch Leppicello and the autism community to support families and their children through all parts of their development.”
How Does It Work?
While many programs focus on direct support for autistic individuals, resources specifically designed for parents and caregivers remain limited. The CALM Compass fills this gap by providing evidence-informed, interactive strategies that families can use daily.
The program includes:
Video lessons and supplemental materials.
Interactive reflection prompts and guided exercises.
Strategies that can be adapted for different home dynamics.
Parents and caregivers who engage with The CALM Compass report improvements in emotional regulation and communication, along with increased confidence in supporting their child. UnitusTI offers flexibility for participation, allowing multiple caregivers to access the program at their convenience.
Delivered through the UnitusTI electronic data records cloud
Built on the UnitusTI Platform: This program leverages UnitusTI's leading-edge electronic data records (EDR) cloud, providing professionals with secure access from any device, globally. Benefit from integrated data management tools designed for efficiency and informed decision-making.
UnitusTI features include:
Assessments | Programs | Curricula | Data Acquisition Types | Program Maintenance | Target Maintenance | Pre-defined Reports | Customizable Reports | Service Code Tracking | Session Notes | Graphing | Calendar | Internal Messaging | Document Storage | Session Tracking | Interactive Materials | Role-based Access | Multimedia | Automatic Backups | Billing Prep | Real-time Data Monitoring
The CALM Compass is owned and copyrighted by the program author and is provided as an optional, 3rd party add-on to the UnitusTI electronic data records cloud service. Some of the information on this web page has been provided by external sources. Mundo Pato Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or currency of the information supplied by external sources. Users wishing to rely upon this information should consult directly with the source of the information.