Neurodiversity Is Normal
Mission: Changing perceptions about Autism Spectrum Disorders by showing that neurodiversity is a normal condition for humans and improving quality of life for adults with ASD through fulfilling jobs, safe/affordable housing, accessible post-secondary training/education, meaningful emotional/social connections, and access to a greater number of trained mental health and support services providers to address the needs of the increasing population of adults with ASD.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Some Helpful Resources
For information regarding the Pennsylvania Adult Autism Waiver:
For information on The Client Assistance Program (CAP):
For information on Medicare and Medical Assistance:
For information regarding Social Security Disability Benefits:
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
I-Pads for Qualified Individuals from Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks, through their family services and community connections
department, will be offering six hundred twenty-five I-Pads to families and individuals who
qualify. The official deadline for the application is December 7,
2012. If you are interested
in finding out if you qualify, log on to
familyservices@autismspeaks.org.
Check our Autism Speaks Website and you will see the application process as well as guidelines.
Check our Autism Speaks Website and you will see the application process as well as guidelines.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Self-Advocacy: Imperative Skill for Individuals with Autism
The
definition of an advocate is “a person who supports an idea or a
plan.” If you are a parent of a child with an Autism Spetrum Disorder, your role as an advocate for your child is one of
the most important you will have in making sure your child with ASD receives the services necessary to meet the challenges that he or she will face.
As children grow older, it is imperative for them to develop self-advocacy
skills to foster independence. If you click on the link below, you’ll
read about Henry Frost, a teen with Autism and other physical
disabilities. Henry attends a specialized school in Florida.
However, he believes he has the right to go to his neighborhood
school. He protested outside a Tampa building during the Republican
National Convention and posted his picture on Facebook. He is now
pursuing legal actions against his district. You can read
the entire story and find out about Henry’s advocacy efforts below.
http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2012/10/10/social-media-helps-student-with-autism-find-his-voice/
http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2012/10/10/social-media-helps-student-with-autism-find-his-voice/
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Autism Support Network's 10 Essential Skills to Teach Students with Autism
Parents
will always want the best for their children and for them to be successful and
independent. Parents with a child on the
autism spectrum have the same expectations.
However, we realize that it is much more difficult to prepare for their
future with regard to employment, education, and independent living skills. It is important that we continually advocate
for our children during each phase of their education. In particular, we need to be supportive
during the transition planning period. Most
IEP transition planning doesn’t occur until our children reach the ages of
14-16. However, most parents recognize
the need to start this process much earlier. The autism support network has listed 10
essential skills that we should teach our children before they leave high
school. Don't wait for high school! For example, personal safety and hygiene can
be taught at various levels. Obviously,
some of these skills cannot be directly taught until your child is older and
more mature. But the more adaptive
skills you can teach during their elementary/middle schools years, the better! To view the list of skills see the link
below.
www.autismsupportnetwork.com/news/life-after-high-school-ten-skills-teach-your-child-autism
www.autismsupportnetwork.com/news/life-after-high-school-ten-skills-teach-your-child-autism
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Chantal Sicle-Kira's Back to School:
How to Prepare Your ASD Teen
It’s that time of year – back to
school! First day jitters are normal for
kids. But once they get back into the
routine, most kids are usually fine. That’s
not always the case with children who have an autism spectrum disorder who - even after a couple of weeks of school - still may be having trouble acclimating to new routines. Many have anxiety and do not tolerate changes
in their routine. Parents play an important role in preparing
their child for the upcoming year. Their
involvement in assisting in the transition will influence their child’s attitude,
confidence, and performance both academically and socially. Chantal Sicile-Kira is an author,
advocate/speaker, and parent of a teen with autism. Check out her back to school tips for parents: Back to School 101: How Parents of ASD teens can get prepared for
the school year. Scroll down and also
read Back to School: How to Prepare Your
ASD Teen. Hopefully you’ll be able to
use one or two of these tips to ensure a positive start to the new school
year and decrease in anxiety for the rest of the year. Best wishes to everyone for a
successful transition back to school!
"There's An App for That"
According to the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, new case studies have shown that the use of the Apple IPod Touch served to be very helpful as a personal digital assistant for adults with autism in the workplace. Adults with autism must be given every opportunity to be successful in the workplace, considering that only 15% of adults with an ASD in the US have some form of paid work. So remember – there’s an app for that! Share some of your apps that have been helpful and successful and check out the link below from Disability Scoop to find out how the IPod helped these adults with autism.
iPod May Ease Transition For Those With Autism
As more people with autism enter the work world, a new case study suggests that arming them with specially-programmed iPods may go a long way toward achieving independence on the job.
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2012/09/06/ipod-transition-autism
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Here is the link to the fourth in the series of the Adult Face of Autism
http://chestnuthilllocal.com/blog/2012/08/15/chestnut-hill-college-offer-professional-autism-programs/
http://chestnuthilllocal.com/blog/2012/08/15/chestnut-hill-college-offer-professional-autism-programs/
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