Autism Society of North Carolina Public Policy updates: I/DD Caucus meeting draws advocates to NCGA Tailored Plan Reminders Survey on the Innovations Waiver Supports Budget Process I/DD Caucus meeting brings advocates to the NC General Assembly (NCGA). On Tuesday May 14, members of the Intellectual and/or Developmental Disability legislative caucus met to hear testimony…
Autism Parenting: The Impact Of “I understand”
Although I am a clinician, Iâm writing this as a parent of a kiddo on the spectrum. This topic weighs on me professionally, but more so personally. As a professional, you may have tried to relate to a parent by saying, âI understandâ at some point in your career. Iâm sure as a parent you…
I/DD Advocacy Day Opportunity | May 14, 2024
The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities and Meet the Need NC are organizing advocates to attend a Listening Session at the NC Legislative I/DD Caucus meeting on Tuesday, May 14. The I/DD Caucus is working to educate legislators about the needs of the I/DD community, in particular the 17,500+ waiting list for Innovations waivers…
ASNC Public Policy Update
NCGA starts legislative short session; NC Center for Safer Schools issues guidance regarding school Threat Assessment Teams; Tailored Plan Reminders North Carolina General Assembly is back in session. Legislators have returned to Raleigh for the start of the âshortâ legislative session that takes place in even numbered years. During this briefer legislative session, lawmakers consider…
The Power of Consent
AutismSocietyNC · Blog | The Power of Consent by Felicia Williams Brown While much attention has been given to understanding the social and communication difficulties faced by many on the autism spectrum, there remains a particularly sensitive topic that demands exploration. That topic is consent. Consent is a term we encounter in various contextsâfrom…
Shattering Stereotypes: Intersection of Autism and Black Excellence
Dictionary.com defines the term âBlack excellenceâ as âa high level of achievement, success, or ability demonstrated by an individual Black person or Black people in general. The term is often used to highlight and celebrate specific examples of such achievements and abilities, especially as the hashtag #BlackExcellence.â Many African American family systems value Black excellence…
New Study Highlights the Value of Investing in Direct Support ProfessionalsÂ
New Study A new study on the economic impact of Direct Support Professionals in North Carolina has found that investing in increasing the wages of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who serve people with I/DD, as well as increasing access to DSPs though additional Innovations waiver slots, yields substantial economic benefits to the State of North…
Innovations Waiver Up for Renewal – Public Comments Needed
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has notified us that the Innovations waiver is up for renewal. In NC our Innovations (1915c) waiver is generally approved for five years.  The NC 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services Innovations WaiverâsâŻcurrent 5-year cycle period will expire on June 30, 2024. NC Medicaidâs goal is…
Elections 2024: Voting Deadlines and Changes
There are three ways to vote in North Carolina: from home, in person and in a facility. North Carolina made changes to legislative districts, to voting laws for absentee voting, and a 2022 court decision made changes to laws regarding voting a as a person with a disability. These changes are outlined below.  Voting in primaries…