When my son was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, sleep was amongst our greatest concerns. From the time he was born, our son had issues falling asleep and staying asleep. Never did we sleep through the night for more than three straight nights (once we went through the circus act of getting…
Join a Family Chapter for Support, Education, and Fun
Now that the kids are settled into the new school year and the holidays are approaching, are you looking for some activities with families that “get it”? Check out our more than 70 Chapters and Support Groups serving families in 73 counties across the state! They are offering many events and meetings – outdoor, online,…
Setting the Record Straight: Medicaid Waivers, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Transformation
Note: The following is a primer on several issues happening at the same time in our Medicaid system. For background information on Medicaid as a whole, and how Medicaid works in North Carolina, please refer to the “Medicaid Basics” information at the end of this post, content re-published from our public policy papers available on…
Weekly Policy Update: COVID-19 Policy Changes
Below is this week’s Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) weekly update on policy changes and legislation related to COVID-19, local, state, and federal emergency orders. For daily updates and information, we recommend the following sources: NC DHHS COVID-19 page CDC COVID-19 page (Raleigh) News &Observer coverage of COVID-19 (some of which is available to…
Taking Care of Yourself Benefits Your Loved One with Autism
Taking care of yourself is vitally important. Anyone who has been a parent, let alone parent to a child with a disability such as autism, will tell you that parenting can be tough. In my book, it’s definitely one of those conundrums where it is the toughest yet most rewarding thing you can do in…
Keeping Your Family Safe in a Storm
Dear Families, Friends, and Supporters, As we find ourselves in the possible path of a hurricane, we share your concern about the safety of your loved ones. We wanted to take a moment to let you know that ASNC is here for your family. To help you prepare, we are sharing some helpful resources on…
Medicaid Transformation: What You Need to Know
Update, March 2021: If you are looking for more recent information about Medicaid Transformation, please visit this post. Editor’s note: This information is current as of July 16, 2019. Please note, a variety of factors may affect the timeline or other components of the transformation plan. The NCGA, state budget, and other system or administrative issues…
Prepare Now for Your Best Summer
The weather might be frightful, but summer is just around the corner. And what is even more frightful for a parent is turning the calendar page to June and realizing you are not prepared. Many summer programs and camps (including ASNC’s own Camp Royall) are accepting registrations now, and many options for individuals with special…
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) 101
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and autism often go hand in hand. ABA has been endorsed by numerous organizations and federal agencies. There is extensive empirical support for its effectiveness. This means that numerous high-quality, peer-revised published studies have demonstrated that ABA techniques produce significantly positive results. Applied Behavior Analysis has been effectively used for the…