At the Autism Society of North Carolina’s 2018 annual conference, Mindy Govan and Alicia Lenhart, then Director and Assistant Director of ASNCās IGNITE program for young adults on the spectrum, provided conference attendees with many tips they could use to build autism healthy habits for their loved ones or themselves. Those tips continue to be…
Applied Behavior Analysis: Misconceptions and Quality Indicators
At the Autism Society of North Carolina, we believe that every autistic individual and their family has the right to high quality, person-centered, autism-informed services that recognize and value the individual’s neurodiversity. For individuals and families who pursue applied behavior analysis (ABA), we encourage you to advocate for a provider offering modern ABA. ABA represents…
Eye Exams and Autism
My youngest son, Daniel, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 1/2 years old. Our family was thrown into our own āhow to navigate our autismā journey. Although my son has limited language now, he was essentially non-verbal in those early years. Communication was difficult. Thankfully, here and there, we met wonderful providers,…
Policy Update: State Budget Delays, Tailored Plan Delays, 1915(i) Services Authorized
Budget Process Halted; State Budget Delayed until at least August House and Senate Budget Conferees have been named to work out differences between the two versions of the state budget (H259, the Appropriations Act for 2023-2025); however, negotiations have been delayed. Legislative leaders have cited differences over both tax cuts/revenue changes and non-budget legislation, including…
Public Policy Update: Medicaid Expansion Bill Signed, House Budget Released, Make Your Voice Heard to Senate
Expansion Bill Passes, Signed by Governor: House Bill 76 Access to Healthcare Options was passed by the NC General Assembly March 23 and signed into law March 27. The bill would extend Medicaid benefits to people in the health care coverage gap, whose income is under 133% of the federal poverty levels and do not…
Public Policy Update: Governorās Budget Released, Medicaid Expansion Bill Advances, Medicaid Services Updates
On March 15,Ā the Governor released his budget proposal. It is quite extensive, and in this entry, we have listed some highlights of items that have an impact on many people on the autism spectrum and their families and which address our public policy priorities. Health and Human Services $126 million for 2,000 more Innovations waiver…
Policy: Celebrating Progress and Looking Ahead
This article also appears in the Winter 2023 issue of Spectrum.Ā When you have been advocating for a long time, it can feel like no progress is being made. When we see growing waiting lists and know that services for people with disabilities remain unstaffed, it is easy to lose hope. There is good…
Autism Diagnosis for Adults: Frequently Asked Questions
While many people with autism receive their diagnosis in childhood, others make it to adulthood before recognizing signs and receiving a formal diagnosis. If you are an adult who suspects you may be on the autism spectrum, we’ve prepared this list of questions about pursuing an autism diagnosis. What are some signs that I…
The Samantha R vs. the State of North Carolina Court Decision
In February of 2020 the State was found to be in violation of the Persons with Disabilities Protection Act and that people with disabilities in North Carolina were being unnecessarily institutionalized, or were at risk for being institutionalized, due to a lack of community-based options. The decision reinforced what people with disabilities, their families and…