Jesse Trimbach is 28 and lives in his own apartment in Asheville. He uses public transportation to get to the Habitat for Humanity office, where he volunteers doing data entry. He takes pride in making his own meals and in being independent. Jesse was diagnosed with autism at 2Ā½ years old. He was in…
Putting the āFunā in Fundraiser
Itās the middle of summer, and you have a bit of breathing room before the crazy round of activities cranks up again. Why not have a little fun and raise some money for people with autism and their loved ones at the same time? Weāve got some ideas to get you started: People…
College Options for Students with ASD
This article was contributed by Nancy Nestor, an Autism Resource Specialist in the Charlotte region, an autism mom, and a former teacher. This is the time of year when many high school students and their families are thinking about the next steps in their lives ā touring colleges, taking the SAT or ACT, and starting…
Big Sister Takes Lessons to Heart
Sydney Ramey has learned many things from her younger brother, Charlie, like how to be patient and responsible. Sydney is 17 and Charlie, who has autism, is 14. Sydney says she also has learned from Charlie that āsometimes itās best just to throw away your cares and laugh till it hurts.ā Thatās not all…
Help Shape Crisis Services for Children
North Carolina will soon expand START crisis services to children and youth with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) and autism. Many of these children with complex mental health or behavioral needs have not been served by current crisis services due to a lack of space, and are held in emergency rooms or transferred to…
Speak Out on NC Budget Proposals
This article was contributed by Jennifer Mahan, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at ASNC. On June 1, the NC Senate released its version of the budget adjustments bill for this year. Despite advocacy directed at the Senate to improve on what the NC House budget offered, the Senate includes no funding for federally required…
Learn About Innovations Waiver Changes, Share Opinions on IDD Issues
UPDATE:Ā The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has notified us that the changes to the Innovations waiver are now proposed to go into effect November 1 to allow for additional training and preparation, and to provide additional time for approval of the changes by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The…
The Invisible Disability: Another Facet of Autism
This article was contributed by Bobbi Wells, Autism Resource Specialist in the Eastern region and mom to a son with autism. Havenāt you heard the old saying, āNever judge a book by its cover?ā Well, I am here to add to its meaning from an autism perspective. As a parent with a son who…
Tips for a joyful, peaceful holiday season
In the movies, this time of year is full of joy. Smiling families gather around tables filled with delicious dishes that everyone loves, merry music is always playing, and gifts are met with exclamations of ājust what I wanted!ā In real life, the holiday season can be challenging and stressful for any of us, but…