Kaitlin Moncol is a 22-year-old artist from Raleigh who was diagnosed with autism when she turned 2. As Kaitlin prepares for her first independent art show, we asked her and her mom to share some thoughts about her life, her art, and autism. Below we share their responses, edited for brevity. Kaitlinās art is hanging…
Focus on Science at ASNC Annual Conference
Dr. Geri Dawson, Director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, opened the second day of our annual conference with a fact-filled presentation titled: āAutism Spectrum Disorders: What do we know? Where are we heading?ā We would like to thank her for sharing her time and knowledge with us. For those who were…
Focus on Employment at ASNC Annual Conference
At ASNC, we believe that meaningful employment is a key component of a fulfilling life, but about four out of five adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are unemployed. Across the US, some enterprising families, and other concerned people, have come up with new and exciting ways to ensure that individuals with autism will enjoy…
What happened at the Legislature this session? ASNC Budget Wrap Up Report
Editor’s Note – The following article was written by Jennifer Mahan, the Autism Society of North Carolina’s Director of Government Relations. During the General Assembly āshortā legislative session that lasted from May 16 to July 3rd, state legislators made small changes to the second year of the two-year state budget they put into place last…
Tips for Parents Transitioning to the Innovations Waiver
Editor’s Note – The following article was written by Jean Alvarez, Parent Advocate/Trainer for the Autism Society of North Carolina and parent of a young man on the autism spectrum. Jean lives in western NC. As Local Management Entities (LMEs) move from the old system of service delivery to a network of MCOs and a…
Responding to Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom
Editor’s Note – The following article was written by Amy F. Hobbs, Training Specialist for the Autism Society of North Carolina. In teaching students with autism spectrum disorders, itās helpful to implement a variety of strategies for dealing with disruptions, distractions and inappropriate behavior. First, take the time to get to know your students…
Proposed Changes in DSM-5 Criteria
In recent weeks national and local media outlets have reported about proposed changes to diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders version 5Ā (DSM 5). The proposed changes have not been formalized and that process is expected to be completed by December 2012. – Editor What will the…