In early intervention, key areas of focus should include communication and social engagement. How do we begin to build these behaviors in young children with autism? It is important to use a systematic approach. In addition, itās ok to start simple, and recognize that baby steps (e.g., a few more seconds of engagement with the…
NC Senate Passes Budget: Contact Your NC House Reps
Last week at the North Carolina General Assembly, the Senate passed its version of the two-year state budget bill. The governor previously released his budget proposal; see details on our blog. The NC House plans to spend the next two weeks working on its version of the budget before differences in the two versions must…
Focus on Sensory Processing Strategies at Annual Conference
The Autism Society of North Carolina held its annual conference March 24-25 in Charlotte. We will be sharing information from conference presentations in upcoming blog posts. Linda King-Thomas, a co-founder of Developmental Therapy Associates in Durham, presented on āSensory Processing Issues and Practical Strategiesā on the second day of the conference. Sensory integration is the…
Action Alert: Ask Representatives to Stop Medicaid Cuts
Action Alert: Proposed Changes to Medicaid Will Cut Funding Call Your Representatives Today! Congress is moving quickly to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) and replace it with the American Health Care Act, or AHCA. This bill will make drastic cuts to the Medicaid program affecting people with autism who are currently…
Staying Safe: ASNC Can Help
As parents, we do all we can to make sure that our children understand how to remain safe. Whatās āstranger dangerā? How do you cross the road safely? How do you ask for help when you get lost or separated? But if your child has autism, you may face additional challenges, such as wandering (also…
ABLE Accounts Coming in Early 2017
This article was contributed by Jennifer Mahan, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy. Individuals with developmental disabilities and their families have been eagerly anticipating the availability of ABLE savings accounts, which allow a person with a disability to save for critical expenses while still allowing eligibility for means-tested disability supports and health care. North Carolina…
General Assembly Approves ABLE Accounts for NC Families
This article was contributed by Jennifer Mahan, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at ASNC. On Monday, Aug. 3, The General Assembly approved legislation authorizing ABLE accounts in North Carolina; Gov. Pat McCrory is expected to sign the bill into law. The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, a federal law signed in December…
A look back at a remarkable year
A few highlights from 2013 2013 was a busy year in the autism community. We witnessed the changeover in statewide service delivery from Local Management Entities (LMEs) to Managed Care Organizations (MCOs). Issues that had stalled for years with the legislature moved forward, but not all the way into law. And more families learned that…