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…
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC): Factors to Guide Decision Making
An estimated 25-30% of children with autism are considered minimally verbal. Communication delays can be directly related to the core characteristics of autism or the result of commonly co-occurring conditions like verbal apraxia. Difficulty communicating wants and needs can be distressing for both autistic individuals and their families, impacting social relationships, access to education, and…
Policy Update: NC Senate Passes Budget; Conference Committee Begins Work
On May 18, the NC Senate passed their version of H259, the Appropriations Act for 2023-2025. The Senate version of the budget spends a little more, primarily on a new economic incentive fund designed to turn NC-based research into marketable products. The differences between the NC House version and the NC Senate version will be…
The Tools that Help Me Organize a Neurodivergent Life
I live at the intersection between ADHD and Autism. While I love my neurodivergent brain (most of the time), there is absolutely no doubt that I have to organize my life strategically to stay on top of #adulting. Not going to lie, even though I have extensive coping systems in place, some stuff falls through…
Parenting the Young Adult with Low Support Needs
I’ve entered that phase of motherhood that most of us don’t prepare for – the parent of a young adult on the spectrum with low support needs. It is a tricky time when we see our young adults have the capacity to become independent, but they need some help, and we may not know as…
He Needed Something More, and We Found It at Camp Royall
As the mom of four Au-Somely unique children, I’m always trying to find the right path, the right therapies, and the right connections for them. Sometimes those connections are obvious and easy to come across, but others aren’t as clear. My 18-year-old son graduated from our homeschool in May 2022, and we began this journey…
New Space and New Energy for ACLE in Greensboro
In 2022, the Autism Society of North Carolina’s Greensboro services moved into a new building. As a result, the Autism Center for Life Enrichment (ACLE), our day program in Greensboro, received a makeover. ACLE’s new space includes so many opportunities for participants. There are rooms to practice a variety of skills – from a model…