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…
Ascend, Day Program for Adults, Opens in Asheville
The Autism Society of North Carolina’s newest day program for adults, Ascend, opened in Asheville in February. For Michael LePage, Regional Services Director, a day program for the Asheville area is a long-held dream. “Every year, people are graduating and falling off the services cliff,” he said. “It’s tough without those supports and natural structures….
Public Policy Update: Governor’s Budget Released, Medicaid Expansion Bill Advances, Medicaid Services Updates
On March 15, 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…
Accommodations at Work
Almost everyone uses tools at work: cash registers, computers, the Internet, heavy machinery, pens, hammers, paintbrushes – the list could go on forever. We use these tools to perform our jobs to the best of our ability, so we do not hesitate to request them if we do not have all the ones we need….
Public Policy Update: Tailored Plans, NC Budget, and Medicaid Expansion
Tailored Plans Delayed until October 1, 2023 NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) announced that the new Tailored Plans under Medicaid will be delayed again, this time until October 1, 2023. Citing concerns that people would have difficulties using primary care physicians and specialty health care services (“network adequacy”) and that other…
Differences in Autism Presentation Between Siblings
I don’t remember when my parents told me that my little brother was autistic. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know; my memory doesn’t go back that far. He was diagnosed when I was around five or six, per his age of diagnosis at three. I’m a late-diagnosed autistic, not receiving my diagnosis…
Policy: Celebrating Progress and Looking Ahead
This article also appears in the Winter 2023 issue of Spectrum. 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…