Although I am a clinician, I’m writing this as a parent of a kiddo on the spectrum. This topic weighs on me professionally, but more so personally. As a professional, you may have tried to relate to a parent by saying, “I understand” at some point in your career. I’m sure as a parent you…
I/DD Advocacy Day Opportunity | May 14, 2024
The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities and Meet the Need NC are organizing advocates to attend a Listening Session at the NC Legislative I/DD Caucus meeting on Tuesday, May 14. The I/DD Caucus is working to educate legislators about the needs of the I/DD community, in particular the 17,500+ waiting list for Innovations waivers…
ASNC Public Policy Update
NCGA starts legislative short session; NC Center for Safer Schools issues guidance regarding school Threat Assessment Teams; Tailored Plan Reminders North Carolina General Assembly is back in session. Legislators have returned to Raleigh for the start of the “short” legislative session that takes place in even numbered years. During this briefer legislative session, lawmakers consider…
Transitions: Evernham Family IGNITE – Sparking Passion, Fueling Aspirations
Transitions, defined by Webster as “a change or shift from one state, subject, place, etc. to another,” can be challenging in the best of circumstances. For those on the autism spectrum, transitions are especially difficult. Whether changing activities, moving between places, or transiting through life changes, it is critical for autistic individuals to have the…
ASNC Public Policy Update
In this public policy update: Medicaid Tailored Plans move forward; B(3) Services transition to 1915i; Samantha R lawsuit consent order; State releases new Olmstead Plan for 2024-2026. Medicaid Tailored Plans will move forward as the next phase of Medicaid Transformation goes into effect. North Carolina has been changing its Medicaid system for several years. The…
The Power of Consent
AutismSocietyNC · Blog | The Power of Consent by Felicia Williams Brown While much attention has been given to understanding the social and communication difficulties faced by many on the autism spectrum, there remains a particularly sensitive topic that demands exploration. That topic is consent. Consent is a term we encounter in various contexts—from…
Looking Through the Right Lens: Autism-Informed Support
AutismSocietyNC · Blog | Looking Through the Right Lens – 04/17/2024 Recently, I provided autism-informed support and coaching services in a public school, where I visited a first-grade classroom. I watched as a little girl asked for help in tearing her perforated page out of her workbook. A peer offered to help, and she…
Social Stories for the 2024 Solar Eclipse
The Autism Society of North Carolina would like to partner with you during the upcoming solar eclipse to keep your loved ones with autism safe at all times. To help you prepare for the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, we have created two social stories; click on the one that you think is most…
Shattering Stereotypes: Intersection of Autism and Black Excellence
Dictionary.com defines the term “Black excellence” as “a high level of achievement, success, or ability demonstrated by an individual Black person or Black people in general. The term is often used to highlight and celebrate specific examples of such achievements and abilities, especially as the hashtag #BlackExcellence.” Many African American family systems value Black excellence…