My youngest son, Daniel, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 1/2 years old. Our family was thrown into our own āhow to navigate our autismā journey. Although my son has limited language now, he was essentially non-verbal in those early years. Communication was difficult. Thankfully, here and there, we met wonderful providers,…
Disclosing Disability in the Workplace – My Experience
I am a late-diagnosed autistic adult, and I have ADHD, Bipolar II, OCD, and generalized anxiety. I also have dermatillomania, or skin picking disorder, and my information processing abilities rank 13th percentile. Physically, I have substantial hearing loss in both ears. This article focuses on lessons I learned as I searched for employment. I now…
Andrea Miller-Weir Named 2023 Roman Award Winner
When Direct Support Professional Andrea Miller-Weir began working with 11-year-old Alex Bagley, he couldnāt put his face underwater in the pool. With Miller-Weirās help, Alex became an award-winning swimmer and Special Olympics athlete. In the years since their first meeting, Miller-Weir has supported Alex through high school graduation, securing meaningful employment, and traveling the world….
Jo Herring and Karen Pullom Honored with McCrimmon Award
The McCrimmon Award is named for Ed McCrimmon, a longtime member of the Autism Society of North Carolina staff. He was known for his outstanding dedication and integrity as he served individuals with autism. Tragically, he died in 2017. The McCrimmon Award was established to keep Edās memory alive, and at the same time, celebrate…
Sensory Worlds: The Senses and Sensory Differences
If youāre connected to the autism community, you are likely aware of sensory differences, which are so common in the autistic population that they were added to the most recent diagnostic criteria for autism. Sensory differences are common in people with other diagnoses as well, such as people with developmental disabilities, ADHD, sensory processing disorders,…
Our New Logo
The Autism Society of North Carolina is proud to announce a new logo, featuring the state of North Carolina. This new logo represents our commitment to serving individuals, families, and communities across the entire state. Previously, the logo was a three-dimensional puzzle piece. This logo reflected our ability to provide connections to services and resources…
Whitney Sukonick Named New Clinical Director
The Autism Society of North Carolina is pleased to announce that Whitney Sukonick, MA, LPA, BCBA, has been named as the organizationās new Clinical Director, following the retirement of Dr. Aleck Myers. Sukonick has worked at the Autism Society of North Carolina since 2014 and previously served as the director of LifeLong Interventions, our Applied…
Support Groups: Finding Common Ground One Front Porch at a Time
We are pleased to announce that Courtney Chavis is the new director of Support Groups (formerly known as Chapters). Chavis has worked at the Autism Society of North Carolina since 2017, most recently as the Lead Triage and Connections Specialist. In that role, she facilitated connections between Autism Resource Specialists and individuals, families, and organizations….
Policy Update: State Budget Delays, Tailored Plan Delays, 1915(i) Services Authorized
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…