Last year I did something I had never done before. I attended a committee meeting for the North Carolina General Assembly. Actually, it was the Senate Health Committee and on the calendar that day was a bill that would require all state regulated health plans, including the State Employee Health Plan, to cover behavioral therapy…
Autism Society of NC Advocacy at the Whitehouse!
Editor’s note: the following article was submitted by Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) Parent Advocate Judy Smithmyer. Judy, along with ASNC Director of Government Relations Jennifer Mahan, attended last Monday’s White House Autism Summit. This is Judy’s account of that eventful day. On April 25th 2011 I had the opportunity to participate in a…
House Budget Proposal Released, Includes 1915 b/c Managed Care Waiver
Budget: The General Assembly House Appropriations Sub-committees released their budget proposals and budget special provisions last week. In most cases, sub-committees used the Governor’s budget cuts as a starting point and then cut an additional 1.6 billion dollars from the state budget for a total reduction of 2.5 billion dollars from the base budget….
April is Autism Awareness Month
April is Autism Awareness Month During the month of April, the Autism Society of North Carolina encourages the public to learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the resources available to individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. Autism affects 1 out of every 110 children born today, making it the second most…
Awareness Day at the General Assembly Changed to May 3
Save the Date for Autism Awareness Day! Mark your calendars now and join The Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) at the for the 2011 Autism Awareness Day at the NC General Assembly on May 3rd from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. We will have educational programs in the morning on legislative issues and ASNC staff and volunteers available…
Make Your Voice Heard!
There are several upcoming opportunities to raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder, get information on budget and policy issues, advocate for services and supports, and educate elected officials. Save the Date for Autism Awareness Day! Mark your calendars now and join The Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) at the for the 2011 Autism Awareness Day…
Autism Insurance Introduced! (plus a few other bills)
The North Carolina Legislature has been busy not just looking at the state budget, but introducing policy changing bills. Here are a few of the 35 bills (so far) that The Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) is monitoring or actively advocating on due to their impact on people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autism…
Public Policy and Government Relations at the Autism Society of North Carolina
Greetings from the desk of the Director of Government Relations! My first couple of months at The Autism Society of North Carolina have been a whirlwind of activity. I’m grateful that I finally have a chance to start addressing policy questions in our blog and let everyone know what is happening in public policy for people…