Editor’s note: The following blog post is a Q&A with Jennifer Mahan, ASNC Director of Advocacy and Public Policy, and Kerri Erb, Senior Director of Quality and Programs. We have merged their responses to each of the questions. What does “advocacy” mean to you personally and within the scope of your job? Most advocacy is…
Spotlight on the Cabarrus County Chapter
Editor’s note: For those who have a loved one with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a community of support can be a lifeline. For more than 40 years, ASNC Chapters and Support Groups have provided families who face similar challenges an opportunity to encourage one another, share experiences, find information and resources, and have a place where…
World Autism Awareness and Acceptance Day: Send a Kid to Camp Campaign
On Wednesday, April 2, recognized as World Autism Awareness Day, families across NC will mobilize in support of people affected by autism. The goal is to help others understand autism, while raising $10,000 in one day to send kids with autism to summer camp. This campaign is led by families across the state who understand…
Spotlight on Grandparents & Chapters
Editor’s note: For those who have a loved one with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a community of support can be a lifeline. For more than 40 years, ASNC Chapters and Support Groups have provided families who face similar challenges an opportunity to encourage one another, share experiences, find information and resources, and have a place where…
Spotlight on the Durham County Chapter
Editor’s note: For those who have a loved one with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a community of support can be a lifeline. For more than 40 years, ASNC Chapters and Support Groups have provided families who face similar challenges an opportunity to encourage one another, share experiences, find information and resources, and have a place where…
Supporting Students with ASD in Inclusive Settings
This article was contributed by Louise Southern, Training Specialist with the Autism Society of North Carolina. As a consultant and former special education teacher, I have worked in a number of primary and secondary school settings to support students with autism who spend the majority of their day in inclusive settings. Often, these students are…
A New Year, A New Approach to Challenging Behaviors
Editor’s Note – The following post was written by Louise Buchholz Southern, M.Ed., BCBA, Training Specialist for the Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC). As professionals working in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) intervention and as parents of individuals with ASD, it’s likely that we have all experienced challenging and persistent behaviors. These…
Stuffed Allies and Dignity: How Understanding Anxiety Can Save the Day
Editor’s Note: This week’s blog post was submitted by Jennifer O’Toole, award-winning author of Asperkids: An Insider’s Guide to Loving, Understanding and Teaching Children with Asperger Syndrome. O’Toole, her husband, and her three children all have Asperger Syndrome. The year was 1982. Ronald Reagan was in office. “Don’t You Want Me, Baby?” was on the…
Choice: A Building Block of Self-Determination
Self-determination is often described as the combination of skills and knowledge that enables a person to engage in goal-directed, autonomous, and self-regulated behavior. Self-determined individuals have the power to exert control over their own lives in order to achieve the outcomes that they desire. Self-determined individuals make things happen in their lives, and they recognize…