While many people with autism receive their diagnosis in childhood, others make it to adulthood before recognizing signs and receiving a formal diagnosis. If you are an adult who suspects you may be on the autism spectrum, we’ve prepared this list of questions about pursuing an autism diagnosis. What are some signs that I…
The Samantha R vs. the State of North Carolina Court Decision
In February of 2020 the State was found to be in violation of the Persons with Disabilities Protection Act and that people with disabilities in North Carolina were being unnecessarily institutionalized, or were at risk for being institutionalized, due to a lack of community-based options. The decision reinforced what people with disabilities, their families and…
Letter to Legislators from the Autism Society of North Carolina
The following letter was sent in May to thank legislators for increased funding for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). The Autism Society of North Carolina will continue to advocate for competitive wages for DSPs in recognition of the work they do improving lives and supporting families. May 18, 2022 To: House and Senate Leadership, Joint…
Managing End-of-Year Stress at School
Hurray, the school year is ending! Bummer, it is the beginning of state testing! This is the time of year when some children feel like giving up on school because they are mentally checked out. However, this is the time of year when children have to amp it up on both their brainpower and their…
Parent-to-Parent Support ā It Will Change Your Life
What is support? As a verb it means: To bear all or a part of the weight of, hold up. Give approval, comfort, or encouragement. When families first call an Autism Resource Specialist, we encourage them to get involved with a local support group, such as the ASNC Chapters. Why do we do this?…
North Carolina Public Policy Update: State Budget Passes, Tailored Plans Delayed
Medicaid Transformation Delay While the news below about the budget is very good, delays in passing a state budget coupled with the realignment of county MH/DD/SAS management among LME MCOs mean that the long-awaited Medicaid Tailored Plan rollout will be moved from July 1, 2022, to December 1, 2022. Tailored Plans are an integrated health…
Community Inclusion and the āOlmsteadā Plan
North Carolina recently went through an 18-month planning process to develop a new document outlining the steps that the state should take to ensure that people with disabilities are able to live, work, learn, and enjoy their lives alongside everyone else in their communities. Plans like this set meaningful goals to address the barriers people…
A Letter of Love and Gratitude from the Clinical Team
During this Thanksgiving season, members of our Clinical team reflected on their gratitude for the individuals and families they serve. The Clinical Team is thankful to provide support to all members of the North Carolina autism community. As one member of the team wrote to parents: āIām grateful for your trust in me because I…
āDonāt Forget Me!ā The Importance of Sibling Support
Rachelās face lights up anytime she talks about Josh, her younger brother with autism. āHeās so funny,ā she says. āHe goes around the house making sure all the lights are turned off ā even when weāre still in the room.ā When Rachel is feeling down, Josh is quick to cheer her up with a dog…