Gov. Roy Cooper released his two-year $25.2 billion budget proposal, a 5.4% increase over last year’s enacted budget, with a clear focus on education, health care, and the state’s infrastructure. Among the highlights was a 9.1% average raise for teachers over two years, a one-time 2% cost-of-living adjustment for retired state employees, and Medicaid expansion….
Taking Data to the Doctor
How often are we given a new medication to “try out” and then when we attend a follow-up appointment, the doctor says, “How’s that medication working?” We say something like “Um, it seems to be helping?” Unfortunately, we parents rarely collect objective behavioral data following medication changes. This is a concern not just for people…
Public Policy: Advocacy in 2019 and Beyond
One of the most difficult aspects of advocacy is looking at all of the barriers that one might face and believing, despite all of it, that change is possible. The Autism Society of North Carolina has from the start been dedicated to using advocacy to improve the lives of individuals on the autism spectrum and…
Call on Us in Your Time of Need
Dear Families, Friends, and Supporters, Our hearts go out to North Carolinians who are suffering because of Hurricane Florence. We know that thousands of people are being affected. Some have had to leave their homes and belongings behind. Some remain in their homes, but their lives have been disrupted by a lack of electricity, school…
Accessing Services in NC: Tips for Navigating the Maze
The Autism Society of America has given a conservative estimate of $3-$6 million as the cost of caring for one person with autism across his/her lifetime. At the same time, rising costs and changes in health care are coming almost every day, making it more important than ever for families to connect their loved ones…
NC General Assembly Adjusts State Budget
The North Carolina General Assembly wrapped up its regular short session in late June after a quick seven weeks. Short sessions focus on adjustments to the budget and passing bills that were still under consideration for both chambers the previous year. This year’s state budget (SB 99 State Budget Adjustments) comes in at $23.9 billion….
Seek First Responders with CIT Training
If you or a loved one with autism experiences a crisis involving law enforcement, firefighters, or EMTs, what should you know? The first thing that you need to know is to ask for someone who has CIT training. Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training is an intensive mental-health training provided to first responders. CIT training is…
Focus on Healthy Habits at 2018 Annual Conference
The Autism Society of North Carolina held its 2018 annual conference March 23-24 in Charlotte. We will be sharing information from conference presentations in upcoming blog posts. Mindy Govan and Alicia DiDomizio, the Director and Assistant Director of ASNC’s IGNITE program for young adults on the spectrum, provided conference attendees with many tips they could…
Update on changes proposed for Medicaid
Update, March 2021: If you are looking for more recent information about Medicaid Transformation, please visit this post. What is “managed care” and how is NC already managing the care of people receiving Medicaid? The federal government’s Medicaid program allows states to use health maintenance organization (HMO) managed-care models in the design of its…