Kaitlin Moncol had a tough time finding a job that was a perfect fit. She wanted to work near her home in Raleigh, but most of all, she wanted to work in art, which was her passion. Kaitlin, who was diagnosed with autism before her second birthday, worked with an Employment Supports Professional from the…
Young Musicians Donating Concert Proceeds to Help Others on the Spectrum
Seventh Judgement played its first gig last April in Charlotte. The three members of the band ā all men in their 20s ā werenāt expecting much. They were the opening group in a show that featured five other heavy metal bands. But the crowd loved them, moshing and waving pool noodles. They were called back…
Be Your Very Amazing Self Always
D.J. Svoboda is an autistic artist and motivational speaker who spreads a message of hope that those with autism are special just the way they are. He created The Imagifriends of Imagiville based on experiences he faced as he grew up with autism. We asked D.J. to share some of his wisdom in honor of…
Improving Health and Building Community in Asheville
Every Monday from 3 to 4 p.m., you can find a group of people of all ages running and walking at French Broad River Park in Asheville. Each time a participant completes the half-mile loop, a check is placed next to his or her name on a giant chart. They are all members of the…
Camp Royall Gives Sisters a Chance to be Themselves
The Miller sisters, Mikayla and Mackenzie, joined us at Camp Royall for the first time this summer, and they had a blast, each in their own way. Mikayla, who is 16, shared that she was a bit nervous and didnāt know what to expect from camp, but she truly flourished. She made several really good…
10 Tips for Navigating our Journey
Letās face it, raising children is difficult. And, raising special needs kiddos can feel impossible at times. When my son was very young, I frequently felt overwhelmed with it all. We had lots of medical appointments, therapy sessions, therapy homework, and behavioral outbursts to manage. We were entering a new world, the disability world, and…
New Timeline for Medicaid Transformation
Update, March 2021: If you are looking for more recent information about Medicaid Transformation, please visitĀ this post. Editorās note: ThisĀ is an update toĀ informationĀ postedĀ July 16, 2019.Ā TheĀ managed-careĀ rolloutĀ has beenĀ changed to one phaseĀ for the whole stateĀ in February 2020, rather than starting in November 2019Ā with some counties.Ā Open enrollmentĀ is now scheduled toĀ end on DecemberĀ 13 for all counties.Ā The NC Department of…
Jen Pyne Named 2019 Roman Award Winner
Jen Pyne is not just a service provider to the people with autism whom she supports. She is a true friend and a member of their family. āShe has helped me to create a life on my own terms that I am proud of,ā said Jade McWilliams, one of her clients. āI have a very…
Debra Wyatt Named 2019 McCrimmon Award Winner
Debra Wyatt might have saved Chris Schildās life, says his father, Bryan. Chris and Debra were at Walgreens, where he works and she supports him as a job coach, when a tragic incident occurred. āMy son was not 10 feet away from a man who had just shot the pharmacist and the pharmacy tech,ā Bryan…