Note: The following is a primer on several issues happening at the same time in our Medicaid system. For background information on Medicaid as a whole, and how Medicaid works in North Carolina, please refer to the āMedicaid Basicsā information at the end of this post, content re-published from our public policy papers available on…
Jessica Romero and Laura Belmar-Ramos Honored with McCrimmon Award
The McCrimmon Award is named for Ed McCrimmon, a longtime member of the Autism Society of North Carolina staff. He was known for his outstanding dedication and integrity as he served individuals with autism. Tragically, he died in 2017. The McCrimmon Award was established to keep Edās memory alive, and at the same time, celebrate…
Planning for School, Step 2: Getting Organized
Editorās note: This is part of a series of articles. Click here to read the first one. By now you should know which plan your school district has selected to begin the school year. If you are not sure, contact your childās school or check the district website. We do know that every student will…
Planning for School, Step 1: Understand Your Options
Anxiety is running high these days, and one of the big stressors is what the coming school year will look like for our kids. On July 14, Gov. Cooper announced that each of the school districts in North Carolina will operate under their Plan B scenario for reopening under moderate COVID-19 conditions, with the option…
Working through the Challenges of Wearing a Mask
As wearing a mask becomes our new normal, supporting an individual with autism to wear one for any amount of time might feel like a mountain to climb. In this blog, I will discuss potential reasons it can be particularly challenging for individuals with autism to wear masks, some alterations/adaptations to try, and suggestions for…
The Health of Our Aging Adults
Over 30 years ago, after our suspicions were confirmed that our young daughter did indeed have autism, we asked a question that many of you also may have contemplated: āWhat is the normal life expectancy of someone who has autism?ā We were given a fairly encouraging yet vague answer: āWe really donāt know for sure,…
Escape into Learning
In the United States, everything shut down in March. Support services, places to go, things to do. Routines and expectations have been taken away from us all. Like most of us, I have been silenced by the change. This is an uncharted territory. We have been figuring out what to do with what little advice…