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"Bowl-A-Con" Friendship Bowling Day!… for the launch of our 2nd Annual "BOWL-A-CON" Friendship Bowling event, benefiting the evidence-based play & social skills groups for kids, teens and young adults at OUR VILLAGE! We need YOU to create a Bowling Team of family, co-workers, and … team and then either pay for their own tickets, and/or fundraise ONLINE to raise the money for OUR VILLAGE through your own support networks.** Your generous donations will help Our Village support more kids, teens and young adults with autism in learning how to "make and keep friends, reduce social isolation and …
CST information for parents and caregivers… about your child’s development or behavior and are looking for strategies you can implement at home Desire a stronger local support system of trained community members and other families Are looking to build your confidence and develop parenting skills to better support your child and your own well-being What can you expect? The CST program consists of 12 sessions, including nine group sessions and three home visits. Small groups of caregivers get together with a trained group leader weekly or biweekly …
Utah autism insurance mandate expanded! … requiring coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder under state-regulated, individual and large group plans. However, this coverage was limited to children ages 2-10 years old. Coverage for behavioral health treatments, … behavior analysis (ABA), was also limited to 600 hours per year (approximately 11.5 hours per week).   Thanks to the support of the Utah state legislature and Governor, these restrictions in coverage for autism have been removed. Effective … and treatment of autism if claims for autism coverage caused premiums to increase in excess of 1%. We are grateful for the support of the legislative champions and local advocates that helped achieve this milestone! Access to meaningful and …
Researchers outline method to create gene list for autism-linked genetic variants … A multidisciplinary group of autism researchers proposed a new method for identifying whether certain gene changes are linked to autism, in a … know how certain gene changes impact a person with autism, ultimately helping us to develop tailored treatments that will support that person,” said Dr. Thomas Frazier, Ph.D., Autism Speaks chief science officer and an author of the paper. After … an autism diagnosis, providers will be better able to offer autistic children and adults more personalized health care and supports. … Researchers outline method to create gene list for autism-linked genetic variants …
The Autism Care Network works to expand access to autism diagnosis in Canada… becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with the need for autism assessment. We’re fortunate to work with a wonderful group of community pediatricians who are engaged with lots of autistic kids, so we saw an opportunity for them to take on an advanced practice role in autism diagnosis. We began to work on developing the optimal training approach to support this group and came up with a three-step educational process. We’ve done the training three times now and we’re … child communicates, expresses themselves and plays. We also shared information about community resources, how the different supports and services are funded, and how families navigate services. The second phase was mentored assessments in the …
Autism Speaks rings the NASDAQ stock market closing bell for World Autism Month… Bell Ceremony. In honor of the occasion, Brian Harper, chairman of the Autism Speaks Board of Directors was joined with a group of autistic people, families and caregivers, and Autism Speaks staff members to raise awareness for World Autism … as the chairman of the Board at Autism Speaks, I have deep pride in the work we are doing to give anyone with autism the support and opportunities they deserve,” says Mr. Harper. “So far, we've connected 27 million people to vital resources like early diagnosis, adult transition support and employment training—always free of charge. Our vision to help autistic people reach their full potential is what …
Autism in Africa: Transforming care and services for a brighter future… spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities face stigmatization, delayed diagnosis and limited access to support services. In many countries, challenges in service delivery are compounded by humanitarian concerns like armed … meeting of the minds focused on advances in global science, practice and policy. As I sat among this distinguished group ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I was proud to represent Autism Speaks alongside my … and UNICEF to launch the Global Report on Children with Developmental Disabilities . Developed with technical and financial support from Autism Speaks, this report is a roadmap for advocates and policymakers in underserved countries around the …
Identical twins with autism differ significantly in severity of social traits… by our environment. It also confirms what we know about the importance of getting intervention as early as possible to support development,” said Autism Speaks Chief Science Officer Thomas W. Frazier. “Repeating this study with larger groups may help us understand those environmental factors where we might be able to best support optimal development for young children at risk for autism.” Using genetic data and clinical information, researchers …
Social Skills and Autism… by the idea of new experiences. Building up social skills with practice can help enhance participation in the community and support outcomes like happiness and friendships. We have compiled social skills tips and information from experts, teachers, … school, and in the community. A special education teacher, speech pathologist, or other clinician may lead a “social skills group” that combines direct, explicit instruction with opportunities to practice and generalize these skills in more natural …
Idaho becomes the 47th state to require autism insurance coverage!… families with children who have autism, health advocates, and state officials to celebrate increased acceptance and support for individuals with autism. The ceremony began with Lt. Governor Brad Little's proclamation signing in recognition … for individuals with autism. The bulletin issued by the Idaho Department of Insurance requires all individual, small group and large group insurance plans to cover evidence-based treatment for autism, including Applied Behavior Analysis. In Cameron’s …