ASCEND: Asperger Syndrome

2009 has been a busy year for ASCEND. What have we accomplished with a small staff and a dedicated group of volunteer board members and chapter coordinators?

Support for families: We responded to hundreds of requests for guidance and information via our phone line, email and website. In addition, we provided support to numerous family members at our chapter meetings throughout the region.

Information distribution: We launched our enewsletter to provide biweekly blasts of Asperger and autism related articles, news and events. Our website is continually updated with new information, too.

Annual conference: We co-presented our ninth annual daylong conference with the Penn Autism Network. This year’s topic was Healthy Sexuality and ASD presented by internationally renowned autism expert Isabelle Hénault, Ph.D.

Workshops and seminars: We offered workshops for parents and grandparents of newly diagnosed children. We also co-presented seminars on how best to access federally funded benefits programs.

Social activities: We ramped up our Meetup group to offer more activities for kids and teens. More than 20 activities have taken place so far in 2009.

And much more! We look forward to continuing our innovative programming and person-to-person support in 2010, our 10th year.

As a nonprofit organization, ASCEND needs your help. We hope you will consider a donation during this holiday season. It is through the support of people like you that we continue to touch families and affect lives.

Best wishes to all for a happy and healthy holiday season.

Sincerely,
ASCEND’s Board of Directors

Upcoming issue: Worshipping and autism. Please forward information on faith communities that welcome people with autism and/or your tips for inclusion. Send suggestions to Deirdre Wright.

ISO Chapter Coordinators

ASCEND is currently seeking at least one coordinator for our Delaware County chapter. In addition, we would like to launch chapters in Bucks, Philadelphia and Eastern Montgomery counties.

This is a fantastic opportunity to get to know other families in your county and to give back to your community. Chapter coordinators are invaluable to ASCEND. They facilitate monthly or bi-monthly meetings for parents and caregivers to share information about resources, schooling, social opportunities and much more!

What are the qualifications required to be a coordinator?

Desire to help others navigate the challenges of supporting a family member with Asperger Syndrome or a related diagnosis.

Some experience with service providers in your county.

Availability either every month or every other month to facilitate a meeting.

Chapter coordinators must be a parent or caregiver of an individual with Asperger Syndrome or a similar diagnosis. If you are interested in finding out more about becoming an ASCEND chapter coordinator, please contact Bill Carroll, ASCEND’s Vice President.

ASCEND represents at AFAA

National Town Hall Meeting

ASCEND sent three board members to the first Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism (AFAA) National Town Hall Meeting on November 13, 2009. Jerry Kelly, Michele Stein and Deirdre Wright were among 53 Philadelphia participants. Over 1,000 people took part nationwide. Participants consisted of adults with ASD, family members, service providers, and policy makers. Our thanks to the Center for Autism Research at CHOP for coordinating the Philadelphia portion of this meeting and for inviting ASCEND to participate. To read a report on the meeting from IAN, click here. For the official AFAA site, click here.

New! To have your event listed in ASCEND’s enewsletter, please visit our website and fill out the online event form.

RFP from the Penn Autism Network
PAN’s 5th Annual Conference
April 23, 2010, Willow Grove, PA (new location!)
Proposals are being sought for workshop and keynote sessions that concentrate on the needs of adults with ASD and those transitioning to adulthood. The proposal deadline is January 5. PAN is the outreach and education initiative of the University of Pennsylvania’s Social Learning Disorders Program (SLDP). For more information, visit the PAN website.

The ASERT Statewide Service Needs Assessment
The PA ASERT Centers, funded by PA’s Bureau of Autism Services, are asking individuals with autism and their families about their service experiences and needs. If you are a caregiver of a person with autism or a person with autism yourself, you are in the best position to help identify the needs of individuals and families affected by autism. The purpose of this study is to collect information that can be used to improve the quality of autism services in Pennsylvania. To take part, click here.

ARCH ~ Adults Reaching Community Harmony
12.19.09, 10 am -12 noon
Lower Bucks YMCA, 601 S. Oxford Valley Rd., Fairless Hills, PA
Cost: $10
A social recreational group for individuals, ages 16+, with ASD and other related neurological disorders in Bucks and Montco. Group activity for December is building a gingerbread house and making holiday cards. Registration deadline: 12.16.09. Contact Ambry Ward for more info.

Next Steps Conference

01.27.10, 8:30 am – 3 pm
3535 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $20 (includes lunch, & resource binder)
The Regional Autism Center and the Center for Autism Research at CHOP, along with Variety, invite you to an all-day conference on the next steps to take after receiving an ASD diagnosis. For more info, click here.

From the article: "For the past two years, The Autism Institute of Gwynedd-Mercy College's School of Education has been using the resources it has to meet the needs of people in the community relative to the autistic population. It is offering an upcoming series of six workshops, for a fee, focused on verbal behavior training, which are open to parents, families, teachers, students, and the community. Workshop participants are eligible for Act 48 credits." click to read >

From the article: "New companies see productive job skills in those with the developmental spectrum disorder...Specialisterne is a company out of Denmark that trains people with autism to be skilled employees. They are sent out as hourly consultants to companies to do data entry, assembly work and other jobs that other workers might find tedious and repetitive." click to read >

From the article: "As number of autistic kids rises, schools and programs are being created to aid those with mild form … The middle school years, when nothing seems more important or more impossible than fitting in, are rough for nearly everyone. But they are particularly brutal for preteens such as Will Gilbertsen, whose mild autism makes him stand out.” click to read >

Preparing kids for a visit with Santa
This YouTube video was produced created by Santa-America to help prepare children to meet Santa Claus. Santa talks about his outfit and what to expect when visiting him. Brenda Smith Myles provided input. This video should ease Santa fears for the anxious child. Five stars! click here to watch >

Care.com helps find sitters
From the website: “Care.com provides a trusted place for families and care providers to easily connect, share caregiving experiences, and get advice. The company addresses the unique lifecycle of care needs that each family may go through — including child care, special needs care, tutoring, senior care, pet care, housekeeping and more. The service enables families to find and select the best care possible based on detailed profiles, background checks, and references for hundreds of thousands of mom-reviewed providers who are seeking to share their services.” click here for more info >

The National Standards Project
The National Autism Center has completed a multi-year project — the National Standards Project — to establish a set of standards for effective, research-validated educational and behavioral interventions for children on the autism spectrum. This report provides comprehensive information about the level of scientific evidence that exists in support on many treatments currently available for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. click here for more info >

Internship Program: Emerging Leaders
The Emerging Leaders summer internship program for college students with disabilities offers paid summer internships at many of America's leading corporations. These companies are members of the National Business & Disability Council and are proactive in recruiting qualified people with disabilities. More information can be found here. Application deadline: 12/31/09. click here for more info >

Internship Programs: AAPD
Each year the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) hosts two Summer Internship Programs for College Students with Disabilities in Washington, DC, providing paid travel to and from DC, paid fully-accessible housing and living stipends. AAPD is now accepting applications for the 2010 Summer Internship programs. Application deadline: 01.08.10. click here for more info >

National service handbook
The Corporation for National and Community Service has published a guide that provides information on how to make service programs more inclusive for persons with disabilities. The "Handbook for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in National and Community Service Programs" provides information about creating an inclusive environment, disability-related laws, how to write inclusive service descriptions, recruitment and outreach, and accommodations issues and legal requirements. click here for more info >

ASCEND Group Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. We do not endorse any specific professional or therapeutic treatment. We are not meant to be a replacement for medical or legal advice. Our mission is to raise public awareness about Asperger Syndrome and related disorders, to advocate for improved education and services, and to provide support and information to the Asperger and autism community.

This newsletter is for informational purposes only. Any link or mention in our newsletter should not be construed as an endorsement or recommendation.

The official registration and financial information of ASCEND Group Inc. may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.