The Arc’s Autism Now Center

Tomorrow is a big day. It’s the Autism NOW Center’s first ever Regional Summit!

We’ll have 200 people attending the summit in Maryland, which will be a two-day event that will include opportunities for networking and relationship-building between stakeholders, families, and people who identify as having an autism spectrum disorder or intellectual and developmental disability; for sharing information and resources related to the area of autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities; and for celebrating the local and regional autism and intellectual and developmental disability community.

Follow the Summit Online

If you’re not attending – not to worry. Follow the summit online. There are several ways:

• We’ll post updates at the end of each day right here on autismnow.org.
• Watch our Facebook page for updates, including our discussion board. We’ll post the same questions there that are being posed at the summit, so our online audience can weigh in with thoughts.
• You can also follow updates on Twitter, by following us and by following the hashtag #AutismNOWSummit.
• We’ll post photos to our Flickr profile and Facebook page.

We’re excited about the knowledge and opportunities that will come out of the summit, and can’t wait to share that with you.

We updated our May webinar schedule today. Be sure to check out the schedule and register for your favorite webinar topic. For the next two weeks, the Autism NOW Center will be hosting webinars that can introduce or expand you knowledge on several critical subjects, including safety, social security disability insurance, early intervention, and information pertinent to military families.

And if you’ve missed a webinar, you can watch past ones in our webinar archive. We update this on a weekly basis.

We’ve received a fantastic response to the call for applications to the first ever Autism NOW Center Regional Summit – to be held in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. We’re excited to be hosting an event that we hope will really further the discussion of autism and other developmental disabilities.

If you haven’t applied to attend the event, there’s good news. We’ve extended the application deadline to April 29, 2011.

You can find out more about the first regional summit on its event page. We’d love to have more self advocates and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities apply. You can fill out an application at any time.

You can also find out about the other regional summits.

Recently, PBS launched a six-part series called, “Autism Now,” which first aired on PBS NewsHour April 18. PBS states, “the series is the most comprehensive look at the disorder and its impact that’s aired on American television in at least five years,” according to its website.

Some people have emailed the Autism NOW Center, asking us about the series and wondering if it’s connected to the work we’re doing. It’s not, but just so happens to share the same name.

The Autism NOW Center is a federally funded project, supported by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, and is a national initiative of The Arc. As many of you know, the center launched last year with a firm mission: to be a dynamic and interactive, highly visible and effective central point of quality resources and information for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities, their families, and other targeted key stakeholders.

We offer many information-based services to help fulfill that mission, but creating, assisting or consulting on this television show isn’t one of them. As a federal center we cannot take an official position on the PBS series.

We appreciate the continued interest in the Center, and always encourage feedback. You can email us at [email protected] or by visiting our feedback form.

During Autism Awareness Month, discover more about autism, developmental disability issues and celebrate the autism community – with webinars from the Autism NOW Center.

This month, we’ll offer introductory information about autism and early detection and interventions each Tuesday for those who are new to autism spectrum disorders and those who would like to deepen their knowledge. Every Thursday, Autism NOW will celebrate Autism Awareness month by inviting several different organizations that emphasize the many strengths of people who identify themselves on the autism spectrum.

Visit our webinar schedule page to see all the webinars that might interest you.

Celebrate Autism Awareness Month with Us

On this first day of Autism Awareness Month, we are thrilled to offer you – families connected to autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities, people that identify as having autism or I/DD, and other key stakeholders that have interests in these issues – with a dynamic platform of resources and information on many lifespan issues.

The website is a reflection of our vision for the Autism NOW Center. It is a virtual place where families and people that identify as having autism or I/DD are welcomed, celebrated, understood, and helped in meaningful ways. It is a space that promotes self-determination principles as outlined by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 that holds people with disabilities are valued members of our society. It is a portal of evidence-based and best practices information for all that draws from a national network of premiere organizations that all work to improve the quality of life for people with autism and I/DD, their families, and the systems that serve them. We are proud to be among the Projects of National Significance programs funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) to extend their important work in leading the field.

As we move forward, more information will continue to be added to the resources. The Autism NOW Center is multi-dimensional, offering not only this website for your use, but also weekly webinars that have become highly popular (so register early, space is limited!), our Facebook page, our information and referral services, and upcoming Autism NOW Summits in five regional cities. We encourage you to explore each of these dimensions of the Center, get involved, and let us know what you think.

Thank you for celebrating this time with us.

– Ann Cameron Caldwell

 

When first approaching autism and developmental disabilities issues, the vast amounts and types of organizations, resources, and needs can appear overwhelming. For the next two weeks, the Autism NOW Center will be hosting webinars that can introduce or expand your knowledge on several critical subjects, including disability organizations, insurance options, and assistive technologies.

We welcome you to join us for the following opportunities:

Key Disability Organization: The National Disability Rights Network
Tuesday, March 22 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
Speaker: Ms. Amanda Mays, National Disability Rights Network

Space is limited. Reserve your seat by registering for this webinar now.

Health Insurance Options for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Developmental Disabilities
Thursday, March 24 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
Speaker: Meg Comeau, Project Director, Catalyst Center

Space is limited. Reserve your seat by registering for this webinar now.

Key Disability Organization: National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
Tuesday, March 29 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
Speaker: Mr. Mike Brogioli, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Council on Developmental Disabilities

Space is limited. Reserve your seat by registering for this webinar now.

Assistive Technologies: RestAssured
Thursday, March 31, from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
Speaker: Mr. Dustin Wright, General Manager, RestAssured

Space is limited. Reserve your seat by registering for this webinar now.

Leisure and recreation time is a necessity in everyone’s lives, including people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or other developmental disabilities. With the spring arriving and summer just around the corner, families and people on the spectrum need to know more about their summer opportunities as well as recreation opportunities year-round. Join us for the final week in a series of webinars presenting different programmatic choices and opportunities for recreation for people of all ages and all abilities. These opportunities include:

Residential Camps and University-Camp Partnerships: Mt. Hood Kiwanis
Tuesday, March 15 from 4:00 to 5:00 PM EST
Speakers: Kaleen Deatherage, Executive Director of Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp; Professor Ann Fullerton, Department Chair and Professor in Portland State University’s Special Education Department; Kristy Lory, Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp Program Director.

Space is limited. Reserve your seat now by registering early.

Approaches to Recreation and Social Activities for Adults with Autism
Thursday, March 17 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
Speaker: Dr. Lisa Crabtree, Director of the Center for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Towson University

Space is limited. Reserve your seat now by registering early.

Leisure and recreation time is a necessity in everyone’s lives, including people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or other developmental disabilities. With the spring arriving and summer just around the corner, families and people on the spectrum need to know more about their summer opportunities as well as recreation opportunities year-round. Join us for a series of webinar presenting different programmatic choices and opportunities for recreation for people of all ages and all abilities.

These opportunities include:

Imagination Stage: Accessible and Inclusive Drama Opportunities and Approaches for People with ASD and other Developmental Disabilities
Tuesday, March 8 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
Speaker: Ms. Diane Nutting, Director of Access and Inclusion, Imagination Stage

Space is limited.

Reserve your seat now by registering on this page.

Equine-Assisted Therapies and Recreation Opportunities for People with ASD and other Developmental Disabilities
Thursday, March 10 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
Speaker: Ms. Cher Smith, NARHA

Space is limited.

Reserve your seat now by registering on this page.

 

In the month of March, Autism NOW Center webinars will focus on recreation activities and opportunities available to people with ASD and other developmental disabilities in summer and throughout the year.

We invite you to join us for the first week of webinars, which include:

March 1

The Importance of Recreation and Physical Activities for Children with ASD
Tuesday, March 1 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
Speaker: Dr. Dawn Sandt, Assistant Professor, Department of Early Childhood, Physical and Special Education
University of Toledo

To register for this event, please click here.

March 3

Summer Camps: Finding the Right Resource for People with ASD and other Developmental Disabilities
Thursday, March 3 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST
Discussion with Ms. Dianna Morgan, The Arc of Baltimore, Maryland. Facilitator: Autism NOW Director Tonia Ferguson.

To register for this event, please click here.

The Autism NOW Center is a project funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities and a national initiative of The Arc. The Center gathers, organizes, and disseminates readily accessible, high-quality resources and information related to community-based services that support independent living and self-determination, treatment protocols that promote community-based experiences, and evidence-based interventions. As part of this mission, The Autism NOW Center hosts free webinars every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:00 to 3:00 pm (EST). Designed for self-advocates, families, professionals, and the general public, these webinars encompass a wide variety of topics and practices in the area of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and developmental disabilities.

For any further questions, please contact Tonia Ferguson at [email protected] or Jennifer Sladen at [email protected].