ASO needs your help!

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend of ASO:

As part of the 2003 Bi-Annual Budget (HB95), the Ohio Legislature created The Ohio Autism

Taskforce (OAT). Comprised of stakeholders throughout the state, including parents and a

person with autism, the mission of the OAT was to look at the current state of services for

persons with autism and their families in Ohio and make recommendations to the legislature

for ways to improve those services. The Autism Society of Ohio had a representative

appointed to the OAT; three other ASO board members served on the taskforce as well as

two members who served on committees of the taskforce. The OAT has met monthly for the

last year and recently released 43 recommendations which are posted on the ASO website, www.autismohio.org, as well as the OAT website, www.ohioautismlegislation.org. Various

committee chairs of the OAT are finishing narratives for each of the recommendations which

Representative Jon (R – Delaware), the chair of the OAT and the parent of a

daughter with autism, will include in the final report to be presented to the Ohio Legislature.

The final report will be posted on both websites as soon as it is completed.

The Ohio Legislature is currently debating the next 2-year Ohio budget which will be passed

into law at the end of June 2005. The release of the OAT report provides all of us who are

affected by autism a golden opportunity to make our voices heard and advocate for improved

services for our loved ones with autism. While some of the recommendations do not come

with a price tag, many do. This is going to be one of the tightest budgets in years, with many

services being cut. It is imperative that legislators hear that Ohio lags far behind other states

in providing services to individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, and that

rather than cutting important services, implementing recommendations of the OAT will save

Ohio taxpayers in the long run!

The next several months will be critical in reaching legislators with this important

message. Sometimes this needs to be done quickly. This is where you can help! The ASO

needs to update our mailing list with email addresses (to contact you quickly) and

zipcode+4 (in order to target specific legislators as necessary). Please send this

information, as well as your name and address, to askASO@... - be sure

to put ASO MAILING LIST in the subject line. Not sure what your zip+4 is? Go to www.usps.com and click on “Find a Zipcodeâ€. Don’t have a computer and still want to be part

of the process? Contact your legislators and let them know that you want them to support

the recommendations of the Ohio Autism Taskforce. You can also visit your local library for

computer access to check out the ASO website for the latest updates and send us your

information. Not sure how to find your state legislators? Visit www.house.state.oh.us, click

on “Your Representatives†and enter your zipcode. Visit www.senate.state.oh.us, click on

“Your Senators†and enter your zipcode.

Please rest assured that none of this information will be shared with any other organization, commercial or otherwise. This information will be used solely to advise you on the legislative

process regarding the OAT Recommendations. In addition, you will receive information on

the ASO’s Bi-Annual Conferences – the next being October 14-15, 2005 at the Kingsgate

tt in Cincinnati featuring keynote speakers Dr. Vince Carbone, PhD and Dr. Theresa

Grossi, PhD.

The ASO will be working with Rep. in order to fully take advantage of this opportunity presented to us. It is so important that we make our voices heard! Become part of the

process – send in your contact information today!

Sincerely,

Barb YavorcikPresident, Autism Society of Ohio