ASO DIGEST: September 22, 2008

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend of ASO:

Visit ASO's website www.autismohio.org for an "easy to read" version if this does not come through clean on your listserv. Or sign up to receive your own copy by "registering" on the "login" section of ASO's homepage.

News From ASO:

- ASO forming Ohio Autism Advocacy Network - Join Now!

- ODMRDD Releases Drafts of Phase 1 Deliverables from Futures Recommendations - Your input still needed!

- NOW OPEN! – 2008 NATTAP Conference Registration, Columbus

Upcoming Events, Resources, etc:

- ASA Statement on Columbia University Study on Measles Virus Vaccine

- Tools for Today and Tomorrow - Mc House of Cleveland

- September ODMRDD Family Advisory Council Meeting, Columbus

- OAR RELEASES ASPERGER DVD FOR COLLEGE PROFESSORS

- Webinar on Disability Provisions in the Higher Education Opportunity Act: Materials Archived

- “Updates on the New Ohio Operating Standards for Ohio Schoolsâ€, Medina

- Teddy Bear Day at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

- Online fire safety game for children

- eReading Pro Seminar, Riverside

- Apple Picking at Eddy's Apple Orchard, Chesterland

- Teens & Young Adults - College info session (Cleveland)

- FREE Viewing of "Including ", Medina

- Teaching Strategies and Transition for Students on the Autism Spectrum, Cincinnati

- Transition and Teaching Strategies for Students on the Autism Spectrum, Pittsburg

- Updates from ODE - Office for Exceptional Children

- Autism Recognition, Response and Risk Management for Law Enforcement and Fire/First Responders, Portsmouth

- New Books from AAPC

If you are interested in participating in research projects, ASO is now posting all research opportunities on our website. For information on available opportunities, visit our webpage www.autismohio.org, click on "Information" along the l eft side of the home page and then click on "Studies/Surveys".

Have you purchased your Ohio Autism Awareness License Plate yet? To purchase yours, visit www.oplates.com and click on "Specialty Plates" or visit our website at www.autismohio.org for more information.

Sincerely,The Autism Society of Ohio701 S. Main St.Akron, OH 44311( 330) 376-0211fax: (330) 376-1226email: askASO@...web: www.autismohio.org Please note: This is provided for information purposes only. The ASO does not endorse or recommend any providers, methodologies or services. Providing this information should not be construed as an endorsement by the ASO, either explicit or implied.

News From ASO:

ASO forming Ohio Autism Advocacy Network - Join Now!

As you are aware, Autism Insurance Parity, HB170 is currently under consideration by the Ohio House Insurance Committee. The fall elections are coming and immediately following the elections it will be time to address next biennial budget for Ohio. Additionally, issues regularly come before the state legislature that impact individuals with autism, their families and those who work them throughout Ohio. And because of this, the Autism Society of Ohio needs your help.

We are in the process of putting together an autism advocacy network that has constituents in each of the districts of the members of the Ohio General Assembly, both the House and Senate. We are looking for advocates all around the state to help us with this effort.

You can volunteer to participate in two ways:

· Team Leader: Each Ohio district will have an assigned team leader who is responsible for carrying the key ASO/autism messages when meeting with the legislator (Representatives and Senators), coordinating testimony or letter writing for hearings, and for organizing the team members of their district, etc.

· Team Member: Each Ohio district will have several team members that are available to share their own personal ASO/autism story, to write letters when needed, and to ask from help from their neighbors/families/friends. Team members may choose specialize on certain topics – ie. autism insurance parity topic, special education funding, etc.

ASO is also developing a Legislative Advocacy Manual and will provide local training to constituent volunteer advocates.

If you are interested in participating in this effort, please send your Name, address, city,zip+4, phone, email address, House District Number and Senate District number and whether you are interested in being a “Team Leader†or a “Team Member†to askASO@.... Please put AUTISM ADVOCACY NETWORK in the subject line. To find your district numbers, visit www.legislature.state.oh.us and follow the directions under "Locating Legislators".

For more information, visit our website at www.autismohio.org

ODMRDD Releases Drafts of Phase 1 Deliverables from Futures Recommendations - Your input still needed!

Note from ASO: ODMRDD is very interested in your feedback! Please note that these "deliverables" are very much a DRAFT! Additionally, the deliverables should be considered as each representing a part of a whole - a plan to implement some serious system change in Ohio - so please consider each deliverable in the context of the others as well. Nothing presented in the deliverables is cast in stone - so please provide input to ODMRDD. Of special interest to the Ohio autism community:

- Deliverable 2: New Flexible Support Waiver including Intensive Behavioral Needs

- Deliverable 5: Transition Pilot

- Deliverable 8: Waiting Lists

- Deliverable 9: Regional Planning and Networks

ASO Co-President Barb Yavorcik is part of Policy Leadership Roundtable and will be working with ODMRDD as these deliverables are vetted and finalized, so after you have submitted your input to ODMRDD, if you have a very specific concern that you would like emphasized, please share that with Barb at