Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism

October 7, 2009

Hi everyone. Please see below for details about the Advancing Futures for

Adults with Autism event scheduled for Friday, November 13. It is really

an unusual opportunity to voice your opinion with others around the country

to shape a national agenda.

You'll see that participation costs $100. That is a lot of money, but

participant fees make up only a small part of the cost of hosting such a

massive event that will use technology to link over 1,000 folks from 15

different sites in the country. Chicago is the center hub, and will host

the largest number of people. The Chicago event will be held at the UIC

Forum in Chicago.

There are a limited number of scholarships available for African American

and Latino participants. Please e-mail me privately if you would like to

reserve a scholarship. Even if you aren't eligible for a scholarship, I

hope you might be able to attend.

Yesterday I was able to participate in a " simulation " of the event, so

organizers could work out kinks in the system and further refine details.

It was much more dynamic and interactive than I expected. Check out the

link below to see a short 3-minute video that shows the process in action,

and some results that have come from other groups using this process. (the

example video shows folks working on health care policy in Maine, but you

can easily see how the system will work for autism.)

thanks, hope you can attend, and spread the word!

Miriam McCann

link to example video:

http://www.americaspeaks.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.ViewPage & PageID=797

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Chicagoland Chapter <chicago@...>

Date: Wed, Oct 7, 2009 at 2:44 PM

Subject: Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism

Miriam McCann <miriam.m.mccann@...>

National Town Meeting

UIC Forum, Chicago

*November 13, 2009*

Join us on Friday, November 13 for a landmark national town hall

meeting. Attendees

will be involved in structured discussion groups that will feed information

into a national data summary and analysis program ultimately resulting in a

final report to Congress.

*This is a critical opportunity to shape the future for people with autism.*

<https://www.kintera.org/site/apps/ka/rg/register.asp?c=llIYIkNZJuE & b=5339471 & en\

=btIPJ0NEI9JKL2NNJdLKL7NNKkK5JcNIKbKVKdMMIcKSLaNVLxH>Caregivers,

advocates, elected officials, family members and adults with autism will

come together to build momentum as a unified voice to support a national

policy agenda for addressing the needs of adults with autism. The fee for

the full day (10:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) is $100 and your participation is

key.

*About the National Town Hall*

The National Town Hall is taking place in multiple cities across the United

States on November 13. Satellite sites throughout the country will be linked

via technology and live webcast to the hub event here in Chicago. The

meeting will consist of small group discussions providing each participant

with the opportunity to give direct, substantive feedback. Network computers

and wireless keypad technology will transform the individual discussions

into synthesized recommendations representative of the Chicago and remote

participants at satellite locations. Working together, the small group

discussions and technologies will create a clear set of shared priorities, a

unified voice, and recommendations to shape the next steps.

At this unprecedented event, participants will receive an extensive

Discussion Guide with options for improving the lives of adults with autism

and an opportunity to make a difference.

Click here <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3_DUpoIFvE> to preview a town

hall meeting.

Please join us. *Learn

more*<http://www.afaa-us.org/site/c.llIYIkNZJuE/b.5074847/k.C12C/Chicago.htm>

* *

For more information on Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org

Remove yourself from this

mailing<http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=efIJKVNCKcIJL6K & s=eeITLYMxFbIHKUOtFmF & m=\

jgJOJXMBLcLUE>

..

October 7, 2009