Fwd: Constituent's Corner: While You Were Living column #28

[Guest guest]

Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

CONSTITUENTS' CORNER: WHILE YOU WERE LIVING

By: Bruce A. Blitman, Esquire

Constituency Board Member for Broward County

With the hassles

and stresses of daily living, it is almost impossible to keep up with what's

going on in the world of autism and related disabilities. In the twenty-eighth

installment of this column, I will continue to share some new information about

things I've watched on television and read about in the news.

1. AUTISM

TREATMENT NETWORK TO TRIPLE IN SIZE: Autism Speaks announced that its Autism

Treatment Network (ATN) would triple in size, expanding from five sites to

fifteen sites across the United States and Canada. The ATN is a group of hospitals

and medical centers dedicated to improving medical care for children and

adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to standardizing the care

those individuals receive. The network aims to develop common clinical

standards for medical care for individuals with ASD and to increase the pool of

autism medical specialists through trainee mentorship and outreach to

community-based physicians.   

2. AUTISM

SPEAKS FILES AMICUS BRIEF WITH  U.S. SUPREME COURT TO PROTECT “STAY

PUT”: Autism Speaks, through its Federal Legal Appeals Project (FLAP),

filed an amicus brief with the United States Supreme Court to support the

appeal bid of Florida triplets with autism who had been receiving services

under Florida’s Early Intervention program, but were denied

“pendency” by their local school district when a dispute arose

concerning the adequacy of the Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that the

school district offered to the children. Pendency, sometimes referred to as

“stay put”, is a statutory protection that operates to maintain the

educational status quo and prevent lapses in services.

3. MS. JAIMEE

SCHULSON PREPARING SENIOR THESIS ON EMERGING ADULTHOOD AND THE AUTISTIC

SPECTRUM: e is a college senior at New College of Florida in Sarasota. She

is currently researching her senior thesis on how the transition to adulthood

is experienced by individuals with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's

Syndrome, and how their experiences compare with those of typical emerging

adults between the ages of 18 and 25. The purpose of her study is to explore

the distinct features of emerging adulthood in those with

High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome to see if they experience

this developmental period and, if so, how does it compare with those experiences

of typical emerging adults. e is looking for individuals between the ages

of 18 and 25 who would be interested in participating in her study.

Participation will most likely involve completing a survey about their

perceptions of their adulthood, and their present life views and experiences

during transition to adulthood. Anyone interested in this study can contact

e for more information at: e Schulson, New College of Florida,

5800 Bay Shore Road, Box 784, Sarasota, Florida 34243 Telephone:

or e-mail her at: e.Schulson@....

4. COOPER

CITY EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL POPULATIONS: The program is set to music and

includes moderate to active head-to-toe movements. Exercises are performed

standing, bending and sitting on mats. Participants must be fairly indedpendent

and able to follow simple and basic instructions, for ages 16 and older with

developmental disabilities. This program is held on Thursdays, from 6:30 PM to

7:30 PM EST at Piccolo Park,  9501 Sheridan Street, City, Florida.

To Preregister for this program, please call . 

5. SKATER WITH

AUTISM PERFORMED AT “THE MUSIC OF SEAL ON ICE”: Krista Kellner, a

teenage figure skater with autism, performed as part of “The Music of

Seal On Ice.” Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Seal performed

live while a cast of skaters including Olympic gold medalists Kristi Yamaguchi

and Boitano, plus other world and national champion skaters, interpreted

the music on ice. The event took place on December 18, 2007 at the Verizon

Center in Washington, D.C. and was televised on NBC on New Year’s Day.

$5.00 from every ticket sold was donated to Autism Speaks.  

6. AUTISTIC

STUDENTS MIGHT GET MORE HELP: An article by reporter Kathleen McGrory published

in the December 19, 2007 issue of The Miami Herald reports that extra support may

soon be on the way for the hundreds of autistic children in the Miami-Dade

public school system. After three months of meetings, the district’s

Autism Task Force issued its recommendations on how to better serve students

with the disorder. The task force offered more than two dozen recommendations,

which include: (1) Implementing a parent liaison in schools with autistic

students. The parent liaison would welcome new families to the school, hold

meeting and help new parents find community resources; (2) Increasing the

number of staffing specialists and autism support teachers; and (3) Increasing

access to schools of choice and summer-school programs. In Miami-Dade, more

than 1,800 students have been identified as autistic. An additional 2,400

students in Broward County public schools have the disorder. Although some of

the recommendations would come at no cost to the district, finding the money

for the more costly proposals could present a challenge. The task force has not

determined the cost of implementing the recommendations.

7. UNIVERSITY OF

MIAMI GENOMICS INSTITUTE OPENS: In November, 2007, the husband and wife team of

Dr. Margaret Pericak-Vance and Dr. Jeffery Vance, leaders of the UM Genomics

Institute, watched as their research building opened. The Institute will focus

on the genetic origins of multiple sclerosis, age-related macular degeneration,

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), tuberculosis and

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, as well as cardiovascular disease, neurodevelopmental

disorders and cancer.   

I will continue to

use this column to exchange information and ideas about autism and related

disabilities. I can really use your help. If you read an interesting book,

article or magazine which discusses new developments relating to autism

research, or watch a television show, documentary or movie with an

autism-related theme, please let me know about it, so I can share this

information with our fellow constituents. Thank you for your continued support

of CARD. You can send your information via e-mail to: Bruce A.

Blitman at my e-mail address which is: BABmediate@... or call me at (954)

437-3446. Thanks for your assistance. Best wishes for continued good health,

happiness, success and hope. I hope you and your families have a New Year

filled with Good Health, Prosperity and Peace.

concor28

*If

you would like to be added to our email list or if you would like to be removed

from our email list, please send an email to: jamunoz@...

UM-NSU CARD is a state-funded resource and support program dedicated to

improving the lives of individuals with autism and related disabilities

including deaf-blindness and pervasive developmental disorders. UM-NSU CARD

does not endorse specific programs or points of view presented in this email.

[Guest guest]

Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

CONSTITUENTS' CORNER: WHILE YOU WERE LIVING

By: Bruce A. Blitman, Esquire

Constituency Board Member for Broward County

With the hassles

and stresses of daily living, it is almost impossible to keep up with what's

going on in the world of autism and related disabilities. In the twenty-eighth

installment of this column, I will continue to share some new information about

things I've watched on television and read about in the news.

1. AUTISM

TREATMENT NETWORK TO TRIPLE IN SIZE: Autism Speaks announced that its Autism

Treatment Network (ATN) would triple in size, expanding from five sites to

fifteen sites across the United States and Canada. The ATN is a group of hospitals

and medical centers dedicated to improving medical care for children and

adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to standardizing the care

those individuals receive. The network aims to develop common clinical

standards for medical care for individuals with ASD and to increase the pool of

autism medical specialists through trainee mentorship and outreach to

community-based physicians.   

2. AUTISM

SPEAKS FILES AMICUS BRIEF WITH  U.S. SUPREME COURT TO PROTECT “STAY

PUT”: Autism Speaks, through its Federal Legal Appeals Project (FLAP),

filed an amicus brief with the United States Supreme Court to support the

appeal bid of Florida triplets with autism who had been receiving services

under Florida’s Early Intervention program, but were denied

“pendency” by their local school district when a dispute arose

concerning the adequacy of the Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that the

school district offered to the children. Pendency, sometimes referred to as

“stay put”, is a statutory protection that operates to maintain the

educational status quo and prevent lapses in services.

3. MS. JAIMEE

SCHULSON PREPARING SENIOR THESIS ON EMERGING ADULTHOOD AND THE AUTISTIC

SPECTRUM: e is a college senior at New College of Florida in Sarasota. She

is currently researching her senior thesis on how the transition to adulthood

is experienced by individuals with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's

Syndrome, and how their experiences compare with those of typical emerging

adults between the ages of 18 and 25. The purpose of her study is to explore

the distinct features of emerging adulthood in those with

High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome to see if they experience

this developmental period and, if so, how does it compare with those experiences

of typical emerging adults. e is looking for individuals between the ages

of 18 and 25 who would be interested in participating in her study.

Participation will most likely involve completing a survey about their

perceptions of their adulthood, and their present life views and experiences

during transition to adulthood. Anyone interested in this study can contact

e for more information at: e Schulson, New College of Florida,

5800 Bay Shore Road, Box 784, Sarasota, Florida 34243 Telephone:

or e-mail her at: e.Schulson@....

4. COOPER

CITY EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL POPULATIONS: The program is set to music and

includes moderate to active head-to-toe movements. Exercises are performed

standing, bending and sitting on mats. Participants must be fairly indedpendent

and able to follow simple and basic instructions, for ages 16 and older with

developmental disabilities. This program is held on Thursdays, from 6:30 PM to

7:30 PM EST at Piccolo Park,  9501 Sheridan Street, City, Florida.

To Preregister for this program, please call . 

5. SKATER WITH

AUTISM PERFORMED AT “THE MUSIC OF SEAL ON ICE”: Krista Kellner, a

teenage figure skater with autism, performed as part of “The Music of

Seal On Ice.” Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Seal performed

live while a cast of skaters including Olympic gold medalists Kristi Yamaguchi

and Boitano, plus other world and national champion skaters, interpreted

the music on ice. The event took place on December 18, 2007 at the Verizon

Center in Washington, D.C. and was televised on NBC on New Year’s Day.

$5.00 from every ticket sold was donated to Autism Speaks.  

6. AUTISTIC

STUDENTS MIGHT GET MORE HELP: An article by reporter Kathleen McGrory published

in the December 19, 2007 issue of The Miami Herald reports that extra support may

soon be on the way for the hundreds of autistic children in the Miami-Dade

public school system. After three months of meetings, the district’s

Autism Task Force issued its recommendations on how to better serve students

with the disorder. The task force offered more than two dozen recommendations,

which include: (1) Implementing a parent liaison in schools with autistic

students. The parent liaison would welcome new families to the school, hold

meeting and help new parents find community resources; (2) Increasing the

number of staffing specialists and autism support teachers; and (3) Increasing

access to schools of choice and summer-school programs. In Miami-Dade, more

than 1,800 students have been identified as autistic. An additional 2,400

students in Broward County public schools have the disorder. Although some of

the recommendations would come at no cost to the district, finding the money

for the more costly proposals could present a challenge. The task force has not

determined the cost of implementing the recommendations.

7. UNIVERSITY OF

MIAMI GENOMICS INSTITUTE OPENS: In November, 2007, the husband and wife team of

Dr. Margaret Pericak-Vance and Dr. Jeffery Vance, leaders of the UM Genomics

Institute, watched as their research building opened. The Institute will focus

on the genetic origins of multiple sclerosis, age-related macular degeneration,

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), tuberculosis and

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, as well as cardiovascular disease, neurodevelopmental

disorders and cancer.   

I will continue to

use this column to exchange information and ideas about autism and related

disabilities. I can really use your help. If you read an interesting book,

article or magazine which discusses new developments relating to autism

research, or watch a television show, documentary or movie with an

autism-related theme, please let me know about it, so I can share this

information with our fellow constituents. Thank you for your continued support

of CARD. You can send your information via e-mail to: Bruce A.

Blitman at my e-mail address which is: BABmediate@... or call me at (954)

437-3446. Thanks for your assistance. Best wishes for continued good health,

happiness, success and hope. I hope you and your families have a New Year

filled with Good Health, Prosperity and Peace.

concor28

*If

you would like to be added to our email list or if you would like to be removed

from our email list, please send an email to: jamunoz@...

UM-NSU CARD is a state-funded resource and support program dedicated to

improving the lives of individuals with autism and related disabilities

including deaf-blindness and pervasive developmental disorders. UM-NSU CARD

does not endorse specific programs or points of view presented in this email.