Re: Best place to live

[Guest guest]

On Thu, 28 Jun 2001 22:49:45 -0000 blankenships@... writes:

> I would like to do an informal survey on where you would consider to

> be the best place to live in north america for people with autistic,

> or pdd kids. And, why you consider it the best.

*

Hi, don't know if where I live is the best place, but it is a good place.

I live in the North Babylon school district , which is in Suffolk

Ciounty, New York. My Early Intervention services were very, very good

and I had a great case worker, and was able to get my son into an ABA 4

hour a day school based program at the age of 23 months months, which was

after a 6 month program in my home of 1 hour daily. The following years

he was receining 5 i/2 hours daily at a school based program. He is now

6 1/2 years old and has been attending an ABA program, a little over 5

1/2 hours daily at a BOCES placement ( E. ) for the past 2

years. In Sept. he will start out in ABA again, but witin a months time

will be visiting into nonABA classes with a shadow. His visits will

gradually take up greater parts of the day - joining the other class for

lunch, specials and classwork. If all goes well LJ will be making the

official move out of ABA. ABA does wonders, only now he is ready to move

on, thanks to ABA.

My school district has paid for LJ's home tutor for the past 2 years - 10

hours weekly the first year and now 8 hours weekly.

My son is entitled to ESY (extendeed school year), but I chose not to

send him to school this summer, and instead enrolled him in a 3 hour

daily summer day camp with

NT children, with a shadow that I am providing. It is a town run day

camp and I'm not anticipating any problems.

Even my firehouse here was great. 2 years ago during their Santa Claus

parade the firehouse got ready early and allowed us to comw down so LJ

could see all the characters and meet with Santa without all the crowds.

Every one was great to my child. At fire safety week he was able to get

the prizes and little giveaway things without doing the actual

requirements.

I don't know if you are just looking for educational views on this or

social too, and what other types of things you're looking for.

As far as people in general - people are the same all over the world I

feel. You'll get your very compassionate and understanding individuals,

but then every town has their ignorant, rude and nasty individuals, both

children and adults alike.

Hope this is the kind of info you were looking for.

on Long Island New York

*

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[Guest guest]

Oh you got it, Madison Wisconsin, hands down. First of all, medicaid (

Beckett), it entitles your child to 40 hours of ABA, free! Also, the

schools are rated as " A " . I've had a very pleasant experience here, for

sure. In addition, its easy to get your hands on gluten and casein free

foods right in the grocery store. We have Whole Foods, and Copp's. Copp's

is my favorite, because they are very dedicated to providing these foods,

and have spoken at our gfcf meetings. If you can move here, do it. If not,

shoot for anywhere nearby, just as long as its in Wisconsin.

a - Madison WI

> I would like to do an informal survey on where you would consider to

> be the best place to live in north america for people with autistic,

> or pdd kids. And, why you consider it the best. I would like to get a

> lot of opinions so PLEASE put in your two cents worth! -Thanks

[Guest guest]

Well, our school district seem to be very caring and compassionate also. He

also has support at school for his diet. We have nothing outside of school

for anyone with special needs except Special Olympics has a few programs.

Evan does have a behaviorist that makes an hour drive to see him one hour a

week but the Center gets billed for more. Our district did start a special

IBI class 3 years ago for HFA 4 yos to get them into regular school.

California has a VERY high increase in autism but we do not have a high

increase in special ed teachers or aides trained to work with autism. They

have to learn on the job. So far the rise in autism has not translated into

a rise in workers for the children.

Betty from Central California

Re: Best place to live

> I have been very pleased with the school district here-I live in grundy

> county Illinois- The did everything I ask for and even wrote his diet into

> his IEP. They seem to caring and compassionate people so far. Now outside

of

> school there is not a whole lot for Autism here-all of my sons therapists

> had quite a distance to drive to see him. No special programs for summer

fun

> geared toward special needs kids either. The school at present does not

> offer ABA but I have been told they are forming a special autism team and

> may offer ABA if parents want it. Over all I like where I am, I do believe

> there will be more for Autism here soon-it seems the rates are rising in

> Illinois as well. LIsa

[Guest guest]

Its not here in Texas. This one of my pet peeves. Unfortunately

Texas is 48 th in the country on spending for mental health and

mental retardation (in which Autism is still considered). No 1 being

the best we are close to the bottom

Even for medical services the state of Texas is 43rd out of 50 states

for that type of spending. We are one of the states that have some

of largest numbers of uninsured children.

Plus Texas has a hugh petrochemical industry here. We now have

surpassed California with environmental problems.

As far as services- it can vary greatly between school districts and

local mental health authorities.

Sam started with Early Childhood Intervention program but it provided

no ABA. It was basically structured play but they did provide speech.

In the school district I have Sam in preschool 3 hrs M-F. My

district does a good job plus Sam has a wonderful teacher.

The extend summer program can only be described with a four letter

word and I won't degrade myself by using it here. Next year Sam will

go a camp- I think it will be more stimulating for her. Plus I think

they (ext summer folks) feed her stuff off the GFCF diet.

Now Sam's school district has been s/w generous with non-education

funds. Many other TX districts won't even discuss this w/parents.

The goals is very limited with in -home trainng or shadowing to

generalize concepts at home from school. Sam is being evaluated for

this service in August.

PS -if you are in Texas every district has these funds but they are a

well kept secret and make it difficult for parents to access them.

Texas is so backward with regards to human services - I don't see how

W. managed to be president. The media and folks never paid

enough attention to his track record.

I'm off my soap box now. Thanks for being tolerant

PS I am from NB, NY and if I had my fantasy wish -I'd move

back just for the programming.

Jeneane, Houston

Nick 5 (NT)

Sam 3 ( PDD-Nos)

Beth 2 (NT)

[Guest guest]

I think Montgomery County, land, is a pretty good place to live.

They have excellent educational benefits for autistic children - stuff

that I would have to pay a fortune for if I lived anywhere else. I also

find a lot of stores near where I live (Silver Spring) that carry a good

supply of CFGF foods. There's also a wonderful compounding pharmacy

within 15 minutes from my house. The down side is that it's expensive

around here, but since Wash, DC has a very good employment rate, it's

workable.

( & Malachi's mom)