Re: Summit materials distributed - part 1

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim,

These questions(below) are AWESOME. Jeff just got home this afternoon

and told me to go see the picture on his laptop taken at a dinner last night...I

looked at the picture and realized the only face I recognized, besides Jeff's of

course, was Mika Bradford. I asked him who all the people were...he started

naming all these names that I know so well from the internet...Kim , Liz

Scillian, Amy Sosa, J.P.Reirdon, Tonya Hettler, Singleton, Marvin ,

, etc.....

It was SO exciting for me to see faces attached to all these names that I know

so well!(like a " homecoming " in a sense!) Anyway, just wanted to share my

" moving " experience and to also congratulate each and everyone of you on the

outstanding work that you have done and continue to do for our kids!

a Sell

Summit materials distributed - part 1

I forgot in my post yesterday to mention some items we distributed yesterday

on behalf of Texas Autism Advocacy.

Liz Scillian's husband Troy has created some awesome graphics for the autism

community. He created the rise in autism in TX graphic that was used for the

Summit (their sweet little Mason was featured in the ad).

Troy recently created the Autism...living in a state of confusion graphic we

have in the Files of TAA. For the summit he created little half-page double

sided color cards with the graphic at the top and then listed 17 " confusing "

questions for Texas. Parents were so excited about this - we ran out early but

definitely got people talking. Liz will follow up with groups on how we can

make these more widely available, costs, etc.

1. Why do children with just autism receive no state services in Texas?

Currently they only receive services if they have another diagnosis - mental

retardation, seizure disorder, etc. In Wisconsin, children with autism are

instantly provided services upon the diagnosis of autism.

2. When does the Texas Education Agency (TEA) plan to require teachers to

have training specific to teaching children with autism? Autism is now the

fastest-growing developmental disability in special education. The National

Academy of Science published a book detailing that only specially trained

professional could successfully teach children with autism. The Texas State

plan also recommends this.

3. Why are school districts paying more to law firms to fight parents of

children with autism than it does to train teachers and administrative staff on

how to educate children with autism?

4. In Texas what steps are being taken so that eligible children with autism

receive the most effective services as soon as diagnosed? Is ECI (Early

Childhood Invervention) being funded to reflect this? Wisconsin's governor has

proposed for all children with autism to receive services without a wait,

intensively (25-30 hrs/wk for 3 yrs.

5. Why was the Texas definition of autism changed from being a neurological

condition to a mental illness?

6. Why is there no state sponsored website or easily found state information

center for autism?

7. Why doesn't Texas track the incidence of autism in the Bureau of Vital

Statistics?

Arkansas, Arizona and Utah have CDC (Center for Disease Control) grants to

perform a state-wide monitoring program. Why don't we?

8. Why is it so difficult for parents to find information on Interagency

Council on Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders (IAAC)?

9. Why do seats on the IAAC go so long before they are filled?

10. When will an Autism Advisory Task Force be formed in compliance with the

Interagency Council on Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders Act of 1987.

11. What has Govenor done to implement the 10 recommendations made by

his IAAC in 2003?

12. Now that the incidence of autism has reached an epidemic rate of 1 in

166, what steps are Washington and Austin taking to help parents?

13. As HB2292 remakes how Texas delivers state services, where will autism

fit in? Why can't autism be given it's own department under Dept of Aging and

Disability (DADS)?

14. How will auitsm be represented in the DAD's Council?

15. Why are there no Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment

(STAART) Centers in Texas despite having the largest pediatric hospital and

medical center in the country?

16. For those mentally retarded children with autism who are eligible to

receive services, what steps besides the TX Home Living Waiver are being taken

to eliminate the waiting list for state programs?

17. What is Governor doing to make sure special education funding is

not going to be cut?

Kim

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim,

These questions(below) are AWESOME. Jeff just got home this afternoon

and told me to go see the picture on his laptop taken at a dinner last night...I

looked at the picture and realized the only face I recognized, besides Jeff's of

course, was Mika Bradford. I asked him who all the people were...he started

naming all these names that I know so well from the internet...Kim , Liz

Scillian, Amy Sosa, J.P.Reirdon, Tonya Hettler, Singleton, Marvin ,

, etc.....

It was SO exciting for me to see faces attached to all these names that I know

so well!(like a " homecoming " in a sense!) Anyway, just wanted to share my

" moving " experience and to also congratulate each and everyone of you on the

outstanding work that you have done and continue to do for our kids!

a Sell

Summit materials distributed - part 1

I forgot in my post yesterday to mention some items we distributed yesterday

on behalf of Texas Autism Advocacy.

Liz Scillian's husband Troy has created some awesome graphics for the autism

community. He created the rise in autism in TX graphic that was used for the

Summit (their sweet little Mason was featured in the ad).

Troy recently created the Autism...living in a state of confusion graphic we

have in the Files of TAA. For the summit he created little half-page double

sided color cards with the graphic at the top and then listed 17 " confusing "

questions for Texas. Parents were so excited about this - we ran out early but

definitely got people talking. Liz will follow up with groups on how we can

make these more widely available, costs, etc.

1. Why do children with just autism receive no state services in Texas?

Currently they only receive services if they have another diagnosis - mental

retardation, seizure disorder, etc. In Wisconsin, children with autism are

instantly provided services upon the diagnosis of autism.

2. When does the Texas Education Agency (TEA) plan to require teachers to

have training specific to teaching children with autism? Autism is now the

fastest-growing developmental disability in special education. The National

Academy of Science published a book detailing that only specially trained

professional could successfully teach children with autism. The Texas State

plan also recommends this.

3. Why are school districts paying more to law firms to fight parents of

children with autism than it does to train teachers and administrative staff on

how to educate children with autism?

4. In Texas what steps are being taken so that eligible children with autism

receive the most effective services as soon as diagnosed? Is ECI (Early

Childhood Invervention) being funded to reflect this? Wisconsin's governor has

proposed for all children with autism to receive services without a wait,

intensively (25-30 hrs/wk for 3 yrs.

5. Why was the Texas definition of autism changed from being a neurological

condition to a mental illness?

6. Why is there no state sponsored website or easily found state information

center for autism?

7. Why doesn't Texas track the incidence of autism in the Bureau of Vital

Statistics?

Arkansas, Arizona and Utah have CDC (Center for Disease Control) grants to

perform a state-wide monitoring program. Why don't we?

8. Why is it so difficult for parents to find information on Interagency

Council on Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders (IAAC)?

9. Why do seats on the IAAC go so long before they are filled?

10. When will an Autism Advisory Task Force be formed in compliance with the

Interagency Council on Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders Act of 1987.

11. What has Govenor done to implement the 10 recommendations made by

his IAAC in 2003?

12. Now that the incidence of autism has reached an epidemic rate of 1 in

166, what steps are Washington and Austin taking to help parents?

13. As HB2292 remakes how Texas delivers state services, where will autism

fit in? Why can't autism be given it's own department under Dept of Aging and

Disability (DADS)?

14. How will auitsm be represented in the DAD's Council?

15. Why are there no Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment

(STAART) Centers in Texas despite having the largest pediatric hospital and

medical center in the country?

16. For those mentally retarded children with autism who are eligible to

receive services, what steps besides the TX Home Living Waiver are being taken

to eliminate the waiting list for state programs?

17. What is Governor doing to make sure special education funding is

not going to be cut?

Kim

[Guest guest]

Thanks a - you're always there in spirit!!! Kim

> Hi Kim,

> These questions(below) are AWESOME. Jeff just got home

this afternoon and told me to go see the picture on his laptop taken

at a dinner last night...I looked at the picture and realized the

only face I recognized, besides Jeff's of course, was Mika

Bradford. I asked him who all the people were...he started

naming all these names that I know so well from the internet...Kim

, Liz Scillian, Amy Sosa, J.P.Reirdon, Tonya Hettler,

Singleton, Marvin , , etc.....

> It was SO exciting for me to see faces attached to all these names

that I know so well!(like a " homecoming " in a sense!) Anyway, just

wanted to share my " moving " experience and to also congratulate each

and everyone of you on the outstanding work that you have done and

continue to do for our kids!

>

> a Sell

> Summit materials distributed -

part 1

>

>

> I forgot in my post yesterday to mention some items we

distributed yesterday on behalf of Texas Autism Advocacy.

>

> Liz Scillian's husband Troy has created some awesome graphics

for the autism community. He created the rise in autism in TX

graphic that was used for the Summit (their sweet little Mason was

featured in the ad).

>

> Troy recently created the Autism...living in a state of

confusion graphic we have in the Files of TAA. For the summit he

created little half-page double sided color cards with the graphic

at the top and then listed 17 " confusing " questions for Texas.

Parents were so excited about this - we ran out early but definitely

got people talking. Liz will follow up with groups on how we can

make these more widely available, costs, etc.

>

> 1. Why do children with just autism receive no state services

in Texas? Currently they only receive services if they have another

diagnosis - mental retardation, seizure disorder, etc. In

Wisconsin, children with autism are instantly provided services upon

the diagnosis of autism.

> 2. When does the Texas Education Agency (TEA) plan to require

teachers to have training specific to teaching children with

autism? Autism is now the fastest-growing developmental disability

in special education. The National Academy of Science published a

book detailing that only specially trained professional could

successfully teach children with autism. The Texas State plan also

recommends this.

>

> 3. Why are school districts paying more to law firms to fight

parents of children with autism than it does to train teachers and

administrative staff on how to educate children with autism?

>

> 4. In Texas what steps are being taken so that eligible children

with autism receive the most effective services as soon as

diagnosed? Is ECI (Early Childhood Invervention) being funded to

reflect this? Wisconsin's governor has proposed for all children

with autism to receive services without a wait, intensively (25-30

hrs/wk for 3 yrs.

>

> 5. Why was the Texas definition of autism changed from being a

neurological condition to a mental illness?

>

> 6. Why is there no state sponsored website or easily found state

information center for autism?

>

> 7. Why doesn't Texas track the incidence of autism in the

Bureau of Vital Statistics?

>

> Arkansas, Arizona and Utah have CDC (Center for Disease Control)

grants to perform a state-wide monitoring program. Why don't we?

>

> 8. Why is it so difficult for parents to find information on

Interagency Council on Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders

(IAAC)?

>

> 9. Why do seats on the IAAC go so long before they are filled?

>

> 10. When will an Autism Advisory Task Force be formed in

compliance with the Interagency Council on Autism and Pervasive

Developmental Disorders Act of 1987.

>

> 11. What has Govenor done to implement the 10

recommendations made by his IAAC in 2003?

>

> 12. Now that the incidence of autism has reached an epidemic

rate of 1 in 166, what steps are Washington and Austin taking to

help parents?

>

> 13. As HB2292 remakes how Texas delivers state services, where

will autism fit in? Why can't autism be given it's own department

under Dept of Aging and Disability (DADS)?

>

> 14. How will auitsm be represented in the DAD's Council?

>

> 15. Why are there no Studies to Advance Autism Research and

Treatment (STAART) Centers in Texas despite having the largest

pediatric hospital and medical center in the country?

>

> 16. For those mentally retarded children with autism who are

eligible to receive services, what steps besides the TX Home Living

Waiver are being taken to eliminate the waiting list for state

programs?

>

> 17. What is Governor doing to make sure special education

funding is not going to be cut?

>

> Kim

>

>

>

>