Re: Re: Best city/state for autism services???????????

[Guest guest]

We lived in Nassau Co., NY (Long Island) and had amazing services.

From: autism-georgia [mailto:autism-georgia ] On Behalf Of marshamcneelySent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 7:15 AMTo: autism-georgia Subject: Re: Best city/state for autism services???????????

I would say DO NOT move to CA. Although they claim to have services, since they are in a huge budget shortfall, services are being cut like crazy. We are about to move there because of my husband's job and I have been researching like crazy and not happy with what I am finding. If your child is on the mild or high functioning side, you could be out of luck in CA.However, I have a good friend who lives in PA and has 2 children on the spectrum and she says that the school systems there are amazing for autism for the services and the amount of funding behind it. Good luck...especially with the moving. My son is a mess right now in the midst of boxes everywhere.Marsha>> Hello everybody! I am a single mother social worker of a 3 year old child> with ASD. I live in Missoula Montana--and the services and resources are> despairingly unavailable! We fight tooth and nail for services that are far> from effective.> > Moving is my only option at this point....Im hoping to find an environment> where the services are at least up to date and intense, and preferably> somewhere where I can support us on a social workers salary....because I> certainly cannot in MT.....> > Id truly appreciate any feedback on your experiences or hearsay on "autism> friendly" states/cities. Thank you all so much! n>

[Guest guest]

Not Florida

Subject: Re: Best city/state for autism services???????????To: autism-georgia Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 10:19 AM

My advice would be NJ, PA (phila area), FL, CA, NY and MA. My husband is a therapist and I work in education and these are the states where most of the employment opportunities are located due to state funding.>> Hello everybody! I am a single mother social worker of a 3 year old child> with ASD. I live in Missoula Montana--and the services and resources are> despairingly unavailable! We fight tooth and nail for services that are far> from effective.> > Moving is my only option at this point....Im hoping to find an environment> where the services are at least up to date and intense, and preferably> somewhere where I can support us

on a social workers salary....because I> certainly cannot in MT......> > Id truly appreciate any feedback on your experiences or hearsay on "autism> friendly" states/cities. Thank you all so much! n>

[Guest guest]

What part of PA has good school systems? Thanks

Subject: Re: Best city/state for autism services???????????To: autism-georgia Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 11:15 AM

I would say DO NOT move to CA. Although they claim to have services, since they are in a huge budget shortfall, services are being cut like crazy.. We are about to move there because of my husband's job and I have been researching like crazy and not happy with what I am finding. If your child is on the mild or high functioning side, you could be out of luck in CA.However, I have a good friend who lives in PA and has 2 children on the spectrum and she says that the school systems there are amazing for autism for the services and the amount of funding behind it. Good luck...especially with the moving. My son is a mess right now in the midst of boxes everywhere.Marsha>> Hello everybody! I am a single mother social worker of a 3 year old child> with ASD. I live in Missoula Montana--and the services and resources are> despairingly unavailable! We fight tooth and nail for services that are far> from effective.> > Moving is my only option at this point....Im hoping to find an environment> where the services are at least up to date and intense, and preferably> somewhere where I can support us on a social workers salary.....because I> certainly cannot in MT.....> > Id truly appreciate any feedback on your experiences or hearsay on "autism> friendly" states/cities. Thank you all so much! n>

[Guest guest]

MA isn’t all that great. There are a lot of budget

cuts. NH stinks. (We live in NH, 31 YO son with autism living at home)

[Guest guest]

Dr. Alan Sohn, an autism specialist and author, has worked with Bucks County PA schools for years developing educational programs for ASD kids. Check it out.

From: marshamcneely <marshamcneely@ yahoo.com>Subject: Re: Best city/state for autism services???? ???????To: autism-georgia@ yahoogroups. comDate: Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 11:15 AM

I would say DO NOT move to CA. Although they claim to have services, since they are in a huge budget shortfall, services are being cut like crazy.. We are about to move there because of my husband's job and I have been researching like crazy and not happy with what I am finding. If your child is on the mild or high functioning side, you could be out of luck in CA.However, I have a good friend who lives in PA and has 2 children on the spectrum and she says that the school systems there are amazing for autism for the services and the amount of funding behind it. Good luck...especially with the moving. My son is a mess right now in the midst of boxes everywhere.Marsha>> Hello everybody! I am a single mother social worker of a 3 year old child> with ASD. I live in Missoula Montana--and the services and resources are> despairingly unavailable! We fight tooth and nail for services that are far> from effective.> > Moving is my only option at this point....Im hoping to find an environment> where the services are at least up to date and intense, and preferably> somewhere where I can support us on a social workers salary.....because I> certainly cannot in MT.....> > Id truly appreciate any feedback on your experiences or hearsay on "autism> friendly" states/cities. Thank you all so much! n>

[Guest guest]

I still don't believe that there is any one best city or state....my main goal has been to find the best school district in any area that I live. Regardless of the school district's reputation, success depends on getting a good teacher.

all the best.

From: marshamcneely <marshamcneely@ yahoo.com>Subject: Re: Best city/state for autism services???? ???????To: autism-georgia@ yahoogroups. comDate: Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 11:15 AM

I would say DO NOT move to CA. Although they claim to have services, since they are in a huge budget shortfall, services are being cut like crazy.. We are about to move there because of my husband's job and I have been researching like crazy and not happy with what I am finding. If your child is on the mild or high functioning side, you could be out of luck in CA.However, I have a good friend who lives in PA and has 2 children on the spectrum and she says that the school systems there are amazing for autism for the services and the amount of funding behind it. Good luck...especially with the moving. My son is a mess right now in the midst of boxes everywhere.Marsha>> Hello everybody! I am a single mother

social worker of a 3 year old child> with ASD. I live in Missoula Montana--and the services and resources are> despairingly unavailable! We fight tooth and nail for services that are far> from effective.> > Moving is my only option at this point....Im hoping to find an environment> where the services are at least up to date and intense, and preferably> somewhere where I can support us on a social workers salary.....because I> certainly cannot in MT.....> > Id truly appreciate any feedback on your experiences or hearsay on "autism> friendly" states/cities. Thank you all so much! n>

[Guest guest]

How do you request a teacher? I have found that to be almost nonexistent. Each school district is run by an ESE Dept. and that governs the whole district. Sometimes it seems very difficult to find a good teacher in a school district that doesn't care at all. It all seems to go hand in hand. I feel that it is important to find a well run school district and you have a better chance finding caring and competent teachers.

From: marshamcneely <marshamcneely@ yahoo.com>Subject: Re: Best city/state for autism services???? ???????To: autism-georgia@ yahoogroups. comDate: Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 11:15 AM

I would say DO NOT move to CA. Although they claim to have services, since they are in a huge budget shortfall, services are being cut like crazy.. We are about to move there because of my husband's job and I have been researching like crazy and not happy with what I am finding. If your child is on the mild or high functioning side, you could be out of luck in CA.However, I have a good friend who lives in PA and has 2 children on the spectrum and she says that the school systems there are amazing for autism for the services and the amount of funding behind it. Good luck...especially with the moving. My son is a mess right now in the midst of boxes everywhere.Marsha>> Hello everybody! I am a single mother

social worker of a 3 year old child> with ASD. I live in Missoula Montana--and the services and resources are> despairingly unavailable! We fight tooth and nail for services that are far> from effective.> > Moving is my only option at this point....Im hoping to find an environment> where the services are at least up to date and intense, and preferably> somewhere where I can support us on a social workers salary.....because I> certainly cannot in MT.....> > Id truly appreciate any feedback on your experiences or hearsay on "autism> friendly" states/cities. Thank you all so much! n>

[Guest guest]

In our district you can write a letter and ask for a specific teacher. However, when we did this twice our requests have been denied. Their reasoning was they use a co-teaching system for our child who is fully included adn gets help when needed in the classroom, so they put all the 3rd grade kids who have the same requirement in the same class with teachers who they believe have the most experience in that grade to better help the students. Last year I was totally happy with the teacher. This year it did not work out as well. Every year is different. I hope you have better luck on this than we did.

Melinda -Pace Muscogee County Navigator Team Parent of 3 wonderful kids, two with awe-tism! Wife of an amazing husband!

From: marshamcneely <marshamcneely@ yahoo.com>Subject: Re: Best city/state for autism services???? ???????To: autism-georgia@ yahoogroups. comDate: Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 11:15 AM

I would say DO NOT move to CA. Although they claim to have services, since they are in a huge budget shortfall, services are being cut like crazy.. We are about to move there because of my husband's job and I have been researching like crazy and not happy with what I am finding. If your child is on the mild or high functioning side, you could be out of luck in CA.However, I have a good friend who lives in PA and has 2 children on the spectrum and she says that the school systems there are amazing for autism for the services and the amount of funding behind it. Good luck...especially with the moving. My son is a mess right now in the midst of boxes everywhere.Marsha>> Hello everybody! I am a single mother

social worker of a 3 year old child> with ASD. I live in Missoula Montana--and the services and resources are> despairingly unavailable! We fight tooth and nail for services that are far> from effective.> > Moving is my only option at this point....Im hoping to find an environment> where the services are at least up to date and intense, and preferably> somewhere where I can support us on a social workers salary.....because I> certainly cannot in MT.....> > Id truly appreciate any feedback on your experiences or hearsay on "autism> friendly" states/cities. Thank you all so much!

n>