A New Look At American Autism Resources
Welcome back to the Audacious Aspie! The next post we will build upon is number 8: The Audacious Aspie goes looking for help! In it we looked at Resources within Canada (save the app) that you could access if you lived in , will, Canada. For the next two posts, we’ll see the autism resources available in America and the UK respectively (land, sea or air, we’ll get there. Probably by air once we hope the pond). Pack your bags, we’re going travelling.
This is what I imagine the landscape to our travels looks like. This is also where I wish I was rather than in Canada, in Fall, crawling closer to Winter. To all of my Canadian readers, I am sorry.
First on our list, the US of A (makes more sense putting it that way, otherwise you end up with USA: UnitedStatesAmerica. Never heard someone say “I live in UnitedStatesAmerica!” “What?”) We have touched on this a bit before hand, Son-Rise being the most recent, but there is more to discover. First up, Autism Society, whose’ goal is to maximize the quality of life for families and individuals with autism, those people treated with the utmost respect and their skills appreciated and valued. So, in other words, to maximize the quality of life for them, and to maximize the quality of life for them (incase you missed it the first time).
They provide advocacy, education, information (same thing innit?) referral, support plus “community at the national, state and local levels” (first paragraph, About Us page). It was founded in 1965 (hold on to that cry of ABA!!!) by, who else, doctors. BUT, these doctors had autistic children of their own, meaning that they actually had a huge incentive to care for their children. Eventually becoming America's “leading source of trusted and reliable information about autism” (Second Paragraph). What’s more, the society has board directors who are on the spectrum itself, claiming that they are one of the few to have any (mind you, with whats going on today it’s not that hard to believe).
As a point of pride, Temple Grandin was the “first member-elected persons with autism” (Third Paragraph) to their board of directors in 1988 (at the same time, they cheerily announced that they helped spearhead a bill in 2006 called “combating autism act” so, take your pick). The autism society has what they call a PSA, or Panel of People on the Autism Spectrum (not to be confused with PSA, or Public Service Announcement) that is entirely made up of people on the spectrum. Their job is to help the society staff to create programs and services that advocate for everyone on the spectrum to “live fulfilling, independent lives” (Fifth Paragraph). Its pretty much their mantra at this point.
Fulfilling, independent lives. Fulfilling, independent lives. Filling, indentured lives. “(gasp)! He got it wrong! Sacrifice him in the name of our god, Autisti!”.
Thus, a deeper look into American resources for autism, and for Autism society as will, has begun. We still have a long way to go, so keep your seatbelts on people, because we are not done yet. And don't worry Brits, your next (or if your government has a poor record on the subject, maybe you should worry. Just a little bit) the travelling tour continues next week but until then, this continues to be, the Audacious Aspie.
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