Comments for Autism Talk http://www.aac-va.org/aacvablog Hosted by AAC-VA Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:24:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on JLARC Home for Autism hearing by chitras http://www.aac-va.org/aacvablog/archives/16/comment-page-1#comment-6 chitras Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:24:08 +0000 http://www.aac-va.org/aacvablog/?p=16#comment-6 Welcome Teresa! I agree that we need to fight for our own agency in VA and we all need to fight this together! Welcome Teresa! I agree that we need to fight for our own agency in VA and we all need to fight this together!

]]> Comment on JLARC Home for Autism hearing by teechamp http://www.aac-va.org/aacvablog/archives/16/comment-page-1#comment-5 teechamp Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:29:29 +0000 http://www.aac-va.org/aacvablog/?p=16#comment-5 Hi all, This is my first time on a blog. Hope this works..... My feeling about the JLARC public hearing is: in a perfect world, we would have packed that room. Those people are making recommendations that will affect us for the rest of the time we live in Virginia with a child on the spectrum. Whatever shape this "home for autism" takes will either be the bane of our existence or the blessing in our efforts. this is the place that will govern, control, dole out....services to this community. These are the people that will represent the autism community at the state level. They will manage the tangle of regulations and rules that we will have to live by. Yikes! We need LOTS of people to write in to JLARC and tell them what services are missing and what service DELIVERY plan we need. There isn't a lot of coordination now, actually there isn't any coordination now, but tell the truth, doesn't that give us more freedom? we definitely don't want to be under DMHMRSAS... our kids don't have mental health issues such as bipolar disorder or emotional disabilities, not all have mental retardation and none I know of have substance abuse issues....so why put us in that department? But, what sort of "deal" will we be getting? We have to make sure our voices are heard in this. take care. Hi all, This is my first time on a blog. Hope this works….. My feeling about the JLARC public hearing is: in a perfect world, we would have packed that room. Those people are making recommendations that will affect us for the rest of the time we live in Virginia with a child on the spectrum. Whatever shape this “home for autism” takes will either be the bane of our existence or the blessing in our efforts. this is the place that will govern, control, dole out….services to this community. These are the people that will represent the autism community at the state level. They will manage the tangle of regulations and rules that we will have to live by. Yikes! We need LOTS of people to write in to JLARC and tell them what services are missing and what service DELIVERY plan we need. There isn’t a lot of coordination now, actually there isn’t any coordination now, but tell the truth, doesn’t that give us more freedom? we definitely don’t want to be under DMHMRSAS… our kids don’t have mental health issues such as bipolar disorder or emotional disabilities, not all have mental retardation and none I know of have substance abuse issues….so why put us in that department?
But, what sort of “deal” will we be getting? We have to make sure our voices are heard in this. take care.

]]> Comment on JLARC Home for Autism hearing by Jim http://www.aac-va.org/aacvablog/archives/16/comment-page-1#comment-4 Jim Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:37:38 +0000 http://www.aac-va.org/aacvablog/?p=16#comment-4 The JLARC staff is receptive to all ideas for a new approach for the Commonwealth to join parents in the fight against autism. The insurance coverage issue is important but the "home for autism" issue is one which will have a serious long-term effect. I favor an independent agency because I fear autism will get lost in the broad responsibilities which DMHMRSAS handles so poorly. It was good to see Del. Poisson there last night. He is devoted to our cause and will be in this fight over the long haul. The JLARC staff is receptive to all ideas for a new approach for the Commonwealth to join parents in the fight against autism. The insurance coverage issue is important but the “home for autism” issue is one which will have a serious long-term effect.
I favor an independent agency because I fear autism will get lost in the broad responsibilities which DMHMRSAS handles so poorly.
It was good to see Del. Poisson there last night. He is devoted to our cause and will be in this fight over the long haul.

]]> Comment on JLARC Home for Autism hearing by colleen2328 http://www.aac-va.org/aacvablog/archives/16/comment-page-1#comment-3 colleen2328 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:42:54 +0000 http://www.aac-va.org/aacvablog/?p=16#comment-3 It is empowering to hear about a receptive hearing of a strong, consistent parent voice for a dedicated autism agency, modeled on the Pennsylvania's Bureau of Autism Services, whose mission is to "establish statewide diagnostic, assessment, training and intervention standards, and to begin the process of training individuals at every level in the system to meet the lifetime needs of [residents] living with autism." Autism is a spectrum disorder, and its complexity means that there is no "one size fits all" solution. However, there are evidence-based practices such as ABA which prove cost-effective when implemented consistently. The JLARC staff's emphasis on parent input and on staff development is very encouraging. As in Pennsylvania, training and working conditions for staff at all levels are key to improving the quality of life of families coping with autism. It is empowering to hear about a receptive hearing of a strong, consistent parent voice for a dedicated autism agency, modeled on the Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Autism Services, whose mission is to “establish statewide diagnostic, assessment, training and intervention standards, and to begin the process of training individuals at every level in the system to meet the lifetime needs of [residents] living with autism.”

Autism is a spectrum disorder, and its complexity means that there is no “one size fits all” solution. However, there are evidence-based practices such as ABA which prove cost-effective when implemented consistently.

The JLARC staff’s emphasis on parent input and on staff development is very encouraging. As in Pennsylvania, training and working conditions for staff at all levels are key to improving the quality of life of families coping with autism.

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