Friday, October 26, 2012

Please Vote on November 6th

Here is my one and only opinion during this election cycle.

There is more to this election than the Presidency:

1. New laws and referendums.
2. Senators and Representatives for your own State Legislature. These folks in the State Legislature vote on laws that affect you.
3. Local representatives in whatever your municipality or community calls them...Alderman, City Council Representative, etc.
4. Your U.S. Senator and Congressional Representative.

The Presidency is very important, but please remember, these other elections are also very important because they affect you and your community at home.

If you elect to sit out this election for President because you cannot decide, that is fine. But keep in mind there is more on your ballot than the Presidential candidates. Consider voting for issues in your community that are important to you.

There is my two cents on this issue.

New Look for the Blog!

I just changed the format to make it easier to read the articles. What do you think?

Read About FAAST's Financial Resource Guide

This came from an Announcement From The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

FAAST's New Horizon Loan Program Director, Ms. Melanie Quinton, along with FAAST, Inc., through support from the Florida Department of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, is pleased to announce the completion and development of a comprehensive (click to see the guide) 52-page general self-help resource guide designed to provide basic tools to find sound financial resource information.

Tools for financial independence within this guide are designed to assist individuals with resources on the how- tos of budgeting, establishing and maintaining credit, repairing credit, student loan resource information, home ownership resources, establishing and maintaining small businesses, state and federal tax information, savings plans, retirement planning, and much more.

For your convenient reference, the financial resources within this guide have been hyperlinked to provide easy access to informative websites, frequently asked questions (FAQs), factsheets, articles, tutorials, and other relevant financial resources. To find a financial resource that may be of assistance to you, please refer to the Table of Contents that includes a detailed list of financially relevant topics and subjects, along with page numbers.

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This self-help resource guide is not a substitute for legal advice

As with many other FAAST self-help resource guides, this guide contains hyperlinks to an array of helpful reference materials and is available on the New Horizon Loan Program website at www.newhorizonloanprogram.org and on the FAAST website at www.faast.org/resources/library.

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council Fall Newsletter

Click here to read the FDDC Fall 2012 newsletter!

Monday, October 15, 2012

Invitation to become a Guest Blogger!

Parents, medical providers, teachers, therapists, and especially those on the Spectrum, Area Autism Search is extending an invitation to you to become a guest blogger.

Who: For everyone!
What: Tips, insights, anecdotes, latest research, events, work opportunities, travel, etc.
When: Anytime
Where: From anywhere in the world
Why: Those touched in some way with ASD seek to understand and to be understood.
How: Email me your article (basorem@gmail.com). You will be featured as a guest blogger!
~Maggie

Calling All Doctors in Northeast Florida

As a public service, I wish to open a page listing medical people, doctors, pediatricians, dentists, orthodontists, optometrists, and other specialists who are trained in working with patients who are Autism Spectrum Disorder in the following counties: Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Nassau, Baker.

Please send me an email (basorem@gmail.com) to include the following:

Practice name
Physician's name
Address
Telephone number
Website (if applicable)
A summary of how you are qualified to work with patients on the Autism Spectrum.

As you are well aware, the number of cases is growing and many parents need direction. Please help me connect those parents to you so that you can help their children.

Thank you for your contribution
~Maggie

Resource for ASD Social Development

From Dr. Deb Childress, Ph.D. and Dr. Ron Anderson, Ph.D. of SEL Media came the following email I received that I wish to share:

With the rising number of students receiving an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, we are faced with the challenge of finding cost effective, accessible and quality supports for these children and their families. 3-C Institute for Social Development and SELmedia have been working to fill this need for over ten years.

Recently we developed a workshop aimed at parents of children on the autism spectrum designed to provide practical information, ideas and activities for helping their children develop core social skills. The workshop is set up as a 3 hour on-line course that is broken down into modules for ease of use for parents with busy schedules.

The course is an overview of foundational social skills that children use every day. Using a live audience of parents of children with an autism spectrum diagnosis, the course seeks to raise and answer questions parents often want to ask about social skill development.

If you would like to learn more about this new resource as well as other programs developed at the 3-CInstitute for Social Development visit our website .

We are making this course available directly to parents as well as through partnership opportunities with organizations. If you are interested in working with us to distribute this workshop please contact me via email.

Additionally we have developed a free resource for educators and parents whose children on the autism spectrum are entering a regular classroom for the first time. To get this free series of lessons, set up a free account at our online resource center. Create an account by creating a password and adding your email. This free resource and others that will be posted monthly are available to you at any time.

Thank you for considering this opportunity.

Regards,
Dr. Deb Childress Ph.D. and Dr. Ron Anderson Ph.D.

Website: http://www.selmediainc.com/resources/practical-tools-hfa

Join the Conversation - Promote Disability Rights!

Read about it here (click for link).

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Self-Help Resource Guide Available

Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology - Self-Help Resource Guide to Promote Effective Transition Planning. CLICK TO READ ABOUT IT HERE!