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17.12.15. The National Autistic Society is concerned about the impact the sudden closure of St Christopher’s School in Bristol will have on its students.
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The amygdala is an area of the brain vital to the processing of the emotions.
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After nine weeks of online therapy, people experiencing social anxiety disorder show distinct changes in their brains, new research finds.
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Online cognitive behavioural therapy can reduce anxiety and change brain volumes in critical areas.
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The study recruited people with social anxiety disorder — one of the most common mental health problems.
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Brain scans compared their brains before and after the online treatment.
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Activity in the amygdala and anxiety reduced after the online cognitive behavioural therapy in comparison to a control group.
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Mr Kristoffer NT Månsson, one of the study’s authors, said:
“The greater the improvement we saw in the patients, the smaller the size of their amygdalae.
The study also suggests that the reduction in volume drives the reduction in brain activity.â€
Read in Full:
http://www.spring.org.uk/2016/02/anxiety-therapy-delivered-over-internet-changes-the-brain-in-9-weeks.php
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In a groundbreaking opinion issued yesterday, the U.S. Department of Labor found that a sheltered workshop in Ohio had violated federal minimum wage laws by underpaying three of its workers with disabilities, including one autistic man. The opinion followed a petition that Autistic Self Advocacy Network filed along with Disability Rights Ohio, the National Federation of the Blind, and the Baltimore law firm of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP. Seneca Re-Ad, a sheltered workshop run by the Seneca County Board of Developmental Disabilities, had been paying the complainants, Joe Magers, Pam Steward, and Mark Felton, an average of $2.50 an hour for more than three years.  An outdated exception to federal minimum wage laws, known as Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, allows certain employers to pay less than minimum wage to people with disabilities if they can show that the disabilities prevent them from being as “productive†as the average nondisabled worker.  Although federal law allows workers with disabilities to file a petition for review of their wages by the U.S. Department of Labor, Felton, Magers, and Steward are among the first workers with disabilities ever to use the petition process to fight for fair wages. This low level of enforcement means that many workshops have paid people below-minimum wages based simply on the assumption that people with disabilities are not as productive as people without disabilities, using flawed productivity measurements as “documentation.† An administrative law judge for the Department of Labor found that Felton, Magers, and Steward, and Felton were entitled to back pay to make up the difference between their past wages and minimum wage, and to minimum wage going forward.  “Many people are shocked when they find out that it is legal to pay people with disabilities less than minimum wage,†said Samantha Crane, Legal Director and Director of Public Policy at ASAN. “But what’s even more surprising is how rare this type of enforcement action has been until now. We hope this decision puts other workshops on notice that they won’t get away with this sort of exploitation.† “The opinion highlights that each of our clients brings valuable employment skills to the Seneca Re-Ad facility, and their value as workers should be respected,†says DRO Attorney Barbara Corner. “People with disabilities are full and equal members of society and should be paid fairly.† Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “This decision cuts through the low expectations based on stereotypes and misconceptions that undergird the antiquated and discriminatory subminimum-wage employment model. The National Federation of the Blind is proud of our role in helping these workers to earn compensation that reflects the skilled work that they perform. We believe that this decision sends a strong signal that subminimum wages are an idea whose time has long since passed.â€
—  About the Autistic Self Advocacy Network: The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a national, private, nonprofit organization, run by and for individuals on the autism spectrum. ASAN provides public education and promotes public policies that benefit autistic individuals and others with developmental or other disabilities. Its advocacy activities include combating stigma, discrimination, and violence against autistic people and others with disabilities; promoting access to employment, health care and long-term supports in integrated community settings; and educating the public about the access needs of autistic people. ASAN takes a strong interest in cases that affect the rights of autistic individuals to participate fully in community life and enjoy the same rights as others without disabilities.  About Disability Rights Ohio: Disability Rights Ohio is the federally and state designated Protection and Advocacy System and Client Assistance Program for the state of Ohio. The mission of Disability Rights Ohio is to advocate for the human, civil and legal rights of people with disabilities in Ohio. Disability Rights Ohio provides legal advocacy and rights protection to a wide range of people with disabilities.  About the National Federation of the Blind: The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back. |
Jan
16
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In December of 2015, 71-year-old Antonio Tucci was beaten to death by his nephew. A month earlier, 5-year old Helious Griffith and 6-year old Dustin Hicks were both murdered by their mothers.
In the year since our last vigil, our community has lost at least seventy more victims.
In the past five years, over one hundred and eighty people with disabilities have been murdered by their parents.
Tuesday, March 1st, the disability community will gather across the nation to remember disabled victims of filicide–disabled people murdered by their family members or caregivers.
But it doesn’t have to.
Here’s what you can do in your own community to help spread awareness of these tragedies – and help stop more from happening.
1. Read and share our Anti-Filicide Toolkit.
This toolkit is intended to provide advocates and allies with concrete tools and resources to use in their own communities, including in response to local incidents. The toolkit includes information about how to understand and respond to filicide, frequently asked questions about filicide, and a guidebook for Day of Mourning vigil site coordinators.
2. Sign up to be a Day of Mourning vigil site coordinator
For the last five years, ASAN, ADAPT, AAPD, Not Dead Yet, the National Council on Independent Living, the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, and other disability rights organizations have come together to mourn the lives lost to filicide, bring awareness to these tragedies, and demand justice and equal protection under the law for all people with disabilities.
On Tuesday, March 1, 2016, ASAN and the wider disability community will be holding vigils to mourn the lives of those we’ve lost and bringing awareness to this horrific trend of violence against our community.
If you’re interested in leading a vigil in your area, please sign up to be a Day of Mourning vigil site coordinator here. |
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is very pleased to announce the recipients of our 2016 Autistic Scholars Fellowship! ASAN awards $5,000 tuition scholarships to 4 to 6 Autistic college students who demonstrate a strong commitment to disability rights advocacy, Autistic culture and community, and disability accessibility and inclusion on college campuses. We are extremely proud to include these exceptional self-advocates in our inaugurating class of Autistic Scholars. The six fellowship recipients are listed below. Click here to view our official announcement of the 2016 fellowship recipients.
Jessica Benham
University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Jessica is an Autistic doctoral student in Communication and a master’s student in Bioethics at the University of Pittsburgh. She holds a master’s degree in communication studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Her primary research interests lie in investigating the rhetorical and ethical constructions of disability in society. Her thesis, Proud to be Autistic: Metaphorical Construction and Salience of Cultural and Personal Identity in #StopCombatingMe, presents research on Autistic self-advocacy through a neurodiversity perspective. A firm believer in the value of Autistic culture, Jessica is also an advocate for Autistic rights, interested in creating sensory friendly spaces in educational settings, increasing access to IEPs for Autistic children in public schools, helping parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals better understand Autistic people, and reducing barriers to employment for Autistic adults.
Manuel DÃaz
University of Texas at Austin (Austin, Texas)
Manuel is a multiply neurodivergent Autistic Mexican-American student. He is currently studying physics and mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin. He is also the founder and president of the student organization Texas Neurodiversity. He enjoys weightlifting, dancing, and stimming. His future plan is to get a doctoral degree in Theoretical Physics.
Leanne Libas
Saddleback College (Mission Viejo, California)
Leanne is a first-year student college student who is planning to become a special education teacher. A CAYLF (California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities) 2014 alumna, she continues to advocate in the disabled community. After gaining recognition from writing “Breaking Out-My Autism Story†on the Art of Autism’s website, she is currently one of the web site’s monthly bloggers. During her free time, she likes to read, sing, and watch YouTube videos.
Howie Jordan
University of South Carolina Upstate ( Spartanburg, South Carlina)
Howie Jordan is a senior mathematics major at the University of South Carolina Upstate. He enjoys reading, writing, and stage acting. He is excited for this opportunity to continue advocating and spreading Autistic culture.
David James “DJ†Savarese
Oberlin College (Oberlin, Ohio)
DJ is a non-speaking autistic student at Oberlin College who types to communicate. DJ been advocating for autistics—specifically, nonspeaking autistics—since he was invited to present at his first conference at the age of 13. For the past 8 years, DJ been working on an ITVS-funded documentary film due out next year that seeks to raise understanding about the movement, sensory, and emotional aspects of nonspeaking autistics as well as their untapped potential. A poet, a memoirist, and a playwright, DJ has published his work in Disability Studies Quarterly, Stone Canoe, Autism Life Skills, and on several websites.
R. Larkin Taylor-Parker
University of Georgia Law School (Athens, Georgia)
Larkin is a second-year law student at the University of Georgia interested in disability rights. She is also an autism blogger, social media expert, and avid recreational tuba player.
Dec
24
Dear Readers,
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Wishing you a very Merry Christmas & a very happy, healthy 2016!
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Warmest Wishes,
Julie & Co
xx
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Veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have access to the Veterans Health Administration and Defense Department, which acts as a center for research, data, and services for combat-related PTSD treatment.
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But for the millions of non-veterans suffering from PTSD, treatment resources are far less comprehensive and accessible, according to a new study published in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry.
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“For the other people affected by PTSD — victims of sexual assault, child abuse, and natural disasters — there really isn’t an organized body of research that generates guidance for how they and their caregivers should deal with their PTSD,†said lead author Dr. Judith Bentkover, professor in the Brown University School of Public Health.
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“The best PTSD treatment model we have can be found within the VA,†Bentkover said. “Kids have PTSD. Women have PTSD. It’s not just a disease of veterans, although they are a very important and poignant cohort of people who have it. Sexual assault victims, abused children, survivors of natural disasters do not necessarily have a VA to go to. What do they do?â€
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Read in Full:
http://psychcentral.com/news/2015/12/21/resources-found-lacking-for-non-veterans-with-ptsd/96523.html?li_source=LI&li_medium=most-popular
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Initial steps have been taken to determine if 10,000 lux light therapy can be used as a legitimate way to treat depression – not seasonal depression – but full blown major depressive disorder.
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The results of this JAMA study were provocative, to say the least.
•Light therapy beat Prozac.
• Light therapy beat sham light therapy (placebo).
• Prozac did NOT beat placebo.
• A combination of Prozac and light therapy beat sham light therapy and sham Prozac (placebo combination) as well as light therapy alone.
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Often used to help with seasonal affective disorder, ultraviolet light is known to help with the production of serotonin, noradrenalin and dopamine.
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Read in Full:
http://blogs.psychcentral.com/nlp/2015/12/light-therapy-beats-ssri-and-placebo-for-depression-in-jama-study/
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17.12.15. The National Autistic Society is concerned about the impact the sudden closure of St Christopher’s School in Bristol will have on its students.
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Source:
http://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/media-centre/news/st-christophers.aspx
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 Hi,  My name is Julia Bascom, and I serve as ASAN’s Deputy Executive Director. I want to tell you about my favorite part of ASAN’s work.  Last June, 17 Autistic college students descended on Washington, D.C. For many, this was their first time in an Autistic space; by the end of the week, they were marching confidently into Congressional offices and advocating with poise and skill for our community. Those 17 students are back on their campuses now, working hard to bring systems change to their colleges, local communities, and states.  We’ve held ACI for 4 years now, and in that time we’ve been able to train 64 Autistic self-advocates in grassroots organizing, disability and Autistic history, and policy advocacy.  We do this because ASAN’s motto is that old disability rights slogan: nothing about us, without us! It is not enough for Autistic people to have a place at the table; we demand a place of leadership. We’ve been hard at work creating a pipeline of self-advocate leaders who can represent our community with confidence and skill.  We don’t stop at ACI, either. We’re building a network, just like our name says: a deeply connected and highly skilled group of advocates from all across the country who believe that disabled people are people, with rights to be advanced and lives to be valued. You can learn more by taking a look at our annual report, but the takeaway is: we want to build a world where every autistic person can live a life assured of our rights, in our own communities, safe from harm and confident in our future. And we can’t do it without you.  It’s the end of the year for us, and traditionally now is the time when organizations like us ask that, if you like what we’ve been up to, you send a donation our way. Because I have to tell you, after all we’ve done… we’re just getting started. In order to keep going, we need your help. Donate now, and help us make sure that whenever our community is being discussed, we are leading the conversation.  I’ll see you next year,  Julia Bascom |
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Dear Friends,
 The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is a small organization with a large mission: empowering Autistic people throughout the country and helping our community stand up to those who want to silence us.  That’s a hard task, but it has to be done. Without a strong, Autistic-led voice defending our rights, many of the advances the Autistic community has made over the last several years wouldn’t be happening. This has been an important year for ASAN’s work.  When an Autistic teenager was kicked off a flight due to her disability, ASAN led the response, securing new guidance from the Department of Transportation protecting the rights of Autistic airline passengers.  When people with disabilities are segregated in sheltered workshops and kept out of the workforce, ASAN fights back. We’ve successfully worked with our legislative champions to introduce bi-partisan legislation, the Transition to Independence Act, which will reward states for increasing the number of people with disabilities in integrated workforce.  When people with intellectual disabilities face discrimination in allocation of scarce medical resources, ASAN is there, working to secure equal rights. This year, we passed a new law in Maryland prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities in accessing organ transplants.   We’re not just responding to crises as they happen. We are working pro-actively to set the stage for long term change for Autistic people and our families. This year, with the help of our generous supporters, we continue to push forward the disability rights movement.  We have worked with state advocates to promote new laws to keep people with disabilities out of guardianship and help create structures for decision-making support that don’t take away the legal rights of those who need assistance.  We have continued our leadership development programming, supporting the training of a new generation of Autistic and disabled leaders on college campuses and local self-advocacy groups.  We have launched new resources on improving housing, education and healthcare opportunities for Autistic children and adults, and worked with local advocates to make them available across the country.   Thank you, and as always, Nothing About Us, Without Us!  Warm regards, |