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Page 2 of 2 Previous MeetingsFebruary 27 Sherry Cooke will
present an invitation to join and participate in the many athletic
activities offered by the Special Olympics of Kentucky organization
(SOKY). Sherry says she “would love to at least give everyone an idea of
what Special Olympics offers, how it's affected our kids' lives and the
information on how to get involved.” Sherry and other volunteers are
trying to re-energize the Special Olympics participation here in Fayette
County and have formed a new organization - SOKYFC. Many of them are
parents with special-needs family members who do not or did not get
involved in sports or Special Olympics until their late teens. As
Sherry put it, “participating in sports has done wonders for our
children and we all wish we had gotten them involved much earlier.”
Sherry will share information with the ASBG on how to get involved in
the many year-round activities offered by SOKY. Supported Employment from Milt Tyree, followed by an open-topic discussion. Milt Tyree will speak about employment options for individuals on the Autism continuum. Milt does the required training on Supported Employment for people who work with individuals who provide through the Voc Rehab and/or the Michelle P and SCL waivers in Kentucky. This will be a preview of our all-day workshop coming in March on Saturday 03/03/12. Afterward, we can all join in on the discussion of employment issues and add any other desired topics, such as school IEPs, testing, social activity opportunities, available vacation activities, the ASBG Walk, Milt's March workshop, April Autism Awareness Month, and training opportunities. We will pay special attention to families with a new diagnosis or facing new issues in child rearing. We invite any new families and members to come and share in a warm welcome to our community! Also, Scott County Autism Team (SCAT) is inviting the ASBG to join them at Monkey Joe's in Lexington on Feb 18th at 8:15 am till however long they want to stay. The cost is $6.99 for kids, adults free. This opportunity will be offered monthly. The SCAT is also scheduling outings to sensory-friendly movies in Georgetown. For more information or to check for cancellations due to inclement weather, please call Tammy Mischler at 502-535-6676 (home) or 502-316-3957 (cell). December 5th September 26 Our meeting will be at the Lexington Public Library this month! We will be viewing "Autism: Coming of Age"
at 6:30pm followed by a panel discussion. This movie is a public
television documentary that provides an honest look at the future facing
families as their children with autims become adults. November 14 Tom Shelton, the new Superintendent of Fayette County Public Schools, will meet with us at St. Michael's Episcopal Church! We typically meet on the last Monday of the month but switched this month to avoid conflicts with Halloween and Thanksgiving. August 29 What Challenges Did the New School Year Bring? A Time for SharingWith the beginning the new school year, there are usually more questions and challenges than answers or resolutions. For many of us, new “waters” and courses have to be navigated. The experiences of others who have gone through similar situations before can be helpful. Experiences, good or bad, can be useful tools to parents and care givers as they dive into the murky waters of IEPs and dealing with the bureaucracy of the school system. July 25 Best Buddies presented by Alyssa King Alyssa
King is a senior at the University of Kentucky studying Special
Education (moderate and severe disabilities). She is the College Buddy
Director of the Best Buddies Chapter at UK. Best Buddies is a nonprofit
501(c)3 organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer
movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships,
integrated employment and leadership development for people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is looking forward to
spreading the word about Best Buddies and getting to know everyone at
ASBG! 6:30-7:00 - Update on Bluegrass Autism Walk Patti Parsons, Event Planner Patti will be presenting an update on the Bluegrass Autism Walk - to be held July 9 - to talk about TEAMS and fundraising ideas, publicity (and we will be handing out fliers), potential sponsors/donors and volunteer opportunities. Lots of great info to be presented! Patti will be arriving at 6:00 p.m. and can stay until 9 p.m. to help people get registered online. 7:00-8:30 - “LFUCG SMART 911” David Lucas, Director Lexington Enhanced 9-1-1 System Smart911 is a free service provided by Lexington (and several other counties in KY) that provides an excellent opportunity for high risk groups or individuals that have special considerations to proactively provide information to emergency service personnel. Any individual that might use 9-1-1 in Fayette County, regardless if they live in the county or not, should explore the opportunities of this service. Although Smart911 is new to Kentucky, the service is available in many areas. All data voluntarily provided is secure and is only available upon the use of 9-1-1. Only emergency personnel will have access to the information, which will be essential while responding to any incident. Provide as little or as much information as you desire to insure responders can locate you during an emergency, reach emergency contacts, are aware of medical conditions or special needs for all family members. David Lucas is a native of Lexington and currently serves as the Director of Lexington’s Enhance 9-1-1 system. He has been a member of Kentucky’s Wireless 911 Board for over 10 years and currently serves as Chairman. Lexington was the first city in Kentucky to track the location of cell phone 9-1-1 callers and Kentucky was one of the first 5 states in the nation to have this service implemented statewide. As 9-1-1 service continues to involve with technology, Lexington is striving to provide additional 9-1-1 services to meet the users’ expectations. David will review the Smart911 service in detail and will address any concerns or questions. He will also be able to get you registered for this service at the meeting. Lexington’s link: www.lexingtonky.gov/smart911 The National link goes straight to a registration page: www.smart911.com July 9 Our 2011 Bluegrass Autism Walk will be held at Keeneland. 8:30am - noon
July 10 Support group for father's of kids on the spectrum May 23 Autism speaker Dennis Debbaudt at Georgetown EMS conference The Autism Society of the Bluegrass is partnering with Georgetown-Scott County EMS to bring renowned national expert on autism and risk management, Dennis Debbaudt, to the Hilton Garden Inn in Georgetown May 23 for caregivers and educators 6:00-8:30p.m. and earlier for law enforcement 1:00-4:00p.m. There is NO COST for these presentations. A longtime consultant to first responders and father to a young adult with autism, we are proud and excited to have Dennis share his knowledge for the first time with families and professionals in Kentucky! See his website at http://www.autismriskmanagement.com/. Register HERE. April 28 Autism Night at the Lexington Legends baseball game, 7:00 p.m. April 25 Now you have A Diagnosis of Autism; What Next? For many parents, relatives and caregivers of the newly diagnosed child, the big question is, What next? Our presenters will give some guidance on how the answer to this can be approached. This discussion will also be beneficial to those these searching for alternative therapies. Dr. Williams has been a stay at home mom since her son George was born in 2006. She has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. George has autism and attends a developmental pre-school. Over the years Dr Williams has educated herself on autism research and therapies and will share her extensive knowledge and experiences as both a researcher and parent. Rachel Aiello, M.S. is an advanced doctoral student in the school psychology program at UK. She is currently completing a graduate certificate in developmental disabilities and works as a research assistant on a study focused on teacher training for students with ASD. Previously, Rachel has served as a practicum student to Clark Co. and Fayette Co. schools as well as in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the Kentucky Children's Hospital. Rachel is also a sibling to an individual with autism. Angie Stidham is a supervisor at First Steps, Bluegrass Regional MH/MR Board Inc. Kentucky. First Steps is Kentucky's Early Intervention System serving children birth to three with developmental delays. Services Can include: Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Developmental Intervention, Psychological, Service Coordination, and Nutritional support. This meeting will benefit families of the newly diagnosed; come to offer your advice if you've been doing this for a while! We will also have REFRESHMENTS and CHAIR MASSAGES in celebration of Autism Awareness Month! March 28 RDI: A Therapy for All Ages Jennifer Taylor-Tijou Relationship Development Intervention is a caregiver-guided therapy based on the philosophy that the brain is a dynamic entity, it changes throughout life, and it can be helped to develop more normally through careful, systematic remediation. ASBG member Jenny Tijou has been doing RDI with her twin boys, both with autism, for over a year and says "I cannot stress enough how this has changed my perspective on what Autism is and how to go about treating it.... It is the kind of therapy I had been waiting for." She emphasizes that "RDI is NOT just for small children. The therapy is used for adults as well." She'd like us to know her message is not just for parents of small children like hers, but also for caregivers of aging children who "feel their options are getting more limited." Please join us to learn why Jenny is so passionate about this intervention! February 28 And Then There Is College Please join us as parents who have helped guide their children beyond high school and into college, technical school, vocational training, etc., talk about what they have found to be beneficial and detrimental to the process. The discussion will be led by Greg Weller, who has kindly agreed to tell of his family's experience entering the Kelly Autism Program at Western Kentucky University, and he has obtained information from parents about other educational programs. We would very much like to have other parents discuss their experiences with other post-secondary programs, such as EKU, BCTC, JCTC, and Carl Perkins, so please join us whether you have information to share or questions to ask. Come and meet with your legislators to inform and be informed on how their activities in this year’s Legislative Session will affect our loved ones, especially with the proposed and projected budget cuts. Come prepared with your questions and concerns. Senator Tom Buford – State Senator 1991 – Present: Senator Tom Buford has served for more than 18 years in the Kentucky State Senate. Sen. Buford made Kentucky history on the day of his inauguration to the Senate—he is the first senator ever to be sworn in as a new member and as a leader in his caucus. Sen. Buford’s committee assignments include: the Appropriations and Revenue Committee, the Banking and Insurance Committee (chairman), the Budget Review Subcommittee on Human Resources (chairman), the Health and Welfare Committee (vice-chairman), and the Licensing and Occupations Committee. Sen. Buford is also on the board of directors for the Kentucky Long Term Policy Research Center. Representative Kelly Flood – Representative flood has served in the Kentucky House of Representatives since 2008. In the Legislature, she co-chairs the interim joint committee Program Review and Investigations and serves on the following House committees: Education; Judiciary; Tourism Development and Energy; Appropriations Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education (vice chair). Representative Flood was appointed by the Speaker of the House to the Kentucky Access to Justice Commission (KAJC) established in fall of 2010 to improve civil legal representation to low-income citizens of the Commonwealth. Representative Ruth Ann Palumbo – Representative Palumbo is a senior Representative in the Kentucky House of Representatives who has represented District 76, which covers downtown Lexington, Kentucky and eastern Fayette County since 1991. During those 20 years Representative Palumbo has built an admirable record. She has distinguished herself as a champion of some of the most vulnerable members of society — children and the elderly. She has also been an advocate for consumers and has worked on numerous health care issues. December 6 Our annual open-topic potluck. November 29 Happy Thanksgiving. No meeting this month. November 20 Our annual Fall Festival will be held 10am - 2pm at Saint Michael's Episcopal Church. The address is 2025 Bellefonte Drive, Lexington, KY. Lots of activities for people of all abilities. See the attached flyer for more details.  fall_festival_flyer_2010.pdf (187 KB)October 25 Diann Shuffett, Psy. S. School Psychologist and Special Education Administrator for Fayette County Public Schools Ms. Shuffett wants Kentucky parents to know that change is coming and their voices are being heard. She will speak along with Tanya Sturgill, Fayette County's Autism Resource Specialist, about teacher training initiatives and Fayette County's participation in the state's training grant. Diann has been involved in pre-service training on the issue at UK, EKU, and Georgetown College. They will bring information from the Central KY Special Education Cooperative on how the state training grant is being implemented in this part of the state. Please join us to learn what tools your children's teachers are using to educate them. October 23 The ASBG invites you to attend a workshop, “Journey to Adulthood – Preparing for the future of your Special Needs Child” on Saturday October 23rd at 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM. This workshop will be presented by Joe and Marilyn Henn, parents of a daughter with significant autism. The Henns received the APSE’s 1999 Supported Employment National Award & ASA’s 2003 National Award for Outstanding Individual working with Autism. They have presented nationally as keynote speakers on how they developed transition services that led to their daughter’s full-time employment as a mail courier and microfilmer. The workshop will address important questions such as: * How will I seek a job after school? * Where will I live after leaving home? * How do I find and keep the necessary funding to pay for the needed supports? * What is the role of professionals in helping families and individuals with disabilities achieve quality outcomes?
Designed for: Social Workers, Special Education Teachers, Therapists, Psychologists, Case Managers, Other Professionals, and Parents/Caregivers. Certificates of Attendance will be provided at the end of the day. Early registration for the workshop is $25 or $35 on-site. Lunch will be provided. The workshop will be held at Tates Creek Christian Church (3150 Tates Creek Road, Lexington, Kentucky). News: Thanks to generous donations, we can now offer full scholarships to all who need them. Call Elise at 859-223-0818 right away to apply or click below to register. Oct_23_Henn_Journey_to_Adulthood_workshop.pdf (198 KB) Oct_23_Henn_Journey_to_Adulthood_workshop_notes.pdf (3 MB)September 27 “Estate Planning: Creating a Safe and Secure Future for a Loved One with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability” Speakers: Carolyn Wheeler and Karen Perch Developing and sustaining a safe and secure future for a family member with a disability is deeply challenging. Given the reality of limited resources, the impact that assets can have on a person’s eligibility for governmental programs, and the complex emotional issues, knowledge is very important in this process. More info on back! Carolyn B. Wheeler has a Master’s Degree in Special Education and over twenty five years experience in working with persons with disabilities and their families. Karen L. Perch, Ph.D., J.D. is an estate planning attorney whose practice has a focus on assisting people with disabilities and their families create the legal documents necessary to protect and safeguard those they love. August 30 A Conversation with Stephen R. Hall, PhD Stephen R. Hall,
Ph.D., a national leader in the area of mental health and developmental
disabilities, has been named commissioner of the Department for
Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, part of
the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS). Commissioner Hall has been appointed by Governors in Indiana, Georgia and Colorado to serve on commissions and councils to lead policy reform efforts. Dr. Hall also has extensive experience in developing programs to promote individual and family self-direction and authority. April 26Meredith Joseph Blaine “When Sensational Kids Become Sensational Adults: A Personal Journey with SPD “ No one should miss previewing this presentation slated to be given at the 41st National Conference & Exposition of the Autism Society of America, which will be held in Dallas, Texas, at the Hyatt Regency Dallas on July 7-10, 2010. Meredith Joseph Blaine was diagnosed with Tourettes Syndrome at age 24. He was then diagnosed with a Sensory Processing Disorder at age 27 and, in addition, diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at age 34. Meredith is now a graduate student in the Human Development Institute, University of Kentucky. The rest of the story and journey is what you cannot afford to miss, so be there. March 29 Harold L. Kleinert, Ed.D. February 22 January 25th, 2010 August 31 "Simple Strategies to Start the School Year Off Right" June 29th Also, to make sure your member’s voices are heard, a representative of the Kentucky Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs will be at this meeting to brief us on the upcoming statewide assessment. The Kentucky Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CCSHCN) will soon begin a statewide needs assessment. The needs assessment is part of the Title V Block Grant Program through the Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB). MCHB is a bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Title V Block Grant Program’s general purpose is the improvement of the health of all mothers and children in the nation. April 27th Are you interested in learning a more natural way to detox and heal your child's body? Is your child plagued by yeast overgrowth, bowel issues or a sleep disorder? Would you like to know more about calming techniques? Do you wonder which therapies and treatments would be most beneficial for your child? Then mark your calendars for this meeting when Crystal Johnson, parent of an 18 year old son with autism, will share a unique treatment approach which has been successful for her son. Crystal-Johnston-presentation-notes.pdf (206 KB) March 30th Ellen Nicholson’s February 23th Lori Barrett Norton,
January 26th, 2009 Dr. Lisa Ruble will present an I.E.P. Clinic
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