In our work with companies to create sustainable and scalable talent acquisition programs for individuals with disabilities, we field questions about accommodations that expose a persistent lack of clarity. Here is a quick FAQ to help answer some of those questions. How do I know when to provide an accommodation? The employee will request an […]
Events
Supporting Adults in Medical Situations
SUPPORTING ADULTS IN MEDICAL SITUATIONS By Brad Walker, V.P., Community Living Supports Families with adult children on the spectrum face an additional layer of concern during the COVID-19 crisis. How should they prepare for medical emergencies for their adult children, many of whom may not be able to effectively advocate for themselves? What supports can […]
COVID-19 Isolation with the Carleys: How a Dad on the Spectrum Copes
By Michael John Carley, Autism Self-Advocate & NEXT for AUTISM Board Member There was tempered joy upon seeing my 23-year-old, who is also on the spectrum, exit the station. On one hand, C.C. was with us, his family, to ride out the coronavirus in less-impacted Wisconsin, joining Kathryn, myself, and his 14-year old brother. We […]
How To Attend Online Meetings
By: John Bryson, MS Ed, CESP | Senior Manager, Corporate Consulting BEFORE THE MEETING Prepare Environment Choose a quiet place with good lighting for your online meeting. Do not sit with your back to a window, and make sure there is light on your face. If possible, avoid places with background noises such as TVs […]
How To Structure Your Day
Working from home presents challenges that can be overcome with structure and scheduling. NEXT for AUTISM, using evidence-based practice, suggests the following tips for all employees, especially those with autism. Establish a Routine Start and stop at the same time every day Dress according to your company’s dress code Set up a regular work area […]
Adjusting to the New Normal
ADJUSTING TO THE NEW NORMAL Like everyone else, the team at Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement (PSAE) had to respond rapidly to the forced shut down due to the COVID-19 crisis – and they did, achieving a smooth transfer to remote learning for each intern and resuming the program’s regular schedule, five days a week. While […]
Tips for Supporting Employees with Autism & Other Disabilities During Stressful Times
For employees who are neurodiverse, the current state of uncertainty can be amplified by their social and communication challenges. NEXT for AUTISM offers these strategies to managers and colleagues, as well as the general public, who can play a role in helping people with special needs during this time. How to Communicate With Your Employee […]
Banding Together
Banding Together, a Night of Too Many Stars grantee, offers music therapy to hundreds of individuals with autism and developmental disabilities each year in San Diego County, California. Everyone gets a chance to play in these music sessions, while also learning skills such as expressing emotions, connecting with others, and socializing. What’s more, there are […]
There May Be An App For That
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/id-check-v2-600×338.jpg A guest blog by The Arc of Northern Virginia, a Night of Too Many Stars Grantee Every parent worries about their children’s safety, especially when the children are out in public. But parents of young adults with autism can live with heightened levels of concern. A casual excursion can easily turn into a traumatic […]
2019 Year End Review
Read about our 2019 work and accomplishments in our Year End Review!
Making the Arts Accessible to All
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Arts-Ed-Resize-300×300.png Museum outings are popular family affairs — meaningful activities that everyone can enjoy which are also educational. One challenge? The sensory stimuli can be overwhelming to some children, and even more so for some children with autism. Now, three museums across the country are doing something about it. Educators from the Kansas Children’s Discovery […]
The Case for Meaningful Work
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Copy-of-The-Case-for-Meaningful-Work-600×428.png by John Bryson, M.S.E, Sr. Manager, Corporate Employment Consulting, NEXT for AUTISM I’m often asked why I work in disability employment helping young people with autism and other disabilities prepare for and find meaningful work. My answer is always the same. I’m motivated by a case that lit a fire in me. Its senselessness […]
The Women of PSAE Get to Work!
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Screen-Shot-2019-09-03-at-4.49.42-PM-600×399.png By: Alison Bush, M.S., BCBA Meet Shannon. She’s one of two women who graduated in 2019 from our Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement internship and employment program or PSAE. Shannon was driven to land a meaningful job after the hard work that she’d put into the training program, and she did. She’s thrilled to be […]
Embracing the Amazing
On a recent afternoon, representatives from Queens Public School 219 brightened our day with an uplifting story about their school’s campaign to celebrate diverse abilities, “Embracing the Amazing.” The K-8 school in Flushing, Queens enrolls 700 students, twenty-seven percent of whom are on the autism spectrum. During the month-long celebration, children in the lower school […]
2018 A Year of Empowerment
We empowered people with autism to thrive at work, at home, and in our communities with new programs and services. READ OUR ANNUAL REVIEW HERE
Video: What’s Next for Autism?
What’s Next for Autism? Meet Tamar, a recent graduate of our employment training program, as she embarks on a hopeful start at her first job. Laura Slatkin and Ilene Lainer provide impassioned interviews on NEXT for AUTISM’s vision for programs that support young adults like Tamar. Dr. Jeremy Veenstra-Vanderweele of the Center for Autism and […]
Good Work That’s Good For Business
Good Work That’s Good For Business Photo courtesy of CINTAS Corporation In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month this October 2018, we offer this story about the progress corporations are making to diversify the workforce and include people with autism and other developmental disabilities. With the expertise of disability consultants at ADVICE, and support […]
PS-AE: 9 Interns, 9 Graduates, 9 Jobs
Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement Graduation 2018! As the 2019 class of employment training interns begins this fall at Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement, we thought everyone would enjoy this video of the previous year’s graduation. Note the pride as these graduates share their accomplishments. We, too, are proud. 9 Interns, 9 Graduates, 9 Jobs. Here’s to […]
CADB Turns 5! Looking Back, Planning Forward
It’s hard to believe that it has been five years since the launch of Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, a comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and research clinic for individuals with autism of all ages and their families. CADB, as we call it, was created by NEXT for AUTISM in partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and […]
Happy Grads Celebrate Dads
June is the month to celebrate graduates and honor fathers. This month, NEXT for AUTISM is celebrating a group of bright, young adults who are graduating from our Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement employment training program at NY-Presbyterian Hospital in White Plains. After ten months of job skills training and internships, our graduates are setting off […]
“I Want to Keep You Every Day”
Launching a child into adulthood is, by all standards of motherhood, an endeavor of balance. It requires both faith in your child’s ability to be independent and confidence that she will circle back to you for support and love. For a mother of a child with autism, gaining interdependence with your child can be elusive, […]
Come Power Pedal With Elisabeth!
The 2nd Annual NEXT for AUTISM Power Pedal event taking place this April 29th is a special gathering of friends and loved ones from diverse corners of our community. Teachers, coaches, therapists, doctors, lawyers, colleagues, aunts, siblings and even young people on the autism spectrum have committed to the one-hour, indoor ride. All are helping to raise […]
New Charter School for Children with Autism Opens in Bronx, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Quynh Thai, [email protected] (212)759-3775 A new charter school dedicated exclusively to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will open on Thursday, September 7th, in Bronx, New York. This is the second school under the umbrella of NYC Autism Charter Schools. The first school opened in East Harlem in 2005. The NYC Autism Charter School […]
Happy New Year from NYCA’s Next Gen Board!
2017 is shaping up to be an exciting year for us on the new, Next Gen board. We formed early last year and by summer, had gotten to know each other and gain a greater understanding of the excellent work that NYCA does. Each of us has been impacted by autism, either directly through siblings […]
Teen Talent Stages Another Hit Musical for NYCA
Andrew Feldman has done it again! We were thrilled last year when Andrew and friends staged a tribute to the Beatles for their Second Annual Cabaret to Benefit Autism to raise funds for NYCA. This year, the 14-year-old director, writer and star produced a rollicking, action-filled musical based on the movie Star Wars and in […]
THE A WORD AIRS TONIGHT ON SUNDANCETV, 10PM EST
NYCA is thrilled to partner with SundanceTV to promote this groundbreaking television series about a family’s struggle with autism. At the series premiere in New York, David Remnick, NYCA board member and editor of The New Yorker, moderated a lively panel that featured Peter Bowker, the series writer, Ilene Lainer, NYCA’s president, and Eli Gottlieb, […]
Growing Towards Joy and Independence
Click here to view video: https://youtu.be/D0I_q_WeFSA NYCA recently hosted a screening of Life, Animated, an award-winning documentary film based on the book, Life, Animated: a Story of Sidekicks, Heroes and Autism, by Ron Suskind. A panel discussion followed, moderated by David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker magazine and NYCA board member, and featuring Ilene […]
The 2nd Annual Cabaret to Benefit Autism, “All You Need: A Beatles Cabaret”
On July 30th, over 300 community members, performers and volunteers attended the second annual Cabaret to Benefit Autism held in Woodmere, NY to support NYCA. At this year’s event, “All You Need: A Beatles Cabaret,” 13-year old Andrew Feldman (producer, director, drummer, vocalist) and friends performed over 30 iconic Beatles songs from “All You Need […]
NYCA Donor Spotlight: From a Night in Paris to a Broadway Style Cabaret!
Meet Annie, a 13-year-old on a mission to make a difference in the lives of people living with autism. Annie organized a Paris-themed Bat Mitzvah in March 2014 where she raised money from friends and family to support NYCA. Annie’s celebration included Eiffel Tower-themed décor, endless French cuisine and even an appearance from Mr. Met! […]
Night of Too Many Stars Wins Emmy!
(Pictured above Robert Smigel (NYCA Board Member) and the Comedy Central Team) 10 Years, 10 Triumphs Triumph 7: And the Emmy Goes to…Night of Too Many Stars On Sunday night, Comedy Central’s Night of Too Many Stars won a Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Interactive Program. Other nominees in the category include Game of Thrones, Homeland, Top Chef, Killing […]
Project SEARCH Collaborates for Autism Class of 2013
10 Years, 10 Triumphs Triumph 4: Project SEARCH Collaborates for Autism Last week, The Project SEARCH Collaborates for Autism (PSCA) Class of 2013 graduated from NYCA’s program that not only teaches them the skills to leave high school and find a job but gives their family hope for the future. Starting PSCA in 2011 was one of NYCA’s biggest […]
The Center for Autism and the Developing Brain Opens
10 Years, 10 Triumphs: Triumph 3 CADB Opens On Monday, our dream became a reality, the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain officially opened its doors to a new way of caring for people with autism. The state-of-the-art facility, which is located on New York-Presbyterian’s 214 acre Westchester Campus, serves children, adults and families dealing with […]
Katy Perry and Jodi DiPiazza Moves Millions to Tears
10 YEARS, 10 TRIUMPHS: TRIUMPH 1 Over 6 Million Watched Jodi DiPiazza & Katy Perry This year NYCA is celebrating its 10 year anniversary by sharing our 10 triumphs in autism. In reflecting on the last 10 years, a very special moment stands out – the unforgettable duet of Jodi DiPiazza and Katy Perry at Comedy […]