Organizational and Individual Change: The Road to Inclusion By: Brad Walker and John Bryson, MS Ed, CESP As featured on Autism Spectrum News People with disabilities face many documented barriers to full inclusion in society. According to Article 3 of The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, one of the primary […]
acceptance
Changing the Paradigm for How Adults with Autism Thrive
April 2, 2021 This last year has been a remarkable and challenging year for everyone. We have all experienced incalculable loss — of life, of opportunity, and of our daily patterns of living. For the community NEXT for AUTISM proudly serves, the isolation brought on by COVID-19 restrictions has only magnified the many disparities that […]
Women and Autism: Facts and Figures
March is Women’s History Month, and to celebrate and acknowledge the women in our community, we have been sharing facts about women and autism throughout the month. Did you know? Autism is 4 times more common in boys than girls, and women are diagnosed with autism later in life and less frequently than men. There […]
What’s next for NEXT for AUTISM?
Did you know there are 5.4 million adults living with autism in the United States? While the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has been collecting data and releasing information about the prevalence of autism in children for decades, 2020 marks the first time the CDC has reported on adults. If the past is prelude, availability […]
Reflections: Fathering A Young Black Man with Autism
These are peerless times. Last summer, I battled with anxiety and sadness when George Floyd was killed, and protests erupted across our country. This year, the assault on the Capitol left me feeling anger and despair. To cope, I’ve simply moved away from the negative energy on social media and disengaged from thoughts that can […]
Should I or Shouldn’t I Disclose My Disability?
By John Bryson, MS Ed, CESP Sr. Manager of Employment NEXT for AUTISM Two of the most frequently asked employment questions we receive at NEXT for AUTISM are: “Should I disclose my disability to a current or potential employer?” “What is the best way to disclose a disability to a current or potential employer?” Whether […]
Reflections: A Mother’s Journey
By Roxie Todd My daughter is forty-years-old and she has autism. We didn’t know she had autism until she was in her mid-twenties. Believe me, we knew something was different, we just didn’t know what it was. We had been to specialists from the time she was three-years-old looking for answers, each time receiving a different diagnosis, […]
Reflections: My Son Was My Start Over
In this new series, we bring you personal stories and heartfelt musings that we hope will lift our spirits and bring us closer together as a community. Our first guest is Jamiel Owens, an autism dad and the host of The Ausome Show. Jamiel shares his journey of becoming a father with the help of […]
That’s What Friends Are For – Friendship and ASD
That’s What Friends Are For – Friendship and ASD By Patricia Wright, PhD, MPH, Sr. VP of Program Development, NEXT for AUTISM How often have we all said or heard this simple statement? When a friend listens to our heartache, when they laugh uproariously about an incident shared in the past, when they make a […]
Grantee Spotlight: Up and Away Immersive Musical Now Online!
In 2018, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City created an innovative musical, designed just for children with autism and their families. Up and Away was a sold-out event in which each child became part of the story and journeyed through the set with actors trained on the sensitivities and challenges of […]
“There’s No Place Like Home”
Courtesy of The Arc By Brad Walker, V.P., Community Living Supports A recent, national report by The Arc confirmed that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including those with autism, prefer to live in community-based settings. Community living, according to the report, is not only more cost effective, it also leads to positive outcomes in […]
The AAP’s Latest Recommendations on ASD: Our Takeaways
By Patricia Wright, Ph.D., MPH, and SVP Program Development The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently issued an updated clinical report on autism, its first in twelve years. The recommendations in “Identification, Evaluation and Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders” were notable for promoting early diagnosis and intervention and greater attention to adolescence and […]
Making a Difference is the First Step
Brad Walker, VP of Community Living Supports, trains and consults with staff at NEXT for NEIGHBORS, our community living program currently in development. The program will employ the Professional Family Teaching Model, which emphasizes family-style living in a supportive, teaching environment for adults with autism. To honor National Caregivers Month, Brad celebrates two, exemplary professional […]
What’s New With Our Favorite Dads?
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ed-kevin-leo-2-600×358.jpg Three years ago on Father’s Day, we introduced our readers to Ed Tournu and Kevin Donohue, two Long Island dads who had adopted a boy with autism. Though they had only intended to foster 13 year-old Leo at the time, until a permanent home could be found, the dads fell in love with Leo […]
Autism Interns Gain Real World Experience While Raising Awareness
On a recent spring day, Shannon and Jack, two interns from the Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement employment training program, were spotted at an information table, greeting passersby on NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Westchester campus. They wanted to raise awareness about their program and the importance of work for people with autism. With the high rate of unemployment […]
A Happy Mother-Daughter Partnership
Mothers and daughters have connected over food for generations, but that wasn’t the reason that Arlene Maidman took her daughter, Julia, to cooking lessons four years ago. Family friends had gifted the lessons to Julia for her sweet 16, and Arlene just went along. But what she saw in Julia that afternoon changed both of […]
The Light In All Of Us
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Satya-and-Son-e1556742652157.jpg Satya, jewelry designer and the owner of Satya Jewelry, approached NEXT for AUTISM to partner on the launch of The Beautiful You Collection, which she had designed to honor the individuality and gifts of those on the autism spectrum. Satya is committed to celebrating our community and has pledged to donate a portion of […]
Open Yourself to a World of Possibility
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Pic1.jpg This remarkable 16-year-old high-school student, Shreya Suneja, became involved with autism causes when her younger cousin was diagnosed. She shares her story with us, hoping to inspire other young people towards greater acceptance of individuals with autism. Walking through the hallways of my high school, one thing has become very clear to me: we […]