Topic: Advocacy and acceptance

Society’s views about autism have changed significantly over time. But there is still plenty of work to be done to achieve fair and equitable access to services, employment, education, and other resources. Progress must also be made to ensure full inclusion in the community. Read about the experiences of others and learn how to advocate for yourself and the autism community.

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Partnering for Autism

Our fifth webinar, moderated by Alison Singer, MBA, features Ann Palmer of the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities and Patricia Manning, M.D. of the Kelly O’Leary Center. In this webinar, our speakers discuss different approaches to partnering in the autism community. Each speaker brings a different perspective about how developing relationships from within the community enhance program outcomes. This webinar is 45 minutes long.

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Advocating For Your Loved One with Autism

The speaker for our third webinar is Gary Mayerson, JD, founder of Mayerson and Associates, the nation’s first civil rights law firm dedicated to representing individuals with autism. In this webinar, Mayerson discusses how families can have an effective IEP meeting and make the case for services and assessments. This webinar is 60 minutes long.

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Meet Amy Gravino

Amy Gravino was recently asked to take part in the SPARK online research partnership, and was both excited and apprehensive to hear about the study’s purpose and intended goals.

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Meet Sunghee Park

Sunghee Park and her family have a packed schedule. They participated in SPARK because online participation is perfect for her and her son.

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Meet Pam Kattouf

Pam Kattouf and her family want to accelerate research to discover better treatments for people with autism. They know that the more people that participate, the better research can be, and hope that many more will join SPARK.

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Meet Darnell Carr Newsum

Darnell Carr Newsum has two children with autism, each with unique strengths and challenges. By participating in SPARK, she hopes researchers can uncover some of the causes and supports for her children and many others.

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photo of mother and children at home

Meet Alycia Halladay

Years of professional experience in the autism field and the personal experience of having a daughter with autism spectrum disorder have Alycia Halladay invested in advancing autism research.

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