AANE Journal for Donors & Members of the Asperger's Association of New England
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AANE JOURNAL For Donors & Members of the Asperger's Association of New England Issue 6 Spring 2010 CONGRATULATIONS COLBY! Colby Shea- Perkins, a 14 year old with Aspeger’s Syndrome (AS) who attends Cape Elizabeth Middle School in Maine, has been recognized in a national competition for his painting Lazy Dog (to the left).He is one of 51 artists whose artwork was select- ed from over 5,500 submissions to represent his or her state in the All Kids Can...CREATE! exhibit. The exhibit will debut in Wash- ington, DC before embarking on Lazy Dog by Colby Shea-Perkins a two-year tour of children’s mu- seums across the country. Colby has won an all-expenses-paid trip to DC for a reception in celebra- tion of the opening. The exhibit is part of a na- tional campaign sponsored by VSA arts and the CVS Caremark All Kids Can program to encour- age inclusive arts education and increase public awareness of the arts in the lives and learning of Above: Colby standing next to his artwork at young people with disabilities. It the exhibit in Union Station in Washington, DC. will also be featured in the 2010 Left: Colby in front of the reflecting pool and International Very Special Art- the Washington Monument. ists (VSA) Festival, the largest Feel free to take a look at the festival celebration of arts and disability website for more information: http:// in the world. www.kennedy-center.org/programs/festi- vals/09-10/vsa/ Cover: William Mironchuk proudly holding his Swimmer Buddy Tag. Read the full inspirational article written by his mother on page 8. AANE JOURNAL May 2010. Issue 6. The AANE Journal is published twice a year by the Asperger’s Association of New England (AANE) 85 Main Street, Suite 101, Watertown, MA 02472 Colby in front of the Kennedy Center. 2 AANE Journal Issue 6 Spring 2010 MESSAGE FROM AANE’S BOARD PRESIDENT NANCY SCHWARTZ, MSW & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANIA JEKEL, MSW Dear Friends of AANE, Doesn’t it seem to you that almost every day there seems to be a new character with Asperger Syndrome (AS) on TV or in a book? Some of these portrayals seem fairly accurate, while others are stereotypical and fail to resemble anyone we know. Accurate or not, they increase public awareness of AS—and result in phone calls to AANE from across the nation. Just today for example, we got a request from Missouri to come consult with an organization who wants to replicate LifeMAP (our Life Management Assistance Program for adults). We hope that people continue to find their way to our web site, to our phone lines, to our conferences and workshops, and to our door. AANE has now been in existence for 15 years. It’s been a pleasure to see children and adults in our community mature and achieve new milestones. Many have been successful in creating lives which use their strengths, and serve as role models for others. Many are lucky to have parents and educators and employers who provide the accommodations and support they need. We know that not all individuals with AS are geniuses or successful. Many children and adults continue to struggle with various issues, and both individuals and families continue to need support. We hope we can be available for the full spectrum of individuals with AS—those that have done very well, and also those who continue to grapple with the difficulties of living in an neurotypical world—as well as the families, professionals, teachers, and partners who live and work with them. TABLE OF CONTENTS In the upcoming year we will be conducting a strategic planning process, with the goal of planning pro-actively for a healthy, Asperger Symdrome in the Criminal Justice System sustainable future for AANE. We face a number of challenges and by Judge Kimberley Taylor, Dr. Gary Mesibov, & Dennis Debbaudt ...4 a rapidly changing environment, for example: dramatic changes Parents of Adults Find Support by Steve Snitzer ........................7 in how people connect to one another and get information, the The Buddy Tag by Donna-Marie Mironchuk .......................................8 availability of new technology, the increased numbers of people diagnosed with AS, the uneven economic recovery, and the possible Scott’s First Choir Concert ...............................................................9 elimination of the AS diagnosis from the DSM-5. We have to Raising Awareness: Elizabeth Avery ...........................................9 position AANE in a way that will ensure that we can continue Community Creativity ...............................................................10, 39 to support one another and create community for families and My Friend by Alexander Christopher Eustice ...................................... 11 professionals in many different locations and a variety of needs. During the strategic planning process, we may solicit feedback and Choosing a Summer Camp by Eugene Bell ..................................12 input from you through online surveys or telephone calls. We thank A Neurotypical Family’s Journey into Aspieland you in advance for your response; no one knows better than you, our by Karen Lewis ...................................................................................13 community members, what is needed and what is possible. AANE Program Update: Plymouth County .........................17 Our immediate concern is to maintain the high quality of our programs and services, including responding thoughtfully to phone Guía Básica Para Escoger a un/a Defensor/a Para calls and email, producing helpful written material, and developing su Hijo/a por Stephanie LeBlanc y Christine Riley ........................18 new workshops and trainings, while we continue to raise awareness Time Management Tips by Robin Lurie-Meyerkopf, M.Ed. .........20 about AS. As always we thank those of you who in the past half AANE Educator Awards .................................................................21 year have donated money and time to sustain AANE’s mission. For those of you who have not donated recently, please consider making AANE Dandurand Award ..............................................................21 AANE one of your top priorities for charitable giving in the year AANE Program Update: 2010 Laugh Out Loud Gala ...22 ahead—since you have a unique understanding of the value and Special Advertising Section pages 24-31 importance of our work. Speaking about fundraising, the AANE spring Gala was a fun What the AS Community Needs to Know About the and successful event despite the fact that some of the partying was New Mental Health Parity Law by Dave Harmon .............32 done in the Marriott parking lot following the water main break in Computer Skills by Vicki Gold ..........................................................33 Weston, which resulted in an electrical blackout, followed by an Creating a Team to Create & Support Your evacuation of the building! For the first time ever, the Boston Globe Student’s IEP by Bonnie Glickman, M.Ed., NCC .......................34 published pictures of the event, showing partygoers evacuating the hotel. Despite the obstacles, we again managed to meet our Don’t Forget to Invite the Student! Including Students revenue goal for the event, thanks to the hard work of our co-chairs, with AS in Meetings by Amanda N. Kelly, M.S.Ed., BCBA Jill Purpura, Natasha Chomas, and Lynn Flaherty, their wonderful & Catherine Mayes ..............................................................................37 committee, and AANE Director of Fundraising Kelly Genois. For all AANE Program Update: Servicios Latinos ..........................40 who donated items, or attended and bid, thank you so much for your AANE Program Update: Adult Services ...............................40 incredible generosity. Save the date of the next Gala, April 30, 2011 for the next Gala—an event that we hope will have more water, food, Message from AANE’s Associate Director .............................40 and electricity—and even more laughing out loud! A-S-P-E-R-G-E-R-S by Aaron Levinger ..........................................41 We hope you will stay connected to the AANE community over Thank You to Our Donors! ............................................................43 the coming months, join us for learning and for fun, and use our programs and services to strengthen and enrich your life. AANE Board, Staff & Volunteer Lists .....................................46 AANE Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day ..........................................47 Sincerely, Nancy Schwartz & Dania Jekel 3 Asperger Syndrome in the Criminal Justice System by Judge Kimberly Taylor (retired), Dr. Gary Mesibov, and Dennis Debbaudt (2009) Modified and Reformatted for an AS Population by Nomi Kaim Recent statistics suggest that as many as 1 in 99 people may words—a narrative interview. have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The criminal justice ♦ Make sure both your word choice and the individual’s word system (CJS) may have contact with individuals with ASDs choice have the same meaning to each person. as victims, witnesses, and/or offenders. All criminal justice ♦ Make sure all individuals understand to whom a pronoun professionals who have contact with individuals with ASDs will refers when using pronouns. need to establish clear and consistent communication methods, ♦ Ensure question is short, direct, and concise. verify facts, make appropriate accommodations, and ensure fair ♦ Utilize maximum patience, as formulating answers takes justice and consequences for all concerned. Communications, longer for individuals with AS. behaviors,