Autism coverage to be become part of Michigan law

 Finally it's official! 
Autism coverage to be become part of Michigan law

(Update 4/21) For more information, check out http://www.michigan.gov/autism .

Two new Michigan resources

First, last week I heard from Sarah at SAIL who let me know about this new resource out of Wayne State University:  Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI).  This website is dedicated to providing families and professionals with information regarding diagnosis and treatment for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

Second, if you've been to our facebook page, you've seen the link Pam posted regarding the message from Gov. Snyder's office about the newly passed insurance coverage:  Autism Insurance What Parents Need to Know.

SPAR Update and Talent Night

The new SPAR Update newsletter is out.  It's chock full of fun activities taking place this April, May and June:  dancing, fishing, basketball, bowling, movies, art and more.  Check it out!

Of special interest is Talent Night, 6-8pm on April 19^th at the Masonic Red Room in Marquette, $2 per spectator, free to performers.  Call SAIL (228-5744) by April 16 to register your act if you want to be IN the show! 

(SPAR stands for Single Point for Activities and Recreation. SPAR is a new program at SAIL (Superior Alliance for Independent Living) created in the summer of 2009.)

Michigan Family Support Initiative May Events in the U.P.

The Michigan Family Support Initiative (MFSI) will hold three events in  the U.P. on May 7 (Sault Ste Marie), 8 (Houghton), and 9 (Escanaba).  The theme is "Community Living for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities."
Families that attend will receive a $25 gift certificate and be served a light supper.  For more information and to register, call 888/978-4334.  Registration closes Friday, April 20.

Minutes for April 1 meeting

Seven of us gathered last Sunday to share what we know and ask questions. 

First timers included Mary who is concerned for her adult nephew who she suspects is on the spectrum.  I gave her Dr. Karl Hill's information, as he is a clinical psychologist licensed in applying the ADOS diagnostic tests.

Also attending for the first time was a student from the NMU speech lab who is working with a youngster on the spectrum who seems to be experiencing a lot of sensory issues that interfere with his ability to focus.  She was particularly interested in learning what Kirsten Matthews, our special guest, had to say.

Barb Summersett drove over from L'Anse to hear Kirsten as well and to introduce herself.  Barb will be the guest speaker next month.  She is also an OT and will be talking about art as a sensory integration tool.

We spent the first part of the meeting talking about the changes that can take place when adolescence starts.  For many what was working, become more challenging. 

Kirsten then proceeded to introduce us to herself and her work.  She is an OT at Bell Teal Lake in Ishpeming, working primarily with children.  She is certified in sensory integration work.  She talked at length about the many ways Sensory Processing Disorder is manifested in children, covering the history of the field, and some of the assessment approaches.  Two books she recommended were Sensory Integration and the Child by A. Jean Ayres (the original pioneer of this field) and Sensational Kids by Lucy J. Miller. 

I also reminded attendees of some of the upcoming events this month at Peter White Public Library.  The Sensory Friendly presentation of the movie Charlotte's Web on Tuesday was well-attended-- over 50 people were there.  You won't want to miss Autism the Musical on Monday April 23 at 7:00 pm.  This documentary explores the experiences of five very different young people at play rehearsal and at home as they prepare a musical show.  Tell your all your friends who are interested in learning more about the autism spectrum. 

Resource Guide Available On-line

The Marquette Area Autism Resource Guide is now available online.  Print copies should be available for distribution some time next week.

4/8/12 Update:  If you tried the above link earlier and weren't able to access the document, please try again.  I've changed the settings in google docs so anyone should be able to download the document.