Internships Prepare Students for Work

PHOENIX -- A program at a northeast Phoenix high school is helping students with special-education challenges land jobs despite a tough economy.
The Work Experience Program at Horizon High School has established an internship this year that prepares students for careers in the hospitality and food-service industries. "It's a program designed to provide an opportunity for students with disabilities to develop skills and experiences related to working in a competitive workplace," said Richard Walker, a special-education teacher who founded the program.

New Home, New Life for a Russian Child

ATLANTA -- Former Racine, Wis., resident Gretchen Stewart has adopted a special needs boy from Russia after more than a year of fundraising, filling out paperwork, getting court approval and hoping.
Stewart brought the 5-year-old boy, Ian, home just in time because his age and having Down syndrome meant he was at risk of being transferred from a Russian orphanage to an adult institution where adoption would not be an option.
Now he's home with Stewart instead. They arrived in Atlanta, where Stewart lives, on Aug. 24 and since then Ian has been adjusting well to Stewart, her fiancé and her other son, 4-year-old Ari, who has autism.

iPad Gives Children with Autism a Voice

BUCYRUS, Ohio -- Aden Britton, 5, carefully unwrapped the gift handed to him Friday at Fazoli's in Ontario.
Aden was oblivious to the many eyes upon him as he pulled an iPad out of the wrapping paper.
"This is so amazing," said Aden's mom, Liz Morris, as she wiped away tears.

Program Helps Plan as Children Age

Mary Lou and Jerry Wilhelm are in their late 70s and in fairly good health, but they are far from empty nesters free to roam whenever they please.
Most mornings, Mrs. Wilhelm helps their 52-year-old mentally disabled son, Todd, get ready for the day at Lott Industries Inc. Then the Monclova Township couple must be on hand in the afternoon before Todd is transported home from the workshop, where he mostly socializes.
Yet the Wilhelms enjoy Todd and aren’t ready to place their middle child in a Sunshine Communities Inc. family care home — where he has been on the waiting list for 10 years. They just are in no rush to make such a heart-wrenching move.

Fla. Disabilities Agency Spending Too Much

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The state agency that helps 30,000 disabled Floridians is spending too much money.
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities on Friday released a report that shows despite recent cutbacks the agency is on track to spend $55 million more than was budgeted.
Lawmakers earlier this year set aside $810 million for the program that helps those with autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. That's $120 million less than last year.

Taking Care of Heirs with Disabilities

Deciding how to leave your assets to your kids is tricky enough. If your adult child has a chronic disability, the task is much more complicated.
The issue affects many families: According to U.S. Census data, 12% of the population has a severe mental or physical disability.
Strapped state and local governments are tightening income restrictions for medical benefits and supportive services, which are typically paid for by Social Security and Medicaid. Those services are tough to find—or afford—in the private sector for many adults with disabilities so severe that they can't live alone, parents and advocates say.

On Raising a Child with Autism

Parenting is challenging at the best of times, but occasionally something comes along that’s a whole lot bigger than the sitter getting sick or baby refusing to sleep.
Tom Fields-Meyer’s middle son, Ezra, was two-and-a-half years old when a preschool teacher dropped the hint there might be something wrong. The eventual diagnosis? Autism.
At the time, neither dad nor mom knew much about neurological disorders, although it was clear says Fields-Meyer, that their son, now age 15, was “a bit unusual.” But the diagnosis set the stage for development, discovery and ultimately acceptance.