Joplin Couple Donates $3 Million to Rebuild Local Autism Center

JOPLIN, Mo. — Holding back tears, Amanda Dillard explained how the instructors at the Ozark Center for Autism had helped her autistic daughters, Reagan and Savannah, progress in ways she never dreamed possible.
On Tuesday, she told Bill and Virginia Leffen, of Joplin, that their donation of $3 million to fund the rebuilding of the center means more to the parents of autistic children than just the construction of a building.
“This donation gives us hope,” she said. “I can’t say enough about that.”

Rural Mo. Autism Center Fills Need

UNION, Mo. -- It was time for an art project, but Blake Walkenhorst, 14, wandered into the corner of the room. "Blake has two choices, the ball or sit at the table," said instructor Meghan Radford, who had just finished another negotiation with a 13-year-old boy who insisted, "No art."
Blake sat at the table and stared at the Popsicle sticks and glue. "You need to keep trying," Radford encouraged. "You can do this." But instead, Blake opted to sit and bounce on a large exercise ball, which he finds soothing.
The boys were among four children with varying degrees of autism in a morning camp Monday at the new McGee Autism Center. Seven more were coming in the afternoon. The challenging moment was just a sliver for Radford, who volunteers the more than 60 hours a week she spends preparing and leading classes at the center.

Missouri Strikes the 'R Word' From Statutes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- With the stroke of a pen, the term "mental retardation" has been struck from all Missouri state statutes and replaced with language deemhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifed less offensive by disability rights advocates.
Tuesday, Gov. Jay Nixon sign House Bills 555 and 648 which, among other things, replace the pejorative term "retardation" with the "intellectual disability." The new laws also promote awareness and increase public accessibility standards for people with disabilities.

Opinion: Finding Funding Is Critical

Guest column from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch by Wendy Sullivan, the president of Life Skills. For more than 30 years, she has advocated for adults with developmental disabilities. She serves on St. Louis' Office of the Disabled Advisory Council.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Cody is a smart and caring 19-year-old man with severe autism, chronic migraine headaches and seizures. Because Cody cannot communicate orally, he can make his needs known only through action. Sometimes out of frustration, he acts violently toward those around him.
Life Skills was able to place Cody in a home in the community with around-the-clock staff. It is essential that the staff is specially trained to manage Cody's behavior and medical needs. Without the recent restoration of the 1.9 percent state funding cut for services for people with developmental disabilities, it is doubtful that Life Skills could continue to provide the training needed for the staff working with Cody.