Ohioans Fear Medicaid Changes

Family members of developmentally disabled Ohioans are warning against state efforts to shrink Medicaid-funded residential facilities.Medicaid pays for more than 5,000 Ohioans who live in intermediate care facilities where they have around-the-clock nursing care but are, according to nonprofit Disability Rights Ohio, “needlessly segregated.”

Opinion: Common Core Leaving Special Education Students Behind

Post from The Wall Street Journal by Brian Zorn is a special-education teacher in the Mineola Union Free School District in Mineola, N.Y.
The mission of American education is “No Child Left Behind.” For me as a special-education teacher in New York state, that means making my students feel worthwhile and giving them the confidence they need to succeed—academically and socially. Yet New York’s statewide English language arts (ELA) and mathematics exams unduly humiliate children in special education and frustrate the teachers who want them to succeed.

On the Move for Autism Services

CARMEL, Maine — Michael Levasseur is 19 years old and has a high school diploma. He has held a part-time job stocking shelves at a local supermarket and volunteered at the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor, his parents, Cynthia and Paul Levasseur, said.

Cynthia and Paul Levasseur with
 their son Michael.

He is also autistic and requires supervision.

Health Care Gap: Lack of Preparation for Pediatric to Adult Transition

It is estimated that 18 million U.S. adolescents, aged 18 to 21 years, will transition from pediatric to adult care, according to the most recent statistics from the 2013 Current Population Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Yet, results of a 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs indicate that while the majority of health care providers encourage their youth with special health care needs to assume responsibility for their own health care, most are not receiving the needed preparation for the transition of care.

Seeking Answers to W. Va. Waiver Cuts

Parents and some lawmakers are still in shock over large budget cuts in West Virginia's IDD Waiver program.with special needs. 

The Department of Health and Human Resources says the program has been over budget by the millions for years. While parents know to expect large cuts, there are still a lot of unanswered questions.

Best Tech Jobs for People with Autism

Some guidance in this article featuring a member of our YAI Autism Center Advisory Board Temple Grandin's thoughts on tech jobs for individuals with autism. 

The transition between adolescent to adult is a difficult process for anyone. It can be even more challenging for individuals on the autism spectrum, especially when it comes to finding a meaningful vocation. As the father of a wonderful 10-year-old boy with autism, much of my time is spent worrying about what opportunities will be available to him once he reaches adulthood. According to some estimates, the unemployment rate for adults on the autism spectrum exceeds 90%.

Recently this problem has been combated with rising interest on individuals with special needs in the workforce. With proper training, support and opportunity these individuals with developmental disabilities are able to maintain and even excel at professions in the mainstream workforce. Some of these innovative companies are highlighted in a recent Forbes post, A New Business Model for Autism.

Teaching Karate and Respect

Matt Hosokawa has been in love with karate since he saw his first Jackie Chan movie as a kid.
Hosokawa, 30, always dreamed of getting a black belt and teaching his own class but he struggled in school and needed special education. He eventually learned why he was different.