The holiday season can be a fun, but sometimes stressful, time for autistic people. On one hand, the season may include quality time spent with family and friends. However, it can also be a deviation from one’s routine which may include heightened sensory sensitivities and stimuli that can make the experience uncomfortable. In this interview,…
In 2001 my brother was participating in intensive early intervention. He was two, and I was 12. The therapy room in our basement was largely off limits for me; I would come home from school and our mom would come upstairs to greet me, unless he was having a meltdown, then she wasn’t permitted to…
Tory Ridgeway wanted to be an aerospace engineer in the U.S. Navy, but the Navy didn’t seem to want him. Tory is my son, who also happens to have an autism diagnosis. My hope is that our family’s experience with exclusionary military recruitment policies can be used to open doors for others with exceptional needs.…
For autistic children, who often crave routine and “sameness,” the frequent moves that characterize the lives of most military families can pose particular challenges. This resistance to change often leads to anxiety and disruptive behaviors. But if given ample time to anticipate, understand, and practice dealing with anticipated changes, most children can learn to successfully…
In late September, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that nearly 500,000 people, mostly children, who had lost Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage due to procedural errors would be reinstated, according to The New York Times. On September 29, HHS released a letter sent to state health officials emphasizing…
The new Hire Autism navigators and ambassadors will join their fellow volunteers to help Hire Autism improve employment opportunities for autistic individuals and assist businesses to create more inclusive workplaces. Navigators work one-on-one with Hire Autism job seekers, mentoring and equipping them with the tools necessary to prepare for the job search and meet their…
Hillsborough Township became the first school district in New Jersey to roll out OAR’s Kit for Kids program in elementary school classrooms. The Kit for Kids is OAR’s peer education initiative for teaching elementary and middle school students about their autistic peers and promoting acceptance of autistic students in the classroom. The Hillsborough Township Board…
OAR’s fall 2023 webinar series, Autism in the Workplace, focused on practical strategies, tools, and accommodations for supporting autistic employees. If you weren’t able to make it to the live events, you can access the archived webinars on OAR’s website: Autism, Disclosure, and Workplace Accommodations: Melanie Whetzel from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) discussed workplace…
OAR and the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) invite autistic individuals and the people who surround them to submit an application for the 2024 Community Grant Competition. Dedicated to funding community resources that enhance the quality of life of autistic individuals, the Community Grant Competition provides one-time grants ranging between $1,000 and…
Autism Training for Sexual Assault Counselors is designed for college sexual assault counselors to provide them with information about autism and guidance on working with autistic survivors of sexual assault. The 90-minute training includes three modules: Autism Sexual assault and autism Counseling sexual assault survivors who are autistic The modules are designed to provide learners…
