OAR’s 2023 Youth Art Contest is officially open for submissions. The theme for the third annual contest is “community.” We look forward to seeing what community looks like through the eyes of children and youth. This will be their opportunity to tell a story about community in as abstract or literal sense as they would…
As we celebrate the beginning of a new year, OAR is also looking ahead to the ambitious goals it has set for 2023, including goals for Autism Acceptance Month. Join us to promote autism awareness and acceptance across the autism community. Goal 1: Support the autism community with information resources (autistics, families, educators, professionals). OAR’s…
In January, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) approved a new strategic plan, as reported in Disability Scoop. The new plan provides recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding autism research, services, and supports, among others. In addition, it calls for a “substantial increase” in government funding for autism research to reach…
A new year means new job seekers eager to secure part-time and full-time employment opportunities. With the help of our navigators, job seekers gain new confidence and skills to prepare them for their job search. Five talented volunteers completed their training in January to become Hire Autism’s newest navigators. Please congratulate Rebecca Winfield, Ben Malecki,…
“How many more times are we going to watch the same Star Wars movie?” I asked my brother. I couldn’t believe he wanted to watch the same movie again. He had been fixated on Star Wars for the past two weeks and spent his free time rewatching the movies and reviewing the fan pages online.…
It has always been my biggest concern – where I should bring up my kid. Currently, my son benefits from the IEP, which most U.S. public schools provide under the IDEA Act. The IEP system was enormously impressive to me, not only as a parent but as a law student. It was surprising that IEP…
In order to be an active participant in the transition planning process, your autistic teen needs to develop self-determination skills – the skills that enable individuals to speak up for what they want, what they’re interested in, and how they would like to accomplish it. Self-determination skills also allow individuals to have a strong understanding…
Twenty-one years ago, a group of parents and grandparents of autistic children founded OAR. Since then, our focus has primarily been on resources to support those families, educators, and other caregivers. As the autism community has grown and changed, so has OAR and the resources we offer the autistic community. In the past few years,…
Transition teams are critical to building effective plans for youth who are preparing to embark on their adult lives after high school. These teams are tasked with creating and implementing plans that best align with young adults’ goals, strengths, and interests. The transition process is meant to answer questions such as: What does the youth…
In November, OAR’s Board of Directors authorized funding for eight applied autism research studies in 2022. These new grants, totaling $313,712, bring OAR’s total research funding to more than $4.7 million since 2002. This article is the first of eight previews to be featured in The OARacle this year. Evidence-based practices are a key way to…
