A new California law will make conservatorship a “last resort,” as noted in an article on the Disability Scoop website. Instead, it promotes alternatives to conservatorship, makes it difficult to set up conservatorships and easier to get out of them, and ensures that even when under a conservatorship, people have choices. The law, which becomes…
Calling 911 is a call that no parent wants to make. But that call to 911 is critically important when an autistic child is missing. It is the most important step in keeping your child safe in the event of a wandering episode. In Montgomery County, Md., where Officer Laurie Reyes works, it is more…
Uncertainty is never fun, but when it’s coupled with grief, it can all seem like too much, and as an autistic person, where the world can be unforgiving as is, it can be an even more significant burden. This is a topic that was put in the front seat for me recently as my mom…
Prior to receiving a diagnosis of autism, I struggled with feelings of discomfort and awkwardness. I truly felt like an actor on a stage without a script. Cruel names such as “annoying” and “misfit” have followed me from grade school into adulthood. After enduring years of bullying and harassment from peers and teachers, I became…
OAR sat down with Haley Moss to get her perspective on safety, criminal justice, and autism. Haley Moss is an attorney, author, advocate, artist, and consultant. Diagnosed with autism when she was 3 years old, Moss now uses her personal and professional experience to bring insight and perspective on neurodiversity and inclusion to a broad…
Autism. The workplace. Most people have experience with at least one of these, but there are growing numbers of people who encounter both, either from the employee or the employer side of workplaces. Sometimes autistic employees disclose and request accommodations, but even if they don’t, how can an employer support them? Being autistic in the…
For this issue looking at safety and the criminal justice system, OAR sat down with Haley Moss to get her perspective on safety, criminal justice, and autism. Haley Moss is an attorney, author, advocate, artist, and consultant. Diagnosed with autism when she was 3 years old, Moss now uses her personal and professional experience to…
Autism presents a range of safety challenges across the lifespan, including difficulty interacting with law enforcement, communicating with others, and unknowingly engaging in illegal activities. OAR’s Life Journey Through Autism: A Guide to Safety helps parents prepare for these and many other safety issues. The guide offers practical strategies for caregivers and first responders to…
It is expected that the number of autistic youths transitioning from school-based services will increase by 123% in this decade. Current estimates indicate that about half of adults who receive services through developmental disability agencies spend their days in adult day programs, so it is important that those programs lead to positive outcomes for the…
Autistic individuals, like all of us, are likely to encounter law enforcement officers at some point in their lives, whether it is in the community, during a routine traffic stop, at a concert or large community event, or as the result of a suspicious person or aggressive behavior call to 911. Unfortunately, media reports consistently…
