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Join us on Sunday, September 30th at Colt State Park in Bristol, RI to celebrate our 10th Annual "In Step for Autism" 3K Walk/5K Run and Family Field Day. Registration and breakfast begin at 10:00 a.m. The run will begin at 11:00 a.m. and the walk will start shortly thereafter at 11:15 a.m. After the walk/run, be sure to stay and enjoy the BBQ and family field day complete with games, field events, pumpkin painting, and much more until 2:00 p.m. T-shirts will be given to all participants while supplies last. |
First decide if you want to walk or run. Then, decide if you want to walk/run as an individual or with a team and set your fundraising goal. Everyone is encouraged to register and create their own giving page at www.firstgiving.com/asari-groden. It is an easy way to spread the word to your family and friends who want to support children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Finally, bring your registration form to the walk/run on September 30th.
Runners will automatically be entered in a special FREE raffle. Prizes will be given to top three finishers in each age group and overall. Sign up early and save! Early Bird Registration fee is $15. After September 21st, the fee will be $20. Runners have the option to secure donations in lieu of entry fee. DONATIONS MUST EXCEED $20.
Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, please contact Lisa Rego at 595-3241 or Kelly Azera at 274-6310 Ext 1266.
Just put one foot in front of the other and join us at Colt State Park as we celebrate our 10th Anniversary while making a difference in the lives of persons with autism.
RI Adaptive Lacrosse
Sunday, April 29th, 2012
12:00 PM at Berylson Field, Brown University
Click here for the flyer.
2nd Annual Wine Tasting
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Join us on Friday, March 9, 2012 at the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales University for the 2nd Annual Wine Tasting. This year, the Autism Society, Rhode Island Chapter has partnered with the Groden Network. Proceeds from the event will benefit the 10th Annual “In Step for Autism” 3K Walk/ 5K Run & Family Field Day. All funds donated go to programs and services for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities and their families in Rhode Island. |
Come enjoy fine wines by Roger Williams Beverage and Wayland Wine & Spirits while sampling delicious foods from around Rhode Island. Avenue N American Kitchen, Russell Morin Fine Catering, Gregg’s Restaurant and Pub, Dave’s Marketplace and Longaberger will be among the vendors. The event will also feature a special silent auction and raffle. Music will be provided by BARKODE, a jazz guitar trio from Newport, RI specializing in jazz, latin and pop rock. Don’t forget to tour the museum’s exhibits with your complimentary museum access.
The event will take place from 7:00 – 9:30 PM. RSVP by February 29, 2012. To register and purchase tickets online click here. You can also print the response card below and send it to us with your check payable to Autism Society, Rhode Island Chapter. Contact Lisa Rego at 401-595-3241 or Kelly Azera at 401-274-6310 ext. 1266 with any questions.
We hope to see you on the March 9th.
News from National
Please click on the following link to sign a petition to tell RI Legislators that you want some funding restored to people with Developmental Disabilities
http://www.change.org/petitions/rhode-island-legislators-restore-funding... Feel free to share with family and friends.
The Joint Statement of the Autism Society and Autistic Self Advocacy Network on the DSM-5 and Autism
As two national organizations committed to working to empower the autism and Autistic communities today and into the future, the Autism Society of America and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network issue the following joint statement regarding the definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder within the DSM-5.
The autism spectrum is broad and diverse, including individuals with a wide range of functional needs, strengths and challenges. The DSM-5's criteria for the new, unified autism spectrum disorder diagnosis must be able to reflect that diversity and range of experience.
Over the course of the last 60 years, the definition of autism has evolved and expanded to reflect growing scientific and societal understanding of the condition. That expansion has resulted in improved societal understanding of the experiences of individuals on the autism spectrum and their family members. It has also led to the development of innovative service-provision, treatment and support strategies whose continued existence is imperative to improving the life experiences of individuals and families. As the DSM-5's final release approaches and the autism and Autistic communities prepare for a unified diagnosis of ASD encompassing the broad range of different autism experiences, it is important for us to keep a few basic priorities in mind.
One of the key principles of the medical profession has always been, "First, do no harm." As such, it is essential that the DSM-5's criteria are structured in such a way as to ensure that those who have or would have qualified for a diagnosis under the DSM-IV maintain access to an ASD diagnosis. Contrary to assertions that ASD is over diagnosed, evidence suggests that the opposite is the case - namely, that racial and ethnic minorities, women and girls, adults and individuals from rural and low-income communities face challenges in accessing diagnosis, even where they clearly fit criteria under the DSM-IV. Furthermore, additional effort is needed to ensure that the criteria for ASD in the DSM-5 are culturally competent and accessible to under-represented groups. Addressing the needs of marginalized communities has been a consistent problem with the DSM-IV.
Individuals receive a diagnosis for a wide variety of reasons. Evidence from research and practice supports the idea that enhancing access to diagnosis can result in substantial improvements in quality of life and more competent forms of service-provision and mental health treatment. This is particularly true for individuals receiving diagnosis later in life, who may have managed to discover coping strategies and other adaptive mechanisms which serve to mask traits of ASD prior to a diagnosis. Frequently, individuals who are diagnosed in adolescence or adulthood report that receiving a diagnosis results in improvements in the provision of existing services and mental health treatment, a conceptual framework that helps explain past experiences, greater self-understanding and informal support as well as an awareness of additional, previously unknown service options.
Some have criticized the idea of maintaining the existing, broad autism spectrum, stating that doing so takes limited resources away from those most in need. We contend that this is a misleading argument - no publicly funded resource is accessible to autistic adults and children solely on the basis of a diagnosis. Furthermore, while the fact that an individual has a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder does not in and of itself provide access to any type of service-provision or funding, a diagnosis can be a useful contributing factor in assisting those who meet other functional eligibility criteria in accessing necessary supports, reasonable accommodations and legal protections.As such, we encourage the DSM-5 Neurodevelopmental Disorders Working Group to interpret the definition of autism spectrum disorder broadly, so as to ensure that all of those who can benefit from an ASD diagnosis have the ability to do so.
The Autism Society and Autistic Self Advocacy Network encourage other organizations and groups to join with us in forming a national coalition aimed at working on issues related to definition of the autism spectrum within the DSM-5. Community engagement and representation within the DSM-5 process itself is a critical component of ensuring accurate, scientific and research-validated diagnostic criteria. Furthermore, our community must work both before and after the finalization of the DSM-5 to conduct effective outreach and training on how to appropriately identify and diagnose all those on the autism spectrum, regardless of age, background or status in other under-represented groups.
Scott Badesch
President
Autism Society
sbadesch@autism-society.org
Ari Ne'eman
President
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
aneeman@autisticadvocacy.org