Hi Everyone!  I received a packet from the Autism Society of Indiana over the weekend.  They have sent 30 Valentines to me for our local families to sign and send to our legislators letting them know we are here and are the voices of Autism in Indiana.  The cards say I love someone with Autism and I vote.  We hope you will remember us when you do. The envelopes are pre-stamped and I will find the address for our legislators and address them. I would appreciate being contacted by any of you who could receive a few of these to sign and mail.  They didn’t give us much time and would like these to go back in the mail by February 12^th!

If you can help or know other families who might be willing to sign a couple of these, PLEASE call me at 659-3700 (home) talk to my machine as I screen calls, or my cell phone 699-2350, and I will arrange a place and time to bring these to you. 

THIS IS A GREAT AUTISM AWARENESS INITIATIVE!  THANKS TO ANYONE WHO CAN HELP!

~Ronda

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ircaparentgroups-l@... [mailto:owner-ircaparentgroups-l@...] On Behalf Of Pratt, Cathy L
Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 12:46 PM
To: IRCAPARENTGROUPS-L@...
Subject: FW: Bill Passes

Brian Ketzner and I just returned from providing testimony at the statehouse.  I am thrilled to tell you all that Senate Bill 1171 passed unanimously. It already had passed the House.  This is a bill that will require EMS personnel to have training in autism.   This is a great thing and will give us all a little more leverage to provide the training.  Also we are bringing in Dennis Debbaudt in April to provide free training to first responders.  Will post flyer as soon as it comes out.  

Cathy

This camp will take place this summer in my hometown.  This seems to have replaced Camp Awareness.

It is some thing to keep in mind for those of you with younger children.  I will keep looking for day camp opportunities for younger kids too.  Bloomington Parks and Recreation offers a wide variety of events throughout the summer so those are certainly an option ...though most of us would have to attend with our kids.  I would even have to attend Camp R.O.C.K.S. with David, although his chelation is off to a great start.

He has only had the first three days of DMSA and has already been “back talking” us.  He is almost going though an early speech development stage of babbling.  He will sort of “ba ba ba ba” with an insistent tone when requesting a lot of things while pointing to it and nodding.  He is also much more likely to answer our questions and those of less familiar people like my Dad with shaking or nodding his head. 

He is home sick today though...not related to chelation.  Kurt caught a strain of flu from “Typhoid Timmy” at his Cub Scout Pinewood Derby and was sick all last week.  David dropped about Wednesday evening and Dan was only down a little but didn’t miss any days thanks to the Friday “ice day” school was closed. 

***********************************************************************************************************************************

Camp R.O.C.K.S!

A camp for individuals on the autism spectrum

June 30, 2008 - July 4, 2008

Optional overnight on July 3;

Camp concludes at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 4, 2008

$400 per child for the week

Easter Seals Crossroads and the Autism Society of Indiana recognize that traditional day camps are not always an option for children on the autism spectrum. That is why we have partnered to offer Camp R.O.C.K.S!

This summer, Camp R.O.C.K.S! will consist of a one-week, outdoor day camp with one optional overnight for young people with autism who are 10-18 years old. Age appropriate activities will allow campers the opportunity to enjoy an outdoor camping experience in a fun, nurturing environment. Activities will include science exploration, swimming, nature hikes, arts and crafts, and music.

Camp R.O.C.K.S! will take place just northeast of Indianapolis in Noblesville, Indiana. All activities will be led by a team of professionals trained to work with individuals on the autism spectrum. Camp counselors will consist of parents, social workers, teachers, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and behaviorists in addition to peer mentors. Snacks will be provided; parents are asked to pack brown-bag lunches for their child.

For more information and an

initial application, please

contact Beth at

317.466.1000 x2501

or visit our website at

www.incamprocks.org.

I almost just deleted this without forwarding BUT I thought I should use it to mention that this is shy when we have our kids on special diets that we stress the importance of supplements.  Calcium, vitamin D, and other vitamins and minerals are also very important to supplement for individuals with ASD because not only are they often picky eaters but they often suffer from malabsorption as well.  They often require a supplement with very high amounts of vitamins and minerals to ensure they absorb the necessary daily values. 

My son’s DAN, Defeat Autism Now practitioner recommends alternating every 6 months between Kirkman’s Spectrum Complete and Super-Nu-Thera for a multivitamin.  She believes they are most effective on this rotation schedule. 

We also rotate back and forth between Metagenics Cal-Apatite chewable calcium and Kirkman’s calcium powder.  

My son takes 60 mg of zinc daily, a probiotic for intestinal health (around 80% of our immune system is in the gut!), Nordic Naturals DHA Jr. Strawberry flavored soft gels for Omega 3s, and selenium.  A good DAN doctor or practitioner can evaluate your child’s individual needs and provide guidance on adequate supplementation.  

I was put off by this article saying that casein free diets are “controversial”.  Countless parents of kids on the spectrum can give you accounts of the health improvements for their children on both GF and CF diets.  Many others have to remove other offenders like yeast, corn, artificial sweeteners, and artificial colorings, nuts, fish, and eggs. A DAN doctor/practitioner can order a test to see if your child has a sensitivity to casein and/or gluten. Mine does. A special diet for children on the Autism spectrum is an appropriate treatment for those who are intolerant to these foods. 

These diets are actually VERY healthy with the basis of them being whole foods such as meat, vegetables, fruit, milk substitutes, and other grains such as rice, in place of wheat products.  My son with Autism is my best eater of my three in terms of variety.

Now though they are all getting an extra dose of veggies as I have taken up Jessica Seinfeld’s book Deceptively Delicious.   My favorite of the  puree’s is  the butternut squash that I am putting in everything from my spaghetti sauce to fake Mac n cheese (made with rice spiral pasta, Vance’s Dairy free potato based milk substitute powder, GFCF margarine, and the squash).  I also love to just eat the butternut squash  plain as it comes from the oven, and I have put it in a great homemade soup recently too.  She even has a recipe to put spinach puree in brownies.  I am adapting her recipes to make them GFCF.  I most recently made David Peanut Butter and Jelly muffins with carrot puree.  He loved them.

OK I’m done preaching to the choir here!   Be safe tonight when the storms come...I hear we are in for some fierce winds with rain and/or snow.  

Blessings!  ~Ronda

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ircaparentgroups-l@... [mailto:owner-ircaparentgroups-l@...] On Behalf Of Pratt, Cathy L
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 10:48 AM
To: IRCAPARENTGROUPS-L@...
Subject: FW: THIN BONES SEEN IN BOYS WITH AUTISM AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER- FYI

-----Original Message-----
From: NIH news releases and news items [mailto:NIHPRESS@...] On Behalf Of NIH OLIB (NIH/OD)
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 8:16 AM
To: NIHPRESS@...
Subject: THIN BONES SEEN IN BOYS WITH AUTISM AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/>

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 29, 2008

CONTACT: Robert Bock or Marianne Glass Miller, 301-496-5134, <e-mail: bockr@...>

THIN BONES SEEN IN BOYS WITH AUTISM AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Results of an early study suggest that dairy-free diets and unconventional food preferences could put boys with autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at higher than normal risk for thinner, less dense bones when compared to a group of boys the same age who do not have autism.

The study, by researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, was published online in the "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders".

The researchers believe that boys with autism and ASD are at risk for poor bone development for a number of reasons. These factors are lack of exercise, a reluctance to eat a varied diet, lack of vitamin D, digestive problems, and diets that exclude casein, a protein found in milk and milk products. Dairy products provide a significant source of calcium and vitamin D. Casein-free diets are a controversial treatment thought by some to lessen the symptoms of autism.

Funding for the study was provided by the NIH's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and National Center for Research Resources. The research team that conducted the study was led by Mary L. Hediger, Ph.D., a biological anthropologist in NICHD's Division of Epidemiology, Statistics and Prevention Research.

"Our results suggest that children with autism and autism spectrum disorder may be at risk for calcium and vitamin D deficiencies," Dr. Hediger said. "Parents of these children may wish to include a dietitian in their children's health care team, to ensure that they receive a balanced diet."

Dr. Hediger stressed that the current study results need to be confirmed by larger studies. Until definitive information is available, however, it would be prudent for parents of children with autism and ASD to include a dietitian in their care, particularly if the children's diets do not include dairy products or they are not otherwise eating a balanced diet, she said.

Because girls are much less likely to have autism or ASD than are boys, the researchers were unable to enroll a sufficient number of girls within the short time frame of the study to allow them to draw firm conclusions. Dr. Hediger added that if a girl with autism or ASD is not eating diary products or eating a balanced diet, it would be prudent for a dietitian to be included in her health care team.

Autism is a complex brain disorder involving communication and social difficulties as well as repetitive behavior or narrow interests. Autism is often grouped with similar disorders, which are often referred to collectively as autism spectrum disorders. The underlying causes of autism and ASD are unclear. There is no cure for the disorders and treatments are limited.

When the boys were enrolled in the study, the researchers asked the boys' parents if the boys were taking over-the-counter or prescription medications, were taking any vitamin or mineral supplements, or were on a restricted diet.

During the study, researchers X-rayed the hands of 75 boys between the ages of 4 and 8 years old who had been diagnosed with autism or ASD. The researchers then measured the thickness of the bone located between the knuckle of the index finger and the wrist and compared its development to a standardized reference based on a group of boys without autism.

Dr. Hediger said that the research team measured cortical bone thickness. She added that this procedure was done as a substitute for a conventional bone scan, which measures bone density. Bone density is an indication of bones' mineral content. Less dense bones may indicate a risk of bone fracture.

The researchers used the measure of bone thickness because many of the boys were unable to remain still long enough for the conventional scan, which requires individuals to lie immobile for an extended period of time. To successfully complete the bone scan, many of the boys would have required sedation -- a step the researchers were reluctant to take for an early study.

The hand X-ray, Dr. Hediger explained, offers an approximate indication of bone density. She added, however, that because the researchers were unable to use a conventional bone scan, the results of the current study should be confirmed by additional studies using conventional bone scans.

The investigators found that the bones of the boys with autism were growing longer but were not thickening at a normal rate. During normal bone development, material from inside the bone is transferred to the outside of the bone, increasing thickness, while at the same time, the bones are also growing longer.

At 5 or 6 years of age, the bones of the autistic boys were significantly thinner than the bones of boys without autism and the difference in bone thickness became even greater at ages 7 and 8.

The bone thinning was particularly notable because the boys with autism and ASD were heavier than average and would therefore be expected to have thicker bones.

The researchers do not know for certain why the boys had thinner than normal bones. A possible explanation is lack of calcium and vitamin D in their diets. Dr. Hediger explained that a deficiency of these important nutrients in the boys' diets could result from a variety of causes. Many children with autism, she said, have aversions to certain foods. Some will insist on eating the same foods nearly every day, to the exclusion of other foods. So while they may consume enough calories to meet their needs -- or even more calories than they need -- they may lack certain nutrients, like calcium and vitamin D.

Other children with autism may have digestive problems which interfere with the absorption of nutrients. Moreover, many children with autism remain indoors because they require supervision during outdoor activity. Lack of exercise hinders proper bone development, she said. Similarly, if children remain indoors and are not exposed to sunlight, they may not make enough vitamin D, which is needed to process calcium into bones.

The boys in the study who were on a casein-free diet had the thinnest bones. In fact, the 9 boys who were on a casein-free diet had bones that were 20 percent thinner than normal for children their age. Boys who were not on a casein-free diet showed a 10 percent decrease in bone thickness when compared to boys with normal bone development.

The study authors wrote that bone development of children on casein-free diets should be monitored very carefully. They noted that studies of casein-free diets had not proven the diets to be effective in treating the symptoms of autism or ASD.

Only 9 boys on casein-free diets were available to participate in the study, Dr. Hediger said. When conducting a scientific study, it's easier to obtain statistically valid results by studying a larger number of individuals than with a smaller number of individuals. However, the dramatic difference in the boys' bone thickness when they were either on a casein-free diet or an unrestricted diet and when compared to normally developing bones strongly suggest that the bone thinning the researchers observed was statistically valid.

The researchers recommended that larger studies be conducted to confirm their results.

Until those studies can be conducted, Dr. Hediger offered the following advice: "Our study shows that it couldn't hurt -- and would probably help -- if parents of children with autism or autism spectrum disorder consulted with a dietitian during their children's routine medical care to make sure that their diets are balanced."

General information about autism and ASD is available from the NICHD's Web site, at < http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/autism/overview/index.cfm   >.

The NICHD sponsors research on development, before and after birth; maternal, child, and family health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit the Institute's Web site at < http://www.nichd.nih.gov />.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research Agency -- is comprised of 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit <www.nih.gov>.

##

This NIH News Release is available online at:

< http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2008/nichd-29.htm >.

To subscribe (or unsubscribe) from this list, go to

< http://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihpress&A=1 >.

---

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ircaparentgroups-l@... [mailto:owner-ircaparentgroups-l@...] On Behalf Of Pratt, Cathy L
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 10:29 AM
To: IRCAPARENTGROUPS-L@...
Subject: FW: [ASILIST-L] FVIndiana] DDRS Connections

FYI

I received this from Cathy Pratt, and am forwarding it as a point of interest only not as an endorsement of Hilary. ~Ronda

Hillary Clinton's Plan To Help Children And Families Affected By Autism


Hillary Clinton today unveiled her plan to help children and families affected by autism, vowing to dramatically boost research funding and support services for families caring for an autistic loved one.

Over the last 15 years, the number of autism diagnoses has skyrocketed, from 1 in 10,000 in 1993 to 1 in 150 in 2007. About 25,000 children are diagnosed with autism each year, and 1.5 million Americans and their families are affected by autism today. Autism affects people from all racial, ethnic, and social groups though it is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. This national health crisis is costing the United States at least $35 billion each year.

"Driven by their love and devotion to their children, mothers and fathers across the country have raised awareness, demanded funding, and opened our eyes to the needs of so many of our children living with autism," Clinton said. "It's time we had a government and a President that recognized the seriousness of autism and addressed it head-on. It's up to us to reclaim the future for our children, and ensure that every child can live up to his or her God-given potential."

Hillary has long been a strong advocate for individuals and families impacted by autism. As Senator, she cosponsored the Combating Autism Act and introduced the Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act, in order to ensure that Americans living with autism could have access as quickly as possible to evidence-based treatments, interventions, and services. She has a record of supporting full funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, through which children with autism and other disabilities are eligible to receive special education services.

As President, Hillary Clinton will provide approximately $700 million a year to address autism through the following initiatives:

• Expanding research to identify causes of autism and monitoring its impact across the country
• Creating an Autism Task Force charged with investigating evidence-based treatments, interventions, and services
• Providing planning and demonstration grants for services for adults
• Improving access to post-diagnosis care
• Providing teacher training
• Creating a National Technical Assistance Center
• Guaranteeing quality, affordable health care

What Autism Experts Are Saying About Hillary's Plan

"The Autism Society of America welcomes Senator Clinton's integrated plan to support Americans with autism and their families throughout their lives. The United States is facing ballooning annual costs for a medical condition that is identified too late and treated incompletely. The investment our nation makes today in early identification, services and support will create opportunities for these individuals to contribute meaningfully in our society--as is their right. Senator Clinton's plan is a very important step in that direction."—Lee Grossman, President and CEO, Autism Society of America

"Senator Clinton's proposal is a comprehensive plan that will help children and adults living with autism and their families today and in the future. It's not enough to support research aimed at finding the cause and cure for autism spectrum disorders. We must also increase the availability of services to help meet the needs of people with autism today."—James E. Williams, Jr., President and CEO, Easter Seals

"Recognizing the autism epidemic as a national public health priority deserving of Presidential attention, Senator Hillary Clinton today endorsed and detailed a number of policy positions long-supported by Autism Speaks and its predecessor organizations and long-needed by the many American families facing the challenge of autism."—Autism Speaks


Hillary Clinton's Plan to Help Children and Families Affected by Autism

Today, Hillary Clinton unveiled her plan to help children and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders, commonly known as autism, which are complex neurobiological conditions. The number of children with autism has grown from 1 in 10,000 in 1993 to 1 in 150 in 2007. About 25,000 children are diagnosed with autism each year, and 1.5 million Americans and their families are affected by autism today. Autism affects people from all racial, ethnic, and social groups though it is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. This national health crisis is costing the United States at least $35 billion each year.

Hillary has long been a strong advocate for individuals and families impacted by autism. As Senator, she cosponsored the Combating Autism Act and introduced the Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act, in order to ensure that Americans living with autism could have access as quickly as possible to evidence-based treatments, interventions, and services. She has a record of supporting full funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, through which children with autism and other disabilities are eligible to receive special education services.

As President, Hillary Clinton will provide approximately $700 million a year to address autism through the following initiatives:

Expanding Research – As President, Hillary will increase funding to help families affected by autism through research, surveillance, awareness, and early identification. She will fully fund the Combating Autism Act, which became law in 2006 but has not been funded by President Bush. The major elements of that law are:

~Identifying the causes of autism – Hillary will double investments in the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) efforts to identify the causes of autism, including possible environmental causes. Hillary has long been a supporter of increased research to determine the links between environmental factors and diseases, and she believes we should increase the NIH's ability to engage in this type of research. Hillary has an initiative to increase the NIH budget by 50 percent over five years and to double it over 10 years.

~ Providing funds for surveillance – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds an Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network to determine the prevalence of autism in the United States. Hillary would expand this network and create Centers of Excellence in Autism Spectrum Disorder Epidemiology. Hillary wants to ensure that we have the best data possible on the prevalence and impact of autism in different groups of children, in different areas of the country.

~ Increasing autism education, early detection, and intervention – Hillary will require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to disseminate information about signs of autism, early screening, and training for professionals who deal with young children through federal programs that reach children and families – such as the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start, the Children's Health Insurance Program – and will disseminate this information to pediatricians. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently called for universal autism screening for all children under age two, an initiative that will improve early detection.

Creating an Autism Task Force Charged with Investigating Evidence-Based Treatments, Interventions, and Services – The limited amount of credible evidence-based research on treatments, interventions, and services for children and adults with autism is a major impediment to the development and delivery of quality care. Without this base of research, parents may not know what services and supports for autism are most helpful for their family members impacted by autism. As President, Hillary will create a task force that would include significant representation from the autism community and would be charged with identifying gaps in evidence-based biomedical research, behavioral treatments, and services for children and adults with autism. This task force would present these findings to Congress and the Executive Branch and would make recommendations on how to make evidence-based treatments, interventions, and services available at the state and local levels. Once the task force has completed its work, Hillary will provide funding to establish state-based demonstration grants to provide evidence-based autism treatments, interventions, and services, as identified by the task force.

Providing Planning and Demonstration Grants for Services for Adults – Many individuals with autism need assistance in the areas of education, employment, transportation, housing, health, and recreation. Hillary will provide funding for a one-time, single year planning grant for states and a multi-year service provision demonstration grant program to increase access to appropriate services to adults living with autism, including job training, housing, and transition services for young people leaving school. With access to these types of services and supports, individuals with autism can live full, rich, productive lives. With the autism prevalence rate among children now at 1 in 150, the need to identify and provide services for adults with autism will grow rapidly over the next few years.

Expanding Access to Post-diagnosis Care – Hillary will expand access to treatments, interventions, and services to children with autism, with the goal of providing and coordinating multi-agency, intensive, comprehensive, and evidence-based treatments, interventions and services so that no child will experience a delay in receiving services that can improve his or her quality of life. There is strong consensus within the research community that intensive intervention started as soon as possible following diagnosis yields the most positive outcomes for children with autism. Yet too often, children have to wait for months after receiving a diagnosis in order to receive care.

Providing Teacher Training – Hillary will provide funding for school districts to ensure that teachers responsible for educating children with autism receive specialized teacher training, including ways to engage in appropriate interventions. The number of children with autism in public schools has soared nationally, doubling in just three or four years in some states. Many teachers are unable to access the specialized training and information to help them meet the special needs to individuals along the spectrum. As a result, there is an ever-increasing need for teachers with expertise in this area.

Creating a National Technical Assistance Center – Hillary will establish and maintain a national technical assistance center to gather and disseminate information about autism treatments, interventions, and services, and provide technical assistance. The information would accessible to the public through the Internet.

Guaranteeing Access to Quality, Affordable Health Care – Hillary will ensure guaranteed, affordable, quality health care for all Americans, including those with autism. Her American Health Choices Plan would enable individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities to have access to quality, affordable health care for their conditions. It would ensure that no American is denied coverage, refused renewal, unfairly priced out of the market, or forced to pay excessive insurance company premiums, and it would improve coordinated care services for people with autism and other chronic diseases.

-----Original Message-----
From: Liz Freeman Floyd [mailto:lizff@...]
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 12:46 PM
To: Autism.Support.in.IN@...
Subject: Fwd: Article 7 Position Paper Update

The new Social Skills Research Center in Bloomington will be a great resource for many families!  David’s aide and I and another PLAYNET member family parent and two staff members from their school attended a Social Skills Workshop in Bloomington featuring Scott Bellini.  I am fortunate to have a wonderful school psychologist this year who was a colleague of Scott Bellini’s doing social skills training in the school for David with peer training for his classmates w hose parents have consented on their child’s participation in the program.  Social skills are often overlooked on IEP’s.  David has good kids already trying to interact with him on their own and social skills training will give them the tools to help make their attempts more successful, and in the process improve David’s responses to his peers’ interaction attempts. 

I was David’s aide for his class Christmas party.  When we went to lunch...he is usually home for lunch...a group of girls wanted to sit with us.  Then at recess this same group got David involved playing a form of basketball shooting baskets into this low yellow, plastic hoop with holes that the ball returns through. They took turns shooting, and David really enjoyed it.  ~Ronda

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ircaparentgroups-l@... [mailto:owner-ircaparentgroups-l@...] On Behalf Of Pratt, Cathy L
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 10:03 AM
To: IRCAPARENTGROUPS-L@...
Subject: IRCA Announcement

Dear Autism Leaders,

On behalf of the Indiana Resource Center for Autism, I am pleased to announce the opening of the Social Skills Research Center (SSRC), a collaborative effort between the Indiana Resource Center for Autism (IRCA) and the Indiana University School Psychology Program. The SSRC is a therapeutic and applied research clinic specializing in social skill interventions for youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The SSRC will be housed at the Institute for Child Study which is located at the IU School of Education in Bloomington, Indiana. The SSRC will be comprised of state-of-the-art therapy and evaluation rooms, equipped with audio-visual equipment and two-way training mirrors. The SSRC will be directed by Dr. Scott Bellini, the Assistant Director of the IRCA and faculty member in the IU School Psychology Program. He is a licensed psychologist in the state of Indiana and an endorsed Health Services Provider in Psychology.

The goal of the clinic is to establish the SSRC as a national leader for social skill interventions and applied research within the field of autism spectrum disorders. A primary objective of the SSRC is to develop social skill intervention strategies that are evidence based and to evaluate the efficacy of social skill interventions currently available to practitioners. It is expected that the clinic will produce large volumes of outcome data which will be instrumental in the development of evidence based practices in social skills training. Another primary objective of the SSRC will be to provide training to students, or interdisciplinary trainees in applied fields of study (teacher education, psychology, medicine, social work, speech therapy, etc.). Students will be trained to implement programming and conduct research in the area of social-emotional programming for individuals on the autism spectrum. The clinic will provide a structured practicum site for these interdisciplinary trainees, which will include intensive supervision and professional development opportunities. A final objective of the SSRC is to establish a model demonstration site by producing clinical research studies and in-vivo training opportunities that will be of interest to researchers, educators, and clinicians from across the state and nation.

The SSRC will offer nine-week social skill groups throughout the school year for children between the ages of 3 and 18. There will also be opportunities for families to participate in applied research projects that will be separate from the social skill groups. These are meant to be short-term interventions that target specific social behaviors. Finally, diagnostic evaluations will also be offered at the SSRC for children suspected of having an autism spectrum disorder. Eventually, we will be seeking school-partners to serve as model demonstration sites for school based skill social skill programs, so please stay tuned for updates.

If you have any questions or feedback regarding the Social Skills Research Center, please contact Scott Bellini, at sbellini@..., or via phone at (812) 855-6508.

Sincerely,

Scott Bellini, Ph.D., HSPP

Assistant Director

Indiana Resource Center for Autism

Indiana Institute on Disability and Community

Assistant Professor

Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology

Indiana University, Bloomington

2853 E. 10th St.

Bloomington, IN 47408

812-855-6508

sbellini@...

www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca

THIS IS OF HIGHEST IMPORTANCE!!!  You know how frustrating those Case Conference meetings are already, but it will be worse if Article 7 is revised with laws which weaken the rights our students currently have.  When IDEA was revised Article & had to be reviewed to match Federal Law.  The state must at least meet the same standards as IDEA but can keep higher standards than IDEA.  Several issues in Article 7 as it is currently written are better than the new Federal law.  Indiana has the choice to weaken the standard to that of the new IDEA.  The Family Voices position paper is written to keep the laws as they have been in Article 7, rather than the proposed reduction in student and family rights in several important areas of law. 

PLEASE, PLEASE read the attached Word document explaining the changes and Family Voices recommendations. 

I am signing on to their white paper as an individual, and any of you can do so, as well. In addition I would like input on how many of you    would like to see PLAYNET sign on to this position paper as a group.  Below please find the letter from Liz Freeman President of the Indiana Autism Coalition and Legislative Liaison to the Autism Society of Indiana, and the Family Voices white paper. 

Then please contact myself with your feeling on PLAYNET signing on as a group, and contact Liz or Family Voices to sign on as an individual no later than Friday January 25^th at 5pm. 

*************************************************************************************************************************

Hi All,

Family Voices Indiana (FV-I) has produced an excellent white paper to help families understand the potential impact of the revisions to Article 7, Indiana's special education law, that will be recommended early next month to the Indiana State Board of Education by Dr. Bob Marra, Associate Superintendent of the Division of Exceptional Learners, and the State Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities (SAC). The position paper is attached to this message.

Very brief background: the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was reauthorized in 2004, during which process families' rights were greatly diminished in a number of key areas. Our State Board of Education has instructed Dr. Marra and the SAC to align Article 7 with the revised IDEA 2004. Unless the State Board can be persuaded to continue to go beyond federal law in several critical areas, families will face even greater difficulties in obtaining appropriate educational services for their children with autism and other developmental disabilities than they already do.

FV is asking various organizations and individuals within the disabilities community to sign on in agreement with the recommendations contained in the white paper, which will be forwarded to the State Board of Education prior to Dr. Marra's presentation at their February 6 meeting.

Having attended the majority of the SAC meetings during the past year, I can tell you that FV has accurately framed the issues of greatest concern to families with school-age children in special education and I am in full agreement with their recommendations.

The Autism Society of Indiana's (ASI's) board of directors has voted to sign on as an organization and several of our board members are signing on as individuals.

I'm asking each of you to read the attached white paper and ask your members whether they would like to join ASI and others leaders in the disability advocacy community in signing on. If your group or any individual members decide to sign on, please get back to me at lizff@... or to Family Voices Indiana at fv.indiana@... no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 25.

Revisions made to Article 7 now could significantly affect special education services provided to students with autism and other developmental disabilities in Indiana for years to come. Please contact me by phone or email if you would like more information on the recommendations presented in the white paper. 

Thank you,

Liz

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Liz Freeman Floyd

President, Indiana Autism Coalition, Inc.

Legislative Liaison, Autism Society of Indiana

Teachers College, Room 722

Ball State University

Muncie, IN 47306

317-319-4893

lizff@...

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-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ircaparentgroups-l@... [mailto:owner-ircaparentgroups-l@...] On Behalf Of Pratt, Cathy L
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2008 9:49 AM
To: IRCAPARENTGROUPS-L@...
Subject: FW: 2008 ASA National Conference Info- for the 3,000 email list of those that have attended this conference before (see Walter)

 Here is an ad for the National ASA conference in Florida near Disney World. 

Cathy

Hi Brooke!

Thanks for sharing this.  Health insurance, food and gas are so expensive you want to be sure you can get the most for your money.

We switched this year to the high deductible 2 and gave ourselves the difference in what our out of paycheck contribution was with traditional Anthem and the new employee contribution (about 3000 less per year on this plan).  We put the 3000/ year difference plus about another 1000 per year into the health savings account.  I love this because it is pre-tax income and now we are really getting something when we pay into our health insurance and we have more control where it goes.  Before we spent 4000 per year  just on employee contributions.  I have a phone consult with David’s DAN practitioner on Monday and it will be $27.  Anthem never paid any of this....it wasn’t an allowed charge...now I can pay it out of my health savings account...money that used to just be what I was paying to have the right to pay 20% on what they  might cover.   All the money we don’t use in the savings account continues to roll over also, AND the most out of pocket we will have to pay in deductibles per year is $4000...so we are covering our bases with the health savings account that way too.  The first year is the most risky as far as we can tell...for example, if the first year you had a very large hospital expense and had not yet built up the health savings account you would then have to come up with the $4000 another way. 

By the way our recent news is that David did the DMSA challenge for metals through his DAN practitioner and Great Plains labs and he DOES HAVE elevated metals!  Lead and tin were in elevated ranges and several other toxic metals were measurable in the sample.  I look for her to suggest we go forward with chelation by a schedule of DMSA capsules and then retest at a later date.  Waiting to start knowing he is “full of” lead and other metals is killing me.  Plus I need to find out how to determine if this is an ongoing exposure...I do live in a 1920’s home. ...plus all the China lead toys!  I have thrown out soooooo many junk China toys lately.

~Ronda

-----Original Message-----
From: PLAYNET_parentslearningadvocacyyouth@yahoogroups.com [mailto:PLAYNET_parentslearningadvocacyyouth@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of brookerf@...
Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 9:14 AM
To: PLAYNET_parentslearningadvocacyyouth@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [PLAYNET_parentslearningadvocacyyouth] Free insurance workshop (forwarded)

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ircaparentgroups-l@... [mailto:owner-ircaparentgroups-l@...] On Behalf Of Pratt, Cathy L
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 3:26 PM
To: IRCAPARENTGROUPS-L@...
Subject: FW:

FYI

Please see flyer. Thank you!

-----Original Message-----
From: McDuffie, Andrea S. [mailto:mcduffie@...]
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 3:50 PM
To: 'goodasitgets@...'
Subject: More Than Words parent program information

Please find attached an updated flyer with information about More Than Words – the Hanen program for parents of children with autism. I would appreciate it if you would pass this information along to anyone who might benefit from this program.

Thanks very much,

Andy McDuffie

Andrea S. McDuffie, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor

School of Education

Indiana University

201 N. Rose Avenue

Bloomington, IN 47405-1006

phone: 812/856-8139

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ircaparentgroups-l@... [mailto:owner-ircaparentgroups-l@...] On Behalf Of Ketzner, Brian L
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 9:44 AM
To: (IRCAPARENTGROUPS-L@...)
Subject: Family Conference 2008

The third annual Family Conference will be hosted by Bloomington South High School on May 17^th.  Information will be coming soon with more information.

As we organize the break-out sessions for the conference, I would be interested in hearing topics that you hope to see covered this year. 

Though you cannot reply to this message, you can send any input on this to my email address: bketzner@...

I look forward to hearing from you!

Brian L. Ketzner

Family Mentor

Indiana Resource Center for Autism

Indiana Institute on Disability and Community

Indiana University, Bloomington

2853 E. 10th St.

Bloomington, IN 47408

812-855-6508

bketzner@...

http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca

Half Full or Half Empty??  My glass is Full – though some is not visible to you or me!!!

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ircaparentgroups-l@... [mailto:owner-ircaparentgroups-l@...] On Behalf Of Pratt, Cathy L
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 11:22 AM
To: IRCAPARENTGROUPS-L@...
Subject: FW: Conference

Next year, the NATTAP conference will be held in Columbus, Ohio from November 19-21.   For more or up to date details, you can visit their website at www.ocali.org/nattap2008.   

Cathy

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ircaparentgroups-l@... [mailto:owner-ircaparentgroups-l@...] On Behalf Of Pratt, Cathy L
Sent: Friday, December 28, 2007 9:46 AM
To: IRCAPARENTGROUPS-L@...
Subject: FW: Social-Skills Programs Found to Yield Gains in Academic Subjects

Fyi

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/12/19/16social.h27.html?print=1

207 Studies Analyzed

Includes correction(s): December 19, 2007

Social-Skills Programs Found to Yield Gains in Academic Subjects

By Debra Viadero

New York

A forthcoming research review offers some counterintuitive advice for educators: Take time out of the curriculum to teach students to manage their emotions and to practice empathy, caring, and cooperation—and their academic achievement could improve in the bargain.

The new findings, discussed last week at a national forum here on social and emotional learning, are based on a not-yet-published analysis of 207 studies of school-based programs designed to foster children’s social and emotional skills.

“In the past, when people would say, ‘You’re taking away from academic time for these programs,’ we would say, ‘Well, it’s not going to hurt learning,’ ” said Roger P. Weissberg, the president of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, or CASEL, the Chicago-based group that sponsored the four-year study. “What we find now is that when you have these programs, academics improve.”

The results come at what some see as a critical juncture in the movement to promote social and emotional learning. Research findings in education and other fields, such as brain science, seem to be converging on the benefits of such instruction, and programs based on the concept have a small but growing presence in schools.

One state, Illinois, has set down standards for teaching the subject. Another, New York, is developing voluntary guidelines for teaching students social and emotional skills. Lessons in social and emotional learning are also taught in some districts, from New Haven, Conn., to Anchorage, Alaska.

Some advocates of social and emotional learning contend that one roadblock to more widespread implementation of their programs is the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which has put new pressure on schools to raise test scores in core subjects and narrowed the curricular focus in some schools.

But the nearly 6-year-old law also calls on educators to employ “scientifically based” educational practices, and leaders of the movement for social and emotional learning hope the new findings will give their programs a more solid footing in schools nationwide.

“This research confirms what a lot of us have been saying for years,” said Dr. James P. Comer, the Yale University psychologist best known for developing the Comer School Development Project, a model for improving the social, emotional, and academic outcomes of urban schoolchildren. “It’s almost counterintuitive for some people to believe that it’s about how you treat kids.”

207 Studies Analyzed

For their analysis, the CASEL researchers sifted through 700 studies on a broad range of school-based programs aimed at honing students’ social and emotional skills. Such programs might include, for instance, character education lessons, anti-bullying efforts, drug-abuse-prevention programs, or conflict-resolution training.

Out of that hodgepodge, the researchers culled 207 studies that met their criteria for inclusion in the analysis. The studies had to involve typical students ages 5 to 18, and use a control group of students, so that any gains could be compared against those that students might be expected to make under normal circumstances.

Just under half the studies also went a step further and randomly assigned students to either the experimental or the comparison group.

Strong Effects Found

Illinois Social and Emotional Learning Standards

The state has adopted standards for the social and emotional skills that K-12 students should be taught.

GOAL 1: Develop selfawareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success.

(A) Identify and manage one’s emotions and behavior
(B) Recognize personal qualities and external supports
(C) Demonstrate skills related to achieving personal and academic goals

GOAL 2: Use social-awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships.

(A) Recognize the feelings and perspectives of others
(B) Recognize individual and group similarities and differences
(C) Use communication and social skills to interact effectively with others
(D) Demonstrate an ability to prevent, manage, and resolve interpersonal conflicts in constructive ways

GOAL 3: Demonstrate decisionmaking skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts.

(A) Consider ethical, safety, and societal factors in making decisions
(B) Apply decisionmaking skills to deal with academic and social situations
(C) Contribute to the well-being of one’s school and community

SOURCE: Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning

Across the board, the researchers found, the programs did what they were supposed to do: After the lessons, the students in the experimental groups were better behaved, more positive, and less anxious than their control-group peers. The program students had also, apparently, gotten smarter, as measured by their grades and test scores.

As a group, those students scored 11 percentile points higher than the comparison-group students on a measure known as an “improvement index.” The term, borrowed from federal education researchers, refers to the difference between the mean percentile rank for the intervention group and that of the control group.

“The impact here is almost twice that of studies on class-size improvements,” said Mr. Weissberg, who is also a professor of psychology and education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He was a co-author of the report with Joseph A. Durlak, a Loyola University of Chicago psychologist, and other researchers.

CASEL is scheduled to publish the report in early 2008. Mr. Weissberg shared the findings at the Dec. 10 meeting in New York, which was aimed at charting a future course for the 13-year-old organization and the movement it helps promote.

“When kids are disaffected or they’re not motivated and engaged, improving academic test scores is a real challenge,” Mr. Weissberg added, “and that can’t be done unless you address students’ social, emotional, and cognitive needs.”

Some Skeptical

The analysis also showed that the good effects persisted six months or more after students took part in the programs, although to a lesser degree. And the lessons were even more effective when they were provided by teachers, rather the program developers or researchers, Mr. Weissberg said.

Some experts, however, continue to caution that such findings should be viewed with a dose of skepticism because since they have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.

“I have always been a bit skeptical of in-house studies, because it’s often the case that the people who do the evaluations have a stake in the outcome turning out a certain way,” said Kevin R. Murphy, a professor of psychology, information sciences, and technology at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa.

A critic of the theory of “emotional intelligence,” Mr. Murphy was not part of the CASEL meeting. “That’s not to say these programs can’t work,” he added. “But this is an area where the claims often run ahead of the evidence.”

But Richard J. Davidson, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, noted that the findings dovetail with his own work on emotion and the brain’s structure and function. While studies have long shown that negative emotions, such as anxiety and fear, can interfere with learning, Mr. Davidson, who was named one of the world’s most influential people by Time magazine in 2006, has documented that in people who undergo regular training in meditation or other practices akin to social and emotional learning, the brain circuitry actually changes.

“Social and emotional learning likely produces beneficial changes in the brain,” Mr. Davidson told conference-goers here.

Though research is needed to better document the mechanics of such transformations, he said, “qualities such as patience, calmness, cooperation, and kindness should really now best be regarded as skills that can be trained.”

‘Not an Easy Sell’

Policymakers and educators at the K-12 level, though, can be reluctant to incorporate such teachings into the curriculum, said Carol S. Comeau, the superintendent of schools in Anchorage. Lessons in social and emotional learning have been part of the regular instructional program across that 48,500-student district since 2004.

“It was not an easy sell,” Ms. Comeau said. “Some members of our school board thought it was really about self-esteem and helping kids feel good about themselves.”

Test scores have risen districtwide since the changes have been incorporated. And now an ongoing study by the Washington-based American Institutes for Research suggests that some of that improvement could be due to the lessons.

Since 2005, David Osher, the lead researcher on the AIR study, has surveyed staff members and students across the district in grades 5-12 on measures of school climate—factors, in other words, such as the extent to which students feel safe and cared for in schools, whether parents are involved in schools, and the pervasiveness of student drug and alcohol use.

“When the school climate and school connections measures go up,” Mr. Osher said, he has found that “students’ performance on statewide tests in reading, mathematics, and writing also goes up.”

Coverage of education research is supported in part by a grant from the Spencer Foundation.

Vol.

This is from TeachTown, the online ABA program David uses.  Thought I would share the newsletter, even if it is all pretty basic stuff. 

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ircaparentgroups-l@... [mailto:owner-ircaparentgroups-l@...] On Behalf Of Pratt, Cathy L
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 9:02 AM
To: IRCAPARENTGROUPS-L@...
Subject: FW: Workshop brochure

FYI

xJoel F. Fosha

Manager, Office of Marketing

  and Public Relations

foshaj@...

www.iidc.indiana.edu