Congratulations Cheryl Smith for receiving the Les Schwab “Doing the Right Thing” award on Good Things Utah! Cheryl was recognized for her tireless work with the autism community, and her dedication to the Autism Council of Utah. You can see the clip from Good Things Utah here.

Hey out there in autism land, lots of stuff going on!

First of all, did everyone see the news about the new autism numbers on the rise, 1/77 now.  Wow.  The Autism Council of Utah will keep working diligently for all those affected by autism. I hope we are all willing to become ambassadors for a global change in helping others understand autism and the needs associated with it.  We can work for the changes we all want to see.  Share what you know about autism with your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, educators, legislators, and autism service providers.  We are our kids voices.  The world can meet us half way… change starts with us.

On a lighter note, the May Big MAKS lunch will be a “wake” for the end of school.  We will all wear black, and whomever wants will give a eulogy for the end of school, and the start of summer.  We all know what a sad occasion this is, no more school and lots of days without end…well at least it might seem like it.

Check out the blog for details. Big MAKs website

Hang in there…it’s all good.
Cheryl C. Smith

On April 20 the Autism Council was proud to sponsor ithe first “Evening of Hope” for families and friends of autism. This wonderful evening was hosted by Autism Journeys and organized by the ACU training committee. The goal of the evening was to give those in attendance a message of hope and encouragement.

Reverand Tom Goldsmith spoke about hope, reminding us to look at the big picture, recognizing that hope comes from looking beyond the immedicate situation. He assured us that the dawn will always come after the night, and that spring will always follow winter.

Rabbi Shcwartsman helped us learn the lessons from the passover and to recognized the 4 children that reside in all of us: the wise child, the wicked child, the questioning child, and the child that doesn’t know what question to ask. All of us have these 4 children within us, and it is important to recognize what child we are, and what child others are at the time.

Brandon Gunnel, former LDS Bishop and father of a wonderful young boy with autism shared 4 sources that we can find hope in 1) those who have gone before us, 2) our family, 3) our God and faith, and 4) in our children with autism. We were also fortunate to hear a song “I am a child of God” from his young son Isaac. It was very heartwarming.

The conclusion to the evening was a very special musical number performed by Eric Stoker. Eric’s mother shared Eric’s passion for music and his struggles and determination to learn the art of music. Eric is a very talented young man who happens to have autism.

As a parent of a young adult with autism, I cannot tell you the value of the words of hope that spoke to my heart, and the joy and encouragement I felt after the evening. It was such a wonderful night, and I feel so fortunate to have been a part of it.

A special thanks to Kate Anderson, chairperson and Lori Kransny and all those who helped with child care. It was such an incredible evening.

“The effects of autism are far-reaching. Having faith in ourselves, our children and our community is what keeps us strong when times are at their worst.”

Laura Anderson

This year the Autism Council of Utah was proud to be a sponsor of the Family Links conference held March 25, 26 at Murray High School.. This annual conference is a wonderful opportunity for parents of children and adults with disabilities to learn and network. In addition to being sponsors, the ACU participated in the Exhibitor Fair. We would also like to thank RC Willey’s for donating an air hockey table on behalf of the Autism Council of Utah, that was used as a raffle item for the conference.

During the Family Links conference Probation and Parole agent Kyle Andersen offered parents tips and insights to help them prepare for possible contact with law enforcement. Kyle is a member of the ACU and plays an active role in the autism community. It is wonderful to have our council members share their passion and experience. An article in the Salt Lake Tribune about this presentation can be found here.

The law enforcement training DVD which was cosponsored by Sahara Cares, the Autism Council of Utah and the Utah Parent Center has been distributed worldwide, and is available on our web site.

Laura Anderson
ACU President Elect

Happy Autism Awareness Day and month! There are so many things going on In April to bring awareness to autism. Check out the events page. I especially love this picture of the balloon launching for Autism Awareness Day as Carson strikes the classic autism pose of covering his ears.

I’m also really excited for our annual ACU meeting on April 6th. We will highlight some of the things some fabulous professionals in our state are doing for autism, as well as talk about everything that’s going on.

The last autism tip I got was not to waste time on things where there is another way. If the kid just cannot get money counting, get them a debit card; if they can’t learn to tie their shoes, get them loafers. We take one step forward and then maybe two steps back, we fail sometimes at figuring it out, but we get back up and try!

Cheryl Smith
ACU President

Thanks to everyone who participated in the ACU press conference to introduce the autism specialty license plate. There is a great article in the March 11, 2011 Salt Lake Tribune.

We are getting very excited to have our big annual meeting for the Autism Council on April 6th. It will be at the State Capitol Auditorium, that’s the building just north of the fountain in between the east and west buildings behind the capitol. We will be highlighting professional best practices, and have some fabulous ideas to share. We will have updates about what’s going on with autism in Utah, as well as the legislative wrap up. Please register here if you are able to attend. It’s gonna be GREAT!! After all, the Autism Council is “your autism connection”.

Cheryl Smith
ACU President

Recently in the local newspapers there have been several articles about autism that have not been positive – but have been very upsetting. As the Autism Council of Utah we need to be aware of these issues. The Autism Council of Utah has collaborated with Sahara Cares to produce an Autism and Law Enforcesment DVD training, and is in the process of developing an Autism and Faith DVD training. It is up to us, as Council members, to share these resources as they become available.

Duchesne County Man Denied Parole

Published: Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011 12:01 a.m. MST
By Geoff Liesik, For the Deseret News
UTAH STATE PRISON — A Duchesne County man who sexually assaulted an autistic teenager at a Vernal recreation center in 2009 has been denied in his first bid for parole.
The victim’s father said the assault had a devastating effect on his son because of the characteristics of his disability. The man said his son now believes the abuse he endured is a normal way to interact with adults.
The family was forced to place the boy in a treatment facility to ensure his safety and the safety of others, the man said. The facility is several hours from the family’s home.

Autistic kids not welcome in two area churches

Monday, January 17, 2011 – 2:33pm
Letter to the Editor:
We have three children, two of which have high functioning autism. We are born-again Christians and attended Bible College. We have been in children’s ministry for over 10 years. Our two oldest children were born and later diagnosed with autism. As we searched for a church home, two local churches told us our children are not welcome and they are not equipped to handle special needs children.

….At the meeting instead we were told that our children were not allowed in church anymore. They mentioned that as they get bigger they are going to have to address the autistic community but until then people with autism are not welcome because they are not equipped.
I am writing this so that other parents of autistic children don’t to have to go through what we did. Hopefully soon we will find a church who will minister to “the least of these.” Matt. 25:40

Family of autistic man sues ex-cop over his death

By The Associated Press
Saturday, January 22, 2011 – 12:08pm

LOS ANGELES — It started as a routine police encounter after officers spotted a shadowy figure lying under a balcony behind a Hollywood apartment building.
The man, Mohammad Usman Chaudhry, was cordial at first. He handed over his ID and chatted with officers about his shoes, other cops he knew and how he stayed dry when it rained.
Moments later, he was dead.
Officer Joseph Cruz said he shot Chaudhry after he lunged at him with a knife. What Cruz and his partner apparently did not know was that Chaudhry was autistic.
Three years later, as a jury weighs a lawsuit against police by Chaudhry’s family, the killing highlights a challenge law enforcement increasingly faces: How to approach people with developmental disorders.
Autism is the world’s fastest growing developmental disability, currently affecting about one in 110 children. Nationally, police today are better trained to recognize autism than in the past. Officers frequently make contact with autistic people, often when they are victims of crimes or return them home after they have wandered off.

Since the Social Services Committee held the interim meeting in January and took public comment, they are not expecting to have any more public comment. The committee has been trying to work with the list they have and implement cuts while funding what they can. This week they re-prioritized the list to send to Executive Appropriations. Senator Jones made the motion to take items including autism pre-schools, transportation, respite, provider rates, early intervention, etc. off the list and fund them with tobacco funds. Using tobacco settlement funds will require a change in statute. Once they work out the budget they will open a bill requiring this usage of funds.

The good news is that we are on the list to be funded, the bad news is that they will have to pass actual legislation to fund the NEW list and if something goes wrong with that idea, we aren’t sure where that will leave us. We need to continue to talk to our own legislators, and the Executive Appropriations Committee to remind them of the importance of the autism programs.

The guardianship issue seems to be getting better, but not fully resolved. They are recognizing that the disabled population is different than the elderly, but they are suggesting that parents must use the attorneys on their list. Geez, lots of lists around huh?

Service animals constitute dogs only now. Glad we took the time to clarify that.

Rep. Menlove has an idea for a pilot program that would have the people who are getting Medicaid and who are able, do community service to offset the Medicaid costs. The Health Department would administer that if it passes.

Rep. Menlove also wants people receiving services through Rehabilitation be invited to work, even if it’s below minimum wage, as it would create some respite for the caregivers, while the disabled individual is getting services.

Carson Smith day at the capitol is February 22nd from 10-2. We are going to thank the legislators for supporting the scholarship as well as educate new legislators of the importance of it. Everyone should come!!

The questions was recently asked “What can being a member of the Autism Council do for me?”

I would like to change that question to “What can you do for the Autism Council?”

Every member of the Autism Council of Utah is influenced by Autism, personally, professionally, or both. Our commitment should be unified as we work to foster collaboration, communication, and learning among families and agencies. (ACU Mission statement)

Being a member of the Autism Council gives you the opportunity and responsibility to share information with your agencies, organizations, support groups, and friends. You are the conduit between the ACU and the rest of the state.

The council has representatives from various national and local organizations, state agencies, public and private organizations, and individuals. We should all be united in supporting each other, and those we care for. So, as a member of the Autism Council of Utah, you are serving as an ambassador for autism, and that’s a very important responsibility. The council of depending on you, and the autism community needs you.

The Autism Council of Utah – Your Autism Resource

Hope your new year is off to a wonderful start – and know how important you are to us!

Laura Anderson
President Elect
Autism Council of Utah