What is the NC General Assembly Up to This Session?

Editor’s Note: The following entry was written by Jennifer Mahan, Autism Society of North Carolina Director of Government Relations. Jennifer will be providing a monthly summary of legislative activities while during this year’s short session as well as other updates about autism-related legislative efforts.

May 14th was the start of the” short” legislative session this year. Although the General Assembly has been back in Raleigh for several brief sessions to address specific issues in the last few months, the traditional “short” session takes place in even-numbered years and lasts for about 6-7 weeks. During this time, The NC House and the NC Senate generally only make adjustments to the two-year budget they passed the previous year and work on legislation that was passed by one chamber the previous year, but not taken up yet by the other chamber. The only new legislation introduced is based on recommendations of study or oversight committees or sometimes legislation that addresses urgent, unforeseen problems. So, we should see fewer bills to keep an eye on – but you never know! Here are some issues we are advocating on or monitoring:

State Budget:
The budget includes many items that impact people on the autism spectrum including funds for early childhood intervention, education, Medicaid and state funded services and supports like housing, respite, developmental therapies, and vocational services, just to name a few . Policy changes may also be included in the budget special provisions. So far, the House has been holding budget committee meetings and only making small adjustments: the good news is it looks like no cuts to direct services and supports. The process has just begun, though it is moving quickly, so as always we will continue to keep a close eye on it. We know that the House and Senate are likely to have very different versions of an education budget given that the Senate President Pro Tem has a set of education initiatives he introduced last week. Polls have shown public support for raising revenue to support services and education, but it is unlikely that this General Assembly will make any changes to the existing revenue or tax structure. The process has just begun, though it is moving quickly, so as always we will continue to keep a close eye on it.

HB 916 and Managed Care:
Last year the General Assembly passed a bill, HB 916, which mandated that the state implement managed care waivers statewide for nearly all publicly funded developmental disability, mental health and addiction services (DD, MH and SA) by July 2013. This huge change has been criticized by many individuals, families and advocates for the quick speed at which it is expected to happen, the loss of services like independent case management, changes to CAP IDD waivers, changes to guardianship, and other problems with a change of this size and scope. Some legislators have expressed concerns about the new system, and we hope to see some positive changes recommended in legislation.

LME MCO Governance:
The local management entities that direct DD, MH and SA services are becoming managed care organizations and in the process must provide oversight to larger regions with additional counties and more complex operations. The LMEs and some Legislators want changes to the way in which LMEs oversee the services they manage and to how governmental agencies and Boards oversee them. The Joint Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services recommended a series of changes which have been incorporated into Senate Bill 875 and House Bill 1075 including smaller Boards, more Board training, allowing for exemptions from the state personnel act such as control over MCO Director’s salaries, the ability to borrow funds and own real property, the ability to keep some information out of the public eye, and the transfer of guardianship from the LME to local Departments of Social Services. While the Autism Society of North Carolina does not have a position on this bill at this time, advocates have been particularly concerned about the makeup of the governing Boards to ensure they are representative of those they serve including families and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as people with other expertise in this area. In addition, advocates are concerned about the availability of quality guardianship and the continued transparency of government activities, so we will monitor the progress of any bills.

Autism Insurance Coverage:
The Autism Society of North Carolina and other groups continue to advocate for better insurance standards that cover services and treatment of autism spectrum disorder. We have a bill that was introduced last session, but it has yet to be heard in any committee in the House or Senate. While there is support for the bill behind the scenes in the House, we have not seen the same kind of encouragement about the legislation from the Senate. Without the support of both chambers, passing a bill in the short session is not possible. Following the elections in November, ASNC will once again seek bi-partisan support in both chambers for a new bill to be introduced in the long session that begins at the end of January 2013. This is disappointing for families who have been waiting for better insurance coverage, and tragic for children who could be helped by better treatment, but it’s also a loss for the state – in the long run, untreated conditions like autism result in higher costs of care and fewer people living and working to their full potential.

What can you do?
The best thing you can do is tell your story. More and more Legislators are familiar with autism, but the Legislator who represents you may not understand how autism, and these issues related to it, affect you and your family. Check out the Autism Society of North Carolina’s “Tips for Contacting Your Legislator” for ideas about what to say and who to say it to!

Have questions about these of other policy issues? Contact Jennifer Mahan, Director of Government Relations for the Autism Society of North Carolina at jmahan@autismsociety-nc.org, call 919-865-5068, or post a question in the comments below.

Making a Difference – McDonald’s supports Camp Royall

 

The following article is by Kristy White, the Autism Society of North Carolina’s Director of Development.

The 1st Annual Camp Royall Classic was sponsored by McDonald’s at The Preserve at Jordan Lake Golf Course on May 7th. Over $33,000 was raised from golf participants and sponsors to send individuals with autism to Camp Royall this summer. One hundred and forty-four golfers participated in the inaugural event.

Everyone was a winner at the Camp Royall Classic.

The vision for this event and leadership support came from Paul Willoughby, a McDonald’s owner/operator. Paul visited Camp Royall and was so impressed with the impact it was making on individuals with autism and their families that he wanted to ensure that more people, especially those living in Chatham County, were aware of Camp Royall. Through his support a grant was obtained from Ronald McDonald House Charities to create the camp’s Snoezelen Room, a MultiSensory Environment (MSE) room and efforts began to plan the Camp Royall Classic.

Paul’s son, Rex Willoughby was instrumental in the planning for the golf tournament by recruiting teams and sponsors and overseeing the details of the tournament, which made it such a unique and fun event for all involved. Rex shared, “After hearing the stories of the families whose lives have been changed as a result of Camp Royall, it was important to me that everyone knows about the camp and have the opportunity to participate. As a father, I can understand the desire to have your child experience the joys of camp and the importance of a time of rest for parents. I am determined to continue to raise funds and increase opportunities for the individuals with autism in our state.”

The golfers enjoyed a beautiful day on the course as well as time for fellowship while awaiting the tournament results. Ronald McDonald even made an appearance posing for photos will all of the teams. All of the proceeds from the Camp Royall Classic support scholarships for individuals with autism to participate in a structured program of activities according to their abilities and interests in an environment that is safe and celebrates each camper for who they are. Francine Levesque explained what it means for her family to be awarded a scholarship, “Receiving a scholarship to Camp Royall means that my son doesn’t feel left out, while his peers are able to go to Boy Scout camp. When my son attended last summer for the first time, he actually cried on the last day, an emotion very rare for someone with autism. I am so appreciative of the donation that enables my child to make memories.”

Click here for more information on getting involved like the Willoughbys, click here to make a gift to Camp Royall to support families like the Levesques, click here to see photos from the 2012 tournament, and sign up here to receive information about the 2013 Camp Royall Classic.

 

Thanks McDonald’s Owner Operators!

Responding to Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom

Editor’s Note – The following article was written by Amy F. Hobbs, Training Specialist for the Autism Society of North Carolina.

In teaching students with autism spectrum disorders, it’s helpful to implement a variety of strategies for dealing with disruptions, distractions and inappropriate behavior. First, take the time to get to know your students and establish a positive relationship with each one. Learn what is important and interesting to them and program lessons based upon these interests to increase motivation and engagement. Understand and accept each student’s limitations while using positive praise to acknowledge their accomplishments. Understand how your students communicate and how they best understand information presented to them. Learn the most effective communication style for each student and give them repeated opportunities to communicate appropriately and receive reinforcement for doing so.

Teachers need to be aware of what is going on in the classroom at all times. When there is inappropriate behavior that is interfering with learning in the classroom, it is important for the teacher to respond quickly. Teachers need to have “eyes in the back of their head” to prevent inappropriate behaviors and/or address them before they escalate into bigger concerns.

Because of the unique social challenges of students with autism, some strategies will likely work better than others. For example, eye contact and name dropping may go unnoticed by a student with autism; whereas redirection can be a great tool. If implemented quickly enough redirection can prevent escalation of inappropriate behavior and help a student regain their focus and complete their work. For example, if a student is off task and tapping a pencil loudly on a table, the teacher can redirect them back to their assignment and give them something soft to tap the pencil on or remind them to squeeze a stress ball instead.

Many times teachers mistakenly think that if they put students with autism in the regular education class then they will figure everything else out on their own. In most cases, it doesn’t happen that way. Students with autism need to be taught right from wrong as well as how to interact with other children. They typically don’t learn social skills as easily or in the same way as other students and social understanding does not come naturally for them. Also, these students often don’t connect consequences with their behavior. So, it’s important for teachers to be purposeful, clear and utilize visual supports to ensure understanding.

Inappropriate behaviors can be addressed and minimized by looking at the individual needs of the student. Identify potential distractions in the classroom like noises, lighting, windows or movement of other students. Then think about the design of the classroom and how you can best arrange it to minimize those distractions and meet the needs of the students. Using dividers to section the room, arranging students’ desks to reduce visual distractions, keeping the noise level of the room down, softening harsh or bright lights and modifying other potential distractions are examples of structuring the classroom for success.

Once I was consulting on a student who was not completing his work. The teacher had all the student’s desks in the middle of the room facing the front board. I suggested having an independent work station for this child that was facing a wall. This helped tremendously because it reduced the visual distractions of the room and he was able to focus on his work. Another time a teacher was having problems with a student scratching and pinching her arm while she attempted to teach him. The teacher was seated beside the student and I simply suggested that she work with him from across a table to give a little bit more space. We also developed a visual work system that clearly defined for the student what work they needed to complete and what would happen next. The student gained a better understanding of what he needed to do and could see how much he needed to complete before he was finished. As a result, he began to complete his work with no pinching and scratching.

Another student was disrupting the class by climbing on top of bookshelves, window sills and cabinets and jumping off. We considered the high activity level of this child and his need to jump and climb and created some new options for him. First we brought a trampoline into the classroom for him to use after scheduled instruction times. He can choose the trampoline during his breaks & the teacher sets a timer for 3-5 minutes. When the bell rings the trampoline is put up. We also adjusted the schedule so that at least twice a day and more if needed, the whole class goes for a walk and has time on the playground.

Incorporating opportunities for physical exercise during the school day can help increase students’ ability to concentrate and reduce disruptive behaviors. Planning a recess time or physical activity in the morning as well as in the afternoon with additional opportunities for movement around the classroom is a must for students with short attention spans and excess energy.

For more serious, recurring behaviors, a functional behavior assessment should be completed to determine the purpose or function of the behavior followed by the development of a behavior intervention plan. It’s important to have the support of the whole team when making decisions and monitoring students with these type of behavior plans. Some things to keep in mind are:

• Be sure instructions are clear and given visually as well as verbally.
• Plan lessons using high interest materials and incorporate choices.
• Complete a behavior contract in which the student agrees to work on specific behaviors in your class.
• Spell out the positive behaviors that you want the student to engage in.
• Schedule regular times to check in with the student during the day/ and during the week as needed to give the feedback and a time to talk about things that may be issues.
• Don’t assume that a behavior is intentionally designed to trick you.

If possible, involve the student in finding solutions and writing up a behavioral contract that focuses on what he can do when he becomes upset. Identify those replacement behaviors or calming strategies and make sure that the student has support in utilizing them. For example, if he needs a break or a calm down space away from other students, then the teacher will have a place set up for him and will approve of this when he asks. It’s also important to make sure that he understands what behaviors are not acceptable, such as aggressive acts and what the consequences of those actions will be. Finding ways to keep the student motivated to follow his behavior contract, taking data on his behavior, closely monitoring his progress, and reviewing and revising it with him as needed are also important parts of the process.

Using students with challenging behaviors as peer tutors with younger, disabled students gives them an opportunity to be in a helper role. Being in a role of a peer tutor assists in developing the student’s sense of belonging and generosity. Because of the tendency of students with behavior issues to be seen as trouble makers, this positive role can help change how teachers and other student view them and can also improve their self-esteem.

Implementing a proactive approach in the classroom can prevent many disruptions or behavior problems from occurring in the first place. For higher functioning students, class meetings can be designed to address challenges in the classroom. Focusing on finding solutions with your students as opposed to giving them consequences for behavior will give them a sense of autonomy and also increase their motivation to regulate their behavior. Having regularly scheduled class meeting times will give lots of opportunities for input from the students. The meetings can be the whole class, small groups or individual meetings based on the present needs of the class. Teaching calming strategies and appropriate ways of expressing anger can also be incorporated into the class meetings.

In closing, I think that in order to have a positive impact on behavior, using proactive, preventive techniques are vital. Focusing on the classroom structure, consistency and predictability as well as establishing positive relationships and involving students in finding solutions are all equally important in creating a positive classroom environment.

For additional information and/or consultation please email Amy at ahobbs@autismsociety-nc.org. For a complete list of workshops available through the Autism Society of North Carolina Training Department, click here .

Teaching Life Skills and Building Self-Esteem

Image courtesy of DrMommyOnline.com

 

Editor’s Note – The following article was written by Kathleen Dolbee, mother, educator, and Autism Society of North Carolina Parent Advocate.

Teaching your son or daughter to do household chores is an important part of teaching them independent living skills. Be careful not to presume that your child already knows how to do a job, simply because he has seen you do it. Remember, our kids are visual learners and sometimes have difficulty sequencing the steps of a particular job.

Patiently teach your child, step by step. Using visual supports doesn’t always mean writing a schedule.

For instance, if you want your child to pick up his toys (Lego’s, for instance), try breaking the job into smaller pieces. Try using a Hula Hoop or even a broomstick to segment the job into more easily managed task. Give him a clean dustpan and teach him to scoop and dump into a bucket “just like a construction machine”. You can even do the sound effects if that helps get the job done. Taking turns tossing stuffed animals into a bin could teach turn-taking and organization at the same time.

Vacuuming becomes easier when the carpet is sprinkled with something that will help your child see where to vacuum and to know when he is finished (I used the round circles left by a hole punch).

Start off with simple tasks like watering the plants, putting books or videos on a shelf or wiping the table. Make it a game! Masking tape in a child’s hand is a great way to pick up little messes without dragging the vacuum out. A game that is my personal favorite in the classroom I named, “The Dirtiest Wet Wipe Wins”. Each child is given a clean wet wipe and the fun begins!

Just remember:

1.  Teach the skill.
2.  Make it visual.
3.  Share the load.
4.  Make it fun.

Many thanks to Kathleen for sharing this article. Beginning this month the Autism Society of North Carolina Blog will begin adding content on a more regular basis. The new posting schedule includes:

• 1st full week of month – Parent/Family Advocacy
• 2nd week of month – Training, Treatment, & Best Practice
• 3rd week – Events, activities, and observations
• 4th week – Legislative Advocacy and Policy Issues