Education and Advocacy: COSAC Strategic Planning Retreat

Education and advocacy. Education and advocacy and legislation, and how to make these happen in order to make a real and practical impact on the lives of autistic persons and of their families in New Jersey, and how COSAC—–the New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community—might best achieve this: This was what was talked about at the COSAC Strategic Planning retreat that I was fortunate to be present at for most of Saturday. A lot of the conversation was about the needs of autistic adults and especially about housing, and about how COSAC might best focus its efforts. A good deal of talk was about the autism bills that have been passed in New Jersey, and that have yet to be voted on—-and on how to make sure that the programs and services spelled out in the bills are actually implemented. (The New Jersey Adults with Autism Task Force has yet to meet, for one thing.)

I met a lot of people—parents and advocates for autisitic persons—whom I’ve long admired and learned a lot, and spoke up, keeping in mind what I’ve learned from everyone here.

I didn’t say as much as I might have, though: A cold that started Thursday night became laryngitis by the end of the Strategic Planning retreat and, soon as I got home, I made myself some Chinese sugarcane tea and lay down on the couch. Charlie and Jim had had a happy, easy-going day: Sleeping in, visits to Home Depot and McDonald’s, throwing the basketball back and forth.

It was another good day, and a good life, with Charlie.