Tomorrow, September 30th, is the deadline to submit a comment regarding the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)’s Draft Strategic Plan for ASD Research. Feedback is sought from ASD stakeholders which means—as you’re reading this blog—you: individuals with ASD and their families, scientists, health professionals, therapists, educators, officials of state and local programs for ASD, and the public at large. The draft Strategic Plan can be accessed via this webpage (scroll down for a link to a PDF file). (The draft Strategic Plan does not include cost estimates for implementation; a workgroup has been formed to advise about the IACC budgetary …read more

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 …read more