Restoring the rights of Americans with disabilities


Posted by Beth Finke on November 16th, 2007

It gives me great pleasure to introduce Denise Rozell, Assistant Vice President of State Government Relations at Easter Seals’ Office of Public Affairs, to our blog community. The following is her report from yesterday’s Senate hearing on the ADA Restoration Act.
– Beth Finke

Restoring the rights of Americans with disabilities
by Denise Rozell

Room 430 in the Dirksen Senate Office Building overflowed with people …Read More » »

Partnering with your child’s school: a guide for parents


Posted by Beth Finke on November 5th, 2007

A November 2 Associated Press article “Autism ‘epidemic’ largely fueled by special ed funding, shift in diagnosing” reports that “autism has become… a ticket to a larger range of school services and accommodations.”

Trouble is — it’s not always easy for parents to figure out which services and accommodations are available to their children. There were …Read More » »

Brothers and sisters of autism


Posted by Beth Finke on September 26th, 2007

A story in this month’s issue of Vanity Fair reports how famous playwright Arthur Miller had his son Daniel, born with Down syndrome, placed in a “home for infants” in New York City.

Miller was concerned about what his daughter Rebecca’s life would be like if she grew up with a brother who had a disability. …Read More » »

Book review: Mary McHugh’s "Special Siblings"


Posted by Beth Finke on September 11th, 2007

In Special Siblings: Growing Up With Someone with a Disability, Mary McHugh doesn’t shy away from the troublesome aspects of sibling relationships — she addresses them. It is emotional and enlightening; I recommend this …Read More » »

Liberty, justice, and health coverage for all


Posted by Beth Finke on September 6th, 2007

A comment to our blog this week expressed a mother’s frustration in finding health insurance for her sons with autism. The lack of health care coverage in America puts many at risk, but none more so than the 100 million Americans with autism and other disabilities.

For the first time ever, …Read More » »

Labor Day, autism and unemployment


Posted by Beth Finke on August 31st, 2007

A Wall Street Journal article (subscription only) this summer, titled “Erasing ‘Un’ From ‘Unemployable’ “, opens with a story about Harrison Mullinax, an 18-year-old in Anderson, SC who has autism.

“Unlike most who are autistic,” the article reads, “he now has a real job.”

The article goes on to talk about efforts to …Read More » »

Are people with autism “disabled enough” for the ADA?


Posted by Katy Beh Neas on August 30th, 2007

An article on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at govtech.com points out the confusion about who is “disabled enough” to qualify for ADA rights and why the ADA needs restoration.

The article reports millions of citizens have been left vulnerable to a narrow interpretation of the law, and that people with other disorders and disabilities …Read More » »

Five stars for the new autism bookstore!


Posted by Beth Finke on August 27th, 2007

Check out the new “Bookstore” link on our autism Web site – the list features books reviewed on this blog, and every time you order a book through our bookstore, a portion of that sale will go to Easter Seals.

Ellen Harrington-Kane, assistant vice president for medical rehabilitation and …Read More » »

Consumer Reports: providing for disabled heirs


Posted by Beth Finke on August 8th, 2007

In my “Adults and autism: Our kids might outlive us” post, I talked about estate planning and special needs trusts that can be set up when your child has autism. I also mentioned that MassMutual, one of Easter Seals’ national corporate partners, offers additional resources for people with …Read More » »

Book review: Paula Kluth’s “You’re Going to Love this Kid!”


Posted by Patricia Wright on June 29th, 2007

Students with autism are becoming more frequent members of general education classrooms. You’re Going to Love This Kid!: Teaching Students With Autism in the Inclusive Classroom, by Paula Kluth, Ph.D., is a unique resource dedicated solely to …Read More » »