Autism Waiver Community Meetings

Autism Waiver Community Meetings

Coming To Your Area

The new Upcoming waiver program to provide intensive early intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is being developed. A series of community meetings are being held for parents/family members and providers. See below for the schedule of dates, locations and descriptions of the sessions. Please share this information with all those who have an interest in this important program. For more information call Barbara or Mary Jo at Partners for Inclusive Communities at 1-800-342-2923 or Karan at 501-551-1754.

Schedule

Date
City
Location

1/5/2010 -Tuesday
Fayetteville
Fayetteville Public Library (Walker Room); 401 West Mountain St., Fayetteville 72701

1/6/2010 -Wednesday
Ft. Smith
St. Edward’s Mercy Medical Center (Education – Sicard Room); 7301 Rogers Ave., Ft. Smith 72903

1/7/2010 -Thursday
Hot Springs
First Nazarene Church; 3804 Central Ave., Hot Springs 71913

1/19/2010 -Tuesday
Mountain Home
McMullin Lecture Hall/Dryer Lobby, ASU 1600 S College St., Mountain Home 72653

1/20/2010 -Wednesday
Marshall
PettiJean Electric Cooperative – Hwy 65N, Marshall 72650

1/21/2010 -Thursday
North Little Rock
Pulaski Technical College (Grand Hall B); 3000 W. Scenic Dr., North Little Rock 72118

1/26/2010 -Tuesday
Pine Bluff
Jenkins Memorial Center Cafeteria; 2410 Rike Ave., Pine Bluff 71603

1/28/2010 -Thursday
El Dorado
Ellis Conference Center, AHEC South AR, 460 W Oak, El Dorado 71730

2/2/2010 -Tuesday
Conway
Conway New Life Church; 633 South Country Club Rd, Conway 72034

2/3/2010 -Wednesday
Helena
Great Rivers Educational Service Cooperative; 100 Campus Dr., Helena/West Helena 72342

2/4/2010 -Thursday
Dumas
Courtroom – 2nd floor of Dumas Municipal Complex; 149 East Waterman, Dumas 71639

2/9/2010 -Tuesday
Nashville
Howard County Children’s Center; 1577 Hwy 371 W, Nashville 71852

2/10/2010 -Wednesday
Prescott
Collum & Carney Clinic (Community Room); 1440 W 1st N, Prescott 71857

2/11/2010 -Thursday
Jonesboro
Valley View Church of Christ; 4500 Southwest Dr., Jonesboro 72401

Description of Sessions:

3:30-5:00 PM Session- Provider Session

This session is designed for community-based providers of developmental disabilities services and individual therapists/practitioners who have expertise and experience in developing/implementing intensive intervention programs for children with ASD

6:00- 7:30 PM Session- Parent/Family Member Session

This session is designed for all parents/family members who have sons and daughters with ASD, of all ages. In addition to the discussion of the new waiver program, parents will be able to share their needs and participate in prioritizing the needs for their region. This information will be shared with the Legislative Task Force on Autism, created by SB 938 of 2009. If parents have a personal story they would like to share, please bring it to the meeting in writing so it can be shared in its entirety with the Task Force.

Tentative Meeting Agenda:

·Welcome

·Autism Waiver Program Presentation- an informational presentation will be made explaining the status and process for development of the new waiver; the differences between the upcoming program and the existing developmental disabilities waiver; and a tentative schedule for implementation of the program

·Identification of Needs Process- participants will be engaged in a process for identifying the needs of families/providers in their area related to services for individuals with ASDs. The group will then prioritize the needs for their region. This information will be shared with the Legislative Task Force.

Family members and providers are encouraged to invite their local legislators to attend the sessions so they may hear firsthand the needs of their constituents.