eventspotlight Creating a Better Future for Adults with Autism
Y
oungsters with autism and their families can find themselves un- certain about the future as adult- hood looms. When those with autism turn 21, they often lose important social and educational services and opportu- nities. To help, the first annual Creating a Future for Adults with Autism confer- ence, featuring speakers from Bitter- sweet Farms, Eden Florida, Foundation for the Developmentally Disabled, Noah’s Ark and Kneads: A Fresh Vision for Special Education, will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., September 15, at St. John the Evangelist Church, in Naples. “We want to bring families, agencies, politicians, educators and businesses together to brainstorm on how to meet the diverse needs and give these young adults a meaning- ful future,” says conference organizer
Debby Lasek, who is assisted by Terry Kays and a core group of families and community leaders.
When the current group of young men and women, now in their 20s, were diagnosed with autism as young toddlers during the mid-1990s, their parents were at a similar crossroads. Programs for children with autism did not exist in most areas, and families had to travel hours just to receive a diagno- sis and develop treatment plans. The conference, co-sponsored by Kneads and The Special Needs Chil- dren Fund, will address how to cre- ate residential, vocational, social and financial plans to ensure that these young adults lead happy and produc- tive lives. Its mission is to produce a safe, financially sustainable, long-term residential community for adults with
autism that provides meaningful work, recreation, education and training in a secure environment with opportunities for integration into the larger commu- nity, while also offering accessibility for the general public by operating as a self-supporting business.
Lasek notes that autism has sky- rocketed in less than 20 years. In a 2012 report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that one in 88 children (11.3 per 1,000) has been identified with an autism spec- trum disorder. In 1996, the number was one per 1,000 children.
Cost: $20 including lunch. Location: 625 111th Ave. N. For more informa- tion or to register, contact Debby Lasek at 239-450-6060 or visit
Kneads.org/ donation.html.
natural awakenings September 2012
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