Web: www.autismsupport-somd.org
Mail: P.O. Box 2162 ◊ California, MD 20619
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AutismSupportSoMD
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @autismsomd
Families helping families!
May 2015 Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 8
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About Us…
What comes next?
The Autism Spectrum Support Group of
Southern Maryland began holding meetings in
2002.
Over the past decade, support for
families impacted by autism has expanded and
now includes:
April was Autism Awareness Month — a month filled with events to
raise autism awareness and money to support autism education,
research, programs, etc. Though April has ended, we here at the
Autism Spectrum Support Group of Southern Maryland have more
work to do. A lot more work.
Meetings: Autism Spectrum Support Group of
Southern Maryland meetings are the 3rd
Wednesday of the month, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.,
currently at the Coffee Quarter in the San Souci
Shopping Center in California, MD.
See the
calendar on the website for meeting
information for our "sister" groups in Charles
County and Calvert County.
Forum ListServ: The Listserv is for parents/
caregivers of people with ASDs. It’s a closed
group; parents/caregivers may request to join
by following the directions on the “Forum” tab
on the website.
Listserv members are
encouraged to post questions, comments, or
concerns to the group. The Listserv is a great
opportunity for parents to help each other!
Website: The site features newsletters, the
calendar, resources, and contact information.
Newsletters: Monthly newsletters feature an
array of topics, events, and resources that can
be read online, downloaded, and shared. Click
the "Newsletters" tab on the website to see the
latest posts.
Facebook: Get news, events and resources
right in your Facebook feed.
Twitter: Follow us on Twitter for quick updates
and links.
Conferences and Workshops: The Autism
Spectrum Support Group of Southern Maryland
collaborates with other organizations in the
three counties to bring expert speakers to the
area while keeping the cost to families low.
Camp Scholarships:
With successful
fundraising, the Support Group has been able
to offer camp scholarships for children with
autism in Southern Maryland to attend summer
camps.
Please join us at meetings and conferences or
online on the website, Facebook, or Twitter. !
Autism Spectrum Support Group of SoMD!
The first item on the To Do List is an easy one: thanking everyone
who donated their time, effort, goods, and money to the many
Autism Awareness events last month.
On April 2nd, the students and staff at Little Flower School in
Great Mills, St. Mary’s County, participated in
"Light It Up Blue," a celebration by Autism Speaks
along with the international autism community in
commemoration of the United Nations-sanctioned
World Autism Awareness Day. Little Flower School
held a "tag day" — students could choose to pay a
minimum of $1.00 each to wear street clothes
instead of their school uniforms, with all proceeds
going to the Autism Support Group. They had 100% participation
and donated $191.45! Thank you so much, Little Flower School!
Personalized Therapy, LLC, a Southern Maryland Occupational,
Physical, Speech/Language, and ABA Therapy provider specializing
in treating children with autism spectrum disorders, held "RoundUp for Autism" on April 18th at the Elks Lodge #2092 in
California, St. Mary’s County. The dedication and hard work of
Melanie Lohwater (Personalized Therapy owner), Kristi Getson
(clinical director), Kelli Walker (marketing
coordinator), all the staff at Personalized Therapy,
as well as all the members of the Elks organization
made this year’s Autism Awareness Day a huge
success!
Elks House Committee Chairperson and Member
George Delaney organized the event
on site. In addition to donating their time, the use of
the lodge, and 100% of all food sale profits — Elks
Member and owner/operator of Personalized Touch
Catering, LLC, prepared the food and organized the
kitchen staff — members of the Elks Lodge also held
other events, including "Bowling for Autism," a no tap
bowling event organized by Elks Member Karen
MacRae that raised $2,500, and the ladies of the Elks donated
$1000 from their own fundraising account! p. 1!
May 2015
Families had fun inside and out with children’s
activities, including complimentary therapeutic horse
rides provided by Vandermere Farms and face painting,
a photo booth, raffles, a silent auction with tremendous
items to bid on generously donated by local businesses
and community members, line dancing, and delicious
food to enjoy. Information from various local
organizations (Autism Support Group, CASCE, Learning
Disabilities of St. Mary’s County, Special Olympics,
EFMP, and Greenwell Foundation) was shared, funds
were raised, and now local organizations, including the
Autism Support Group, will be able to better serve people
and families impacted by autism spectrum disorders in
the months to come. Thank you!
sound system for the event was organized and run by
River and assisted by DJ Tommy. Check out the photos
below and on Personalized Therapy’s Facebook page!
Thank you to all who participated!
On April 25th, Personalized Therapy, LLC, held a
second Autism Awareness event at the Olde Town Pub
in Leonardtown: "Rock Out for Autism."
John McDonald, pub owner, organized the
event and donated a generous percentage
of food, drink, and carryout sales. "Rock
Out for Autism" featured five live bands:
The
Piranhas, Blue Iris, Tonight’s Alibi, Groove Span,
and Fortune Favors
the Brave, all of whom
donated their time. The
There is so much to do now, and we have more that we
want to do to expand how we support our families this
coming year.
The Autism Support Group Board of
Directors gratefully says, "Thank you," to everyone who
organized and participated in all these events.
The
money raised will stay local and will benefit individuals
and families impacted by autism in Southern Maryland.
The Autism Support Group has also received generous
donations from individuals. We are truly grateful for
their thoughtful and generous giving. All donations will
be used to support local people and families impacted by
autism.
Efforts to raise awareness and funds don’t end on April
30th! Mark your calendars for Sunday, June 28th and
swing by the Studio Collaborative in
Waldorf. Yoga director Sean Fraser has
organized two Autism fundraiser classes —
a family circus yoga class and an adult
yoga and meditation class. (See the event
flyer below for details.) All money raised from both
classes will support the Autism Support Group!
Autism Awareness 2015
Elks Members
!
Donations
Autism Spectrum Support Group of SoMD!
!
Pony Rides!
Photo Booth!
p. 2!
Line Dancing!
May 2015
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Autism Spectrum Support Group of SoMD!
p. 3!
May 2015
Upcoming Events
(For updated events information, visit the calendar at www.autismsupport-somd.org/calendar.)
May 13, 2015 — Autism
Support Group of Calvert
County, 6:30 p.m. at Hunting
Creek Annex, 4105 Old Town
Rd., Huntingtown, MD 20639.
Contact Sue Rafalowski:
[email protected]
12.md.us /410-535-7387. Next
meeting: June 10, 2014.
May 15, 2015 — The Southern
Maryland Community Resources
is holding an Inclusive Bowling
Extravaganza, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at
Experanza Bowling Lanes, 22645
Three Notch Rd., Lexington Park,
MD 20653. Cost is $12 for two
hours of bowling and includes
bowling shoes. Food and drinks
are available for sale at the
snacks counter. See the event
flyer below for further details.
May 20, 2015 — Autism
Spectrum Support Group of
Southern Maryland Meeting,
6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Coffee
Quarter, California, MD.
The
Autism Spectrum Support Group
of Southern Maryland is made up
of families helping families. Its
purpose is to support families
i m p a c t e d b y A S D, e d u c a t e
families and members of the
community on issues related to
ASD, raise public and
professional awareness of ASD,
work in partnership with other
organizations to inform and
educate families and community
members about issues related to
ASD, and advocate on behalf of
people with ASD.
Contact
[email protected].
We b s i t e : a u t i s m s u p p o r tsomd.org. Next meeting: June
17, 2015.
May 20, 2015 — Autism/ADHD
Support Group of Charles
County, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at
Panera Bread in La Plata, MD.
The mission of the Charles
County Autism/ADHD Support
Group is to increase community
awareness of autism and ADHD
and provide support to families
living with autism and ADHD.
!
Autism Spectrum Support Group of SoMD!
The group does not endorse or
dismiss any specific treatment,
profession, or services. Contact:
A l l y s a Wa r e 2 4 0 - 4 2 3 - 5 7 5 7
(cell)/ [email protected]. Next
meeting: June 17, 2015.
May 19, 2015 — Charles
County Special Education
Citizens’ Advisory Committee
(SECAC), 6:30 p.m. in the Board
Room at the Jesse Starkey
Administration Building, 5980
Radio Station Rd., La Plata, MD
20646.
(Final meeting of the
2014-15 school year.)
This
group enables the Director of
Special Education to seek
meaningful input from parents,
community partners, service
providers, and school
administrators on local issues
relative to the provision of a free
appropriate public education and
the achievement of students
with disabilities. SECAC is in
need of parent and community
participation; join SECAC now
and make your voice heard.
May 27, 2015 — Calvert
County’s Partners for Success
Center is hosting "Social +
Emotional Intelligence: What Is
It? Why Is It Important?"
6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Calvert
County Board of Education MultiPurpose Room, 1305 Dares
Beach Rd., Prince Frederick, Md
20678.
See the event flyer
below for workshop and
registration information.
June 28, 2015 — The Studio
Cooperative will host two Autism
fundraiser classes at our studio,
10400 O’Donnell Place, Suite
201, Waldorf, MD 20603. Join us
3:00-5:00 p.m. for FAMILY
CIRCUS YOGA: Family Circus
yoga is a fun and positive way to
interact with your family while
learning circus tricks, solo and
partner yoga, ‘acro’ yoga and
family yoga poses. Also join us
for our Adult Yoga & Meditation
Class from 7:00-8:15 p.m. All
money raised from both classes
p. 4!
will support the Autism
Spectrum Support Group of
SoMD and their work for the
community! Have fun with your
family and raise awareness for
Autism! Visit us online for more
information and to register!
Phone 301-861-4345.
August 1, 2015 — Pathfinders
for Autism will host A Night at
the Blue Crabs Game, 6:35 p.m.,
at the Regency Furniture
Stadium, 11765 St. Linus
Dr., Waldorf, MD 20602. Register
here to see the Southern
Maryland Blue Crabs vs Sugar
Land Skeeters.
September 26, 2015 —
Weinfeld Education Group will
host its annual conference,
Diamonds in the Rough 2015 —
Finding Clarity: Successful
Strategies for Special Learners,
at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in
Rockville, MD. One of the "4 C's"
of diamonds is clarity. Clarity is
also important for "diamonds in
the rough"; our children and
students with special learning
needs. When faced with limited
time, money and resources, how
do we choose the strategies that
are more likely to be
successful? This year's Diamonds
in the Rough day-long
conference will provide guidance
and training to give you the tools
to sort through your options.
November 13, 2015 — The
Southern Maryland Collaborative
for Families of Children with
Disabilities will host its 4th
Annual Conference, "The Out-ofSync Child: Sensory Challenges
and Sensory Solutions,"
featuring Carol Stock Kranowitz,
expert on sensory processing
and sensory integration. The
conference will be held at the
Holiday Inn, Solomons, MD.
Registration opens soon for this
all-day conference. May 2015
!
ASD Information Medical Assistance
New Rules on Schools Billing Medicaid for IEP Services
HEALTH
What's Happened?
New regulations from the U.S. Department of Education now make it easier for schools to bill
Medicaid (Medical Assistance in Maryland) for related services provided at school as part of a
child's Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). These regulations now only require parental
consent the first time that the school plans to bill Medicaid, and at any time that there are
changes in the amount or type of related services that could impact Medicaid billing. They also
require that the school provide notice at least annually to the parent that they have provided
this consent.
Why be concerned?
This raises serious concerns for families whose children not only need related services at school,
but also need therapies at home. For example, Medicaid provides a ceiling on the number of
hours of skilled nursing services that it will cover, and if a parent consents to having the district
receive Medicaid reimbursement for nursing services, that will reduce or eliminate the home
nursing services covered by Medicaid. Schools must pay for nursing services if they are needed,
so families who need nursing services at home should not consent to having Medicaid pay for
those services in school. In addition, the services needed at school are those needed for a free,
appropriate public education, while additional services are often needed for a child to succeed
in the home and community environment.
Be Aware and Take Action!
Parents, remember, the school MUST provide and pay for all related services needed for a free,
appropriate public education, and CANNOT deny those services if you refuse consent for them
to bill Medicaid for the services. So if you need those Medicaid therapies at home, the prudent
choice will be to refuse consent for the school to bill Medicaid for related services at school.
If you have questions, contact Parents’ Place for our assistance at 410-768-9100
Adapted from the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, New Jersey
The Parents’ Place of Maryland • 801 Cromwell Park Drive • Suite 103 • Glen Burnie MD
21061
Phone 410-768-9100 • Fax 410-768-0830 • E-mail [email protected] • www.ppmd.org
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Autism Spectrum Support Group of SoMD!
p. 5!
2015
May 2015
Event Flyers Mattie J. T. Stepanek
Poet Philosopher
Reflections of a Peacemaker
Come and meet Mattie’s Mother
Jennifer Smith Stepanek, PhD
Executive Director, Mattie J.T. Stepanek Foundation
Wednesday, May 13th 4:30–6:00 PM
-JUUMF'MPXFS4DIPPMt1PJOU-PPLPVU3E(SFBU.JMMT.%
3FDFQUJPOt#PPLTJHOJOH
www.somdcr.org
P.O. Box 560, 50 Alexander Lane, Solomons, MD 20699 | 301-997-8143
Bonnie Elward, Executive Director ([email protected])
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Autism Spectrum Support Group of SoMD!
p. 6!
May 2015
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Autism Spectrum Support Group of SoMD!
p. 7!
May 2015
Join us for a Highly Interactive Parenting Workshop
What is Social + Emotional Intelligence?
Why is Social + Emotional Intelligence so important?
What do Executive Function Skills and S+EI have in common?
What resources are available to help teach S+EI outside of the classroom?
When:
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Where:
Calvert County Board of Education Multi-Purpose Room
1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Time:
6:30pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Debi Filippi, Certiﬁed S+EI Coach and Parent Educator
For REGISTRATION, please contact: Sue Rafalowski, Parent Coordinator, Partners for Success, CCPS
Email: [email protected] or call Sue at 410.535.7387
Sponsored by Partners for Success, Calvert County Public Schools
Cost: FREE
Registration Required
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Autism Spectrum Support Group of SoMD!
p. 8!
May 2015
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Autism Spectrum Support Group of SoMD!
p. 9!
May 2015
2015 Schedule
Saturday, April 18, 2015
National Zoo
9:00 am—11:00 am
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Folklife Festival
10:00 am—12:00 pm
Saturday, July 25, 2015
11:00 am—1:00 pm
25th Anniversary Celebration of the
American’s with Disabilities Act/
National Museum of American History
Saturday, September 19, 2015
National Air and Space Museum
9:00 am—11:00 am
Saturday, November 21, 2015
National Portrait Gallery
10:00 am—12:00 pm
For pre-visit materials or addi onal informa on on Morning at the Museum go to h p://
www.si.edu/Accessibility/MATM . To RSVP email [email protected] or 202-633-2921
Please note: Future dates are subject to change and addi onal museums may be added
Be sure to register for the mailing list at [email protected] and check the website for updates
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Autism Spectrum Support Group of SoMD!
p. 10!
May 2015