Welcome to the Autism in Connecticut blog!

Here you will find information on activities, programs and events around the state that might be of interest to anyone in Connecticut living with autism. You will find a calendar of events listing support groups, speakers, conferences and workshops. There will be links for programs, research studies and other activities that might be of interest to families, professionals, community members, friends or to other autism organizations. It is our belief that there is a need for one place to go where anyone can access information on what is happening around the state whether it is sponsored by our organization, by any other autism organization, or by any other disability organization or state agency. Families - this is the place to come to in order to find our what is happening. Organizations - this is the place to post your information in order to reach families around Connecticut. Professionals - this is the place to access the autism community in Connecticut. Send your information to autismblogger@sbcglobal.net. Please include contact information (telephone or e-mail or webpage). Inclusion on the list does not constitute endorsement by the Autism Society of Connecticut of any therapy, program, event or activity.

Sponsored by the Autism Society of Connecticut

DMR Pilot Program Now Accepting Applications: Many of you have been following the progress of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Pilot Prorgram. The DMR has established a small pilot program for adults who have Autism Spectrum Disorders and do not have mental retardation and are not receiving services from the DMR. Information can be found at the DMR website at www.dmr.state.ct.us/AutismPilot/index.htm. Applicants for the pilot program must live in certain areas and meet certain requirements, all of which are listed at the DMR website. You can also call Kathryn Reddington, DMR Autism Coordinator at 860-418-6026 with any questions.

Research Study Seeks Participants: Dr. Jared M. Skowron from Natural Health Associates in Hamden is looking for children to participate in a study of a new vitamin-mineral-amino acid supplement designed to increase neuron action potentials and improve symptoms. Children must be 7 or younger. Free. Call Dr. Jared M. Skowron at 203-230-2200 for more information.

Autism in Connecticut Community Calendar
(new entries in green)
email new listings to autismblogger@sbcglobal.net
all listings must include phone, e-mail and/or webpage

Sun, July 23, 2006: RESCHEDULED: CPAC's Annual Friends and Family Picnic: 12:00 noon - 5:00 p.m. Camp Harkness, Waterford, CT. Please call 800-445-2722 or e-mail cpac@cpacinc.org to register and for more information.

Mon. July 24, 2006: Parent Support Group, 6:00 -8:00 p.m. Waterbury WARC, 1929 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT. Open meeting. FOr all parents and caregivers raising children with disabilities. Sponsored by the CT Family Support Network - Northwest Region. For more information: Alice Buttwell, Alicemmbb@aol.com or 860-350-6025 or Linda Ladden, Linda.Ladden@sbcglobal.net or 203-809-9010

Mon. July 24, 2006: FAP Parents Group Meeting - a new comfort and support group - Share and Care. Share your joys and sorrows with people who will listen and understand. 7:30 p. m. Family Room at Christ Church, Greenwich. RSVP and for more information: 203-661-8510

Tues. July 25, 2006: Support Group Meeting, 7:00 p.m. At the Sterling House Community Center, Main St., Stratford. Sponsored by the Stratford Region - Autism Society of Connecticut. Call Kim Wardlow at 203-416-2647.

Tues. July 25, 2006: Autism Parents Club: A group of parents (dads too!) of children on the autism spectrum. If you're part of "the club" you will laugh & cry with other parents who could relate to your situation, support each other, share stories & resources, vent & have fun. Open to parents from all over CT. Meets the last Tuesday of the month at 7:30 PM, Francesco's Restaurant, Route 7, Wilton. Casual. No need to RSVP, just come! More info: Patti Sylvia 761-0248 or pattisylvia@aol.com

Tues. July 25, 2006: Tuesdays at the Park, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. A drop in time for young children with any developmental issues with their parents or caregivers. Location: Page Park, Bristol (Rte 229 near Rte 6). Universally accessible playscape available. For more information contact Lee McFadden at 860-589-0097 or look for a person in a red shirt at the park.

Thur. July 27, 2006: Statewide Meeting, People First of CT, 7:00 p.m. First Church of Christ, Middletown. “People First of CT is a statewide self-advocacy organization that believes that all people should be treated as equals and be respected for what they can do. We advocate for ourselves and educate people about self-advocacy and People First of CT. We stand behind closing institutions and encourage people with disabilities to live more independent lives.”

Sat. July 29, 2006, Sat. Aug. 5, 2006, Sat. Aug. 12, 2006, Sat. Aug. 19, 2006, Sat. Aug 26, 2006: Summer Family Play Dates at the Valley Shore YMCA, Westbrook, CT. 9:30 - 11:00 a.m. Ages 3 -7. Support and modeling in a safe, consistent social environment. Second Session July 29 - August 26. $10 Full Members, $15 Program Members. Contact Patti MacKenzie for more information 860-399-YMCA.

Tues. Aug 1, 2006: Pizza Moms tonight in Darien! Post Corner Pizza in Darien. If you are interested in coming please email Nanette Jordan at: nanette618@yahoo.com. Pizza Moms is a group of moms with special needs children in the Fairfield County Area. We meet the first Tuesday of every month at 7:30 pm. We get together informally and have pizza, salad and beer in Darien. Everyone is welcome. This is a place where moms can talk with other moms.

Tues. Aug 1, 2006: Tuesdays at the Park, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. A drop in time for young children with any developmental issues with their parents or caregivers. Location: Page Park, Bristol (Rte 229 near Rte 6). Universally accessible playscape available. For more information contact Lee McFadden at 860-589-0097 or look for a person in a red shirt at the park.

Tues. Aug 8, 2006: Tuesdays at the Park, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. A drop in time for young children with any developmental issues with their parents or caregivers. Location: Page Park, Bristol (Rte 229 near Rte 6). Universally accessible playscape available. For more information contact Lee McFadden at 860-589-0097 or look for a person in a red shirt at the park.

Thurs. Aug 10, 2006: Parent Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Founders Hall Conference Room (2nd Fl), Park PLace East, Winsted, CT. Parent Support Group for family members and caregivers of children with autism and related disbilities. All interested parties are welcome to attend. Sponsored by Northwestern Connecticut Community College (NCCC) and Litchfield County Autism Spectrum Association (LACASA). Call Sharon Cable, Parent at 860-693-9128 or Robert Beck, PhD, NCCC at 860-738-6386 for more information.

Tues. Aug 15, 2006: Tuesdays at the Park, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. A drop in time for young children with any developmental issues with their parents or caregivers. Location: Page Park, Bristol (Rte 229 near Rte 6). Universally accessible playscape available. For more information contact Lee McFadden at 860-589-0097 or look for a person in a red shirt at the park.

Wed. August 16, 2006: Pizza Moms Greenwich! Held at Bella Nonna's in Cos Cob, 371 East Putnam Avenue. Check http://www.geocities.com/nanette618/pizzamomsg.html for more info. Pizza Moms is a support group for moms with special needs children in the Fairfield County Area. We meet the third Wednesday evening of every month at 7:00 pm. We get together informally for food, drink, and networking. Everyone is welcome. If you are interested in coming please contact Phillippa Orszulak at 203-531-6471, or angelmanmom@aol.com

Aug. 18-27, 2006: Berard AIT available at IDEA Training Center, North Haven, CT. Call Sally Brockett at 203-234-7401, e-mail sally@ideatrainingcenter.com or visit www.IdeaTrainingCenter.com for more information.

Tues. Aug 22, 2006: Tuesdays at the Park, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. A drop in time for young children with any developmental issues with their parents or caregivers. Location: Page Park, Bristol (Rte 229 near Rte 6). Universally accessible playscape available. For more information contact Lee McFadden at 860-589-0097 or look for a person in a red shirt at the park.

Tues. August 29, 2006: Autism Parents Club: A group of parents (dads too!) of children on the autism spectrum. If you're part of "the club" you will laugh & cry with other parents who could relate to your situation, support each other, share stories & resources, vent & have fun. Open to parents from all over CT. Meets the last Tuesday of the month at 7:30 PM, Francesco's Restaurant, Route 7, Wilton. Casual. No need to RSVP, just come! More info: Patti Sylvia 761-0248 or pattisylvia@aol.com.

Tues. Sept. 5, 2006: Pizza Moms tonight in Darien! Post Corner Pizza in Darien. If you are interested in coming please email Nanette Jordan at: nanette618@yahoo.com. Pizza Moms is a group of moms with special needs children in the Fairfield County Area. We meet the first Tuesday of every month at 7:30 pm. We get together informally and have pizza, salad and beer in Darien. Everyone is welcome. This is a place where moms can talk with other moms.

Thurs. Sept 7, 2006: DMR Name Change Forum. 9:30 a.m. Room 1D, Legislative Office Building, Hartford. This forum is an opportunity for statewide public input on the important issue of a potential name change for DMR. Sign-up for the forum will begin at 8:30 a.m in the first floor Atrium of the LOB. If you prepare a written statement, please bring 20 copies. If you need special accomodations, call DMR's Legislative Liaison, Christine Pollio at 860-418-6066. More information can be found at www.dmr.state.ct.us/NameChange.htm.

Wed. Sept. 13, 2006: A Forum on "Building Bridges Between Schools & Families for Student Success". At the Connecticut Grand Hotel, Waterbury, CT. 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Sponsored by the CT State Department of Education, State Education Resource Center (SERC), Capital Region Education Center (CREC), CT Parent Plus/United Way of CT, The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund.

Wed. Sept. 13, 2006: Detoxification and Your Child: How to prevent and treat neurodevelopmental problems in a toxic world - the Chelation Factor. 7:30 p.m. Dr. Nancy O'Hara will speak on an integrative approach to treating autism. Upstairs at Christ Church Greenwich. Sponsored by FAP - Friends of Autistic People. RSVP and for more information 203-661-8510

Thurs. Sept 14, 2006: Parent Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Founders Hall Conference Room (2nd Fl), Park PLace East, Winsted, CT. Parent Support Group for family members and caregivers of children with autism and related disbilities. All interested parties are welcome to attend. Sponsored by Northwestern Connecticut Community College (NCCC) and Litchfield County Autism Spectrum Association (LACASA). Call Sharon Cable, Parent at 860-693-9128 or Robert Beck, PhD, NCCC at 860-738-6386 for more information.

Sat. September 16, 2006: The Disability Advocacy Collaborative will host a Disability Convention at the CT Expo Center, Hartford, CT.

Wed. Sept 20, 2006: Pizza Moms Greenwich! Held at Bella Nonna's in Cos Cob, 371 East Putnam Avenue. Check http://www.geocities.com/nanette618/pizzamomsg.html for more info. Pizza Moms is a support group for moms with special needs children in the Fairfield County Area. We meet the third Wednesday evening of every month at 7:00 pm. We get together informally for food, drink, and networking. Everyone is welcome. If you are interested in coming please contact Phillippa Orszulak at 203-531-6471, or angelmanmom@aol.com

Mon. Sept. 25, 2006: Support Group Meeting, 7:00 p.m. At the Sterling House Community Center, Main St., Stratford. Sponsored by the Stratford Region - Autism Society of Connecticut. Call Kim Wardlow at 203-416-2647.

Tues. Oct. 3, 2006: Pizza Moms tonight in Darien! Post Corner Pizza in Darien. If you are interested in coming please email Nanette Jordan at: nanette618@yahoo.com. Pizza Moms is a group of moms with special needs children in the Fairfield County Area. We meet the first Tuesday of every month at 7:30 pm. We get together informally and have pizza, salad and beer in Darien. Everyone is welcome. This is a place where moms can talk with other moms.

Thurs. Oct 12, 2006: Parent Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Founders Hall Conference Room (2nd Fl), Park PLace East, Winsted, CT. Parent Support Group for family members and caregivers of children with autism and related disbilities. All interested parties are welcome to attend. Sponsored by Northwestern Connecticut Community College (NCCC) and Litchfield County Autism Spectrum Association (LACASA). Call Sharon Cable, Parent at 860-693-9128 or Robert Beck, PhD, NCCC at 860-738-6386 for more information.

Wed. Oct. 18, 2006: Pizza Moms Greenwich! Held at Bella Nonna's in Cos Cob, 371 East Putnam Avenue. Check http://www.geocities.com/nanette618/pizzamomsg.html for more info. Pizza Moms is a support group for moms with special needs children in the Fairfield County Area. We meet the third Wednesday evening of every month at 7:00 pm. We get together informally for food, drink, and networking. Everyone is welcome. If you are interested in coming please contact Phillippa Orszulak at 203-531-6471, or angelmanmom@aol.com

Mon. Oct 23, 2006: Support Group Meeting, 7:00 p.m. At the Sterling House Community Center, Main St., Stratford. Sponsored by the Stratford Region - Autism Society of Connecticut. Call Kim Wardlow at 203-416-2647.

Wed. Oct 25, 2006: Mock IEP. Sponsored by the Westport SEPTA. Come witness a Nightmare IEP and then a Dream IEP. Tips for a successful IEP meeting will be discussed. Participants will become empowered with knoweldge to serve as more effective advocates. Key areas of IDEA 2004 will be highlighted. All parents and interested professionals are welcome. Presenters include Anne Eason, Esq. and Dr. Kathleen Whitbread. For more information and to reserve a seat, call Janis Fox, SEPTA Programming Chair, at 203-222-8485 or e-mail Westport SETPA at westportspeta@yahoo.com

Sat. Oct. 28, 2006: - People First of CT state conference, Clarion Inn, Bristol 8:00 am – 4:00 pm – Cost: $25. “People First of CT is a statewide self-advocacy organization that believes that all people should be treated as equals and be respected for what they can do. We advocate for ourselves and educate people about self-advocacy and People First of CT. We stand behind closing institutions and encourage people with disabilities to live more independent lives.