Jenny McCarthy the Next Oprah?
The Autism News | English
By Krista R. | Gather
Jenny McCarthy has reportedly signed a deal with Oprah’s Harpo Productions to develop her own television show. No word yet on what the format of the show will be, though Harpo execs say it won’t be like Oprah’s iconic talk show.
It is probably better if McCarthy does not do a traditional Oprah-esque talk show, anyway. She has alienated a number of viewers (and experts) with her strongly held, controversial theories on the root causes of autism. She has been a tireless crusader for her son, Evan, who had autism, alienating proponents of conventional medicine along the way. Whether she could gain the sort of universal trust and authority that Oprah has gained through the years is hard to say, considering the controversy surrounding her views.
So what would be appropriate for a Jenny McCarthy-centered show? Perhaps something of the reality genre. She has had no problem opening up about a good bit of her personal life. A reality show seems like the logical next step.
So what do you think McCarthy’s show format will be?
Source: http://dreamwriters.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978301543&grpId=3659174697259616
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Six years ago, Kevin Sargeant’s mother would have described him as “a broken child.” Now, Kevin is doing an IT internship, and he plans to attend college this fall.
Shinedown
Parents fight for autism coverage
June 14th, 2010
The Autism News | English
By Kim Kozlowski | The Detroit News
Donovan Johns was 3 years old when he was diagnosed with autism after his parents noticed he struggled with speaking, expressing his needs and interacting with others.
His condition has since improved dramatically, his parents say, after therapies that have cost them tens of thousands of dollars.
Donovan’s family was part of a class-action lawsuit against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan that led to a landmark settlement and to it being the state’s first insurer to offer coverage for autistic children.
But most Michigan insurers still don’t cover autism therapies, a situation many are trying to change through lawsuits and legislation to take the financial burden off families. Services, which can cost up to $50,000 annually, are not covered because many insurers deem the therapies experimental. Activists counter research shows many are proven to be effective, especially when implemented early.
“There’s a lot more to be done,” said Warren resident Chris Johns, Donovan’s father. “This condition is devastating, not just from a financial perspective but from an emotional and relationship perspective. It just destroys families.”
Autism is a neurological disorder that impairs a person’s social, emotional and communication skills. About 1 in 100 American children have the disorder, according to federal studies, including an estimated 14,000 in Michigan.
Though the Michigan House has passed legislation to require insurance companies to cover the costs of therapy for autistic children, and a bipartisan task force is conducting hearings around the state, some autism activists believe it won’t become law. That’s why attorneys are ready to file lawsuits against Michigan’s Medicaid program and other insurers to get children therapeutic coverage.
“We’re hoping that once we achieve enough of these victories that all of the insurers will realize this therapy is mainstream and effective and should be authorized,” said Gerard Mantese, a Troy attorney who represented the class in the suit against Blue Cross Blue Shield and is working on litigation against other parties.
Two weeks ago, a Wayne County Circuit judge denied a motion by Blue Cross to dismiss a case, paving the way for a $125,000 settlement filed by Cheryl Matthews, Mantese said. Matthews, an Oakland County circuit judge, alleged the insurance company wrongly refused to pay claims totaling $38,000 for therapy for her autistic son.
The ruling comes as Blue Cross recently mailed checks totaling $680,000 to nearly 100 families after it agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit last year in which families said they were wrongly denied reimbursement for a program for their autistic children.
Even though the insurer still regards autism therapies as experimental, the company changed its policy in May 2009 to offers employers the option to buy autism coverage for their entire group. The coverage offers 60 treatment sessions, or about 12 weeks, to families with autistic children ages 2 to 5.
“We felt there was a need out there, so we moved to change our policy,” said Helen Stojic, a Blue Cross spokeswoman.
Soon after, legislation requiring insurers to pay for better autism treatment was approved by the Michigan House, but it has not moved in the Senate.
Activist Neil Carrick, a Westland resident, has enlisted attorneys to sue Michigan Medicaid to pay for services for his 4-year-old son, Zachary Stacer, who has a form of autism and was developmentally delayed by months.
After paying thousands of dollars out of pocket for therapies, he says you can hardly tell anything is wrong with his son. But that’s because he acted early, and was able to afford some services. But that’s not the case for everyone.
“The way it is right now, if something doesn’t change,” Carrick said, “children are going to grow up and not get the care they need.”
Since 2001, 21 states have passed laws requiring insurers to provide evidence based, early intervention autism therapies, according to Autism Votes, an initiative of the advocacy group Autism Speaks.
New Hampshire has also passed laws and is awaiting the governor’s signature.
The movement comes as research is demonstrating that interventions work, said Lorri Unumb, senior policy adviser and counsel for Autism Speaks.
Source: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100614/METRO/6140345/1409/Parents-fight-for-autism-coverage
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Students With Autism Learn How To Succeed At Work
June 14th, 2010
The Autism News | English
Six years ago, Kevin Sargeant’s mother would have described him as “a broken child.” Now, Kevin is doing an IT internship, and he plans to attend college this fall.
By Jon Hamilton | NPR
People with autism often have a hard time finding and keeping jobs, so more schools are creating programs to help students with autism get prepared for the workplace. One of those programs helped change the life of Kevin Sargeant.
Just a few years ago, when Kevin was still in elementary school, things weren’t looking good for him. He was antisocial, desperately unhappy and doing poorly in school.
“He was pretty much a broken child, the way I would describe it,” says his mother, Jennifer Sargeant. “We really didn’t see that he would be able to go to college, even have a job. That just wasn’t in our future for him.”
Kevin, now 18, says his autism left him unable to handle the social interactions at school.
“I’d always have my head in my jacket and my hood up, and I wouldn’t want to talk to anybody just because I didn’t know what they were going to do,” he says. “I’d always play with my Legos and, you know, I was rude all the time, and I had fits of anger and stuff like that — just because I didn’t understand people.”
The school had classified Kevin as ADHD. But his mother took him for more extensive testing and found out he had autism. That meant Kevin was eligible for special services. His mother fought hard to get him into a school program at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, which specializes in kids with autism and other disorders or disabilities.
Kennedy Krieger High School is also one of a growing number of schools that have created special programs to prepare kids with autism and other disabilities for the workplace.
Turnaround
Six years later, Kevin is a lot more social. He’s a good student. And he’s working — as an intern in the IT department at the Parks & People Foundation. Kevin says computers are a good fit for him.
“When you click something, something happens, and it happens for an exact reason,” he says. “And, you know, there’s no guesswork. With people, sometimes I’m not able to read facial expressions or take nonverbal cues.”
But Kevin needed a lot of help turning his love for computers into a marketable skill.
The process began several years ago, when Kevin was required to choose one of five industries to focus on as part of his education, says Derek Glaaser, the principal of Kennedy Krieger High School.
Kevin chose information technology, which meant that preparing for a job in that industry became a part of his daily schedule.
Learning about computers and software was the easy part for Kevin. He also had to learn skills that can be especially hard for people with autism, like accepting directions from supervisors, working with other people, showing up on time and dressing appropriately.
‘The Sky’s The Limit’
The internship at Parks & People has been a sort of final exam for Kevin. And he’s aced it, says Jean DuBose, director of development and promotions.
“It’s been a pleasure having him,” DuBose says. “He’s been great. He’s quiet but he works very hard. And we’ve enjoyed having him here.”
Kevin says it’s helped him to realize he really does have job skills that people need.
“I still have problems in some areas like with anxiety and sometimes depression, but I’ve definitely come a long way and I’m a lot happier,” he says.
As for Kevin’s mother, nowadays she tends to say things about her son’s future that make him squirm.
“The sky’s the limit,” she says.
Kevin Sargeant graduated from Kennedy Krieger High School a week ago. He’ll start at Montgomery College this fall. Eventually, Kevin hopes to design computer games.
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Local band Shinedown contributes to autistic drum therapy program
June 14th, 2010
The Autism News | English
Shinedown
By Dan Scanlan | The Florida Times Union – Jacksonville
Turner Grishaw had the beat Monday as family and staff watched his drum performance at Jacksonville’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities.
The 7-year-old Westside boy is kicking off his drum therapy with local drummer Jay Brown, a program that could see up to 30 autistic children pounding the skins this summer at the center.
With drums and other instruments donated by George’s Music in Jacksonville Beach, and the therapy program funded by Jacksonville-based rock band Shinedown, Turner is ready to rock.
“They are the best,” he said. “It feels great.”
His mother, Angie , is ready for percussion to rule the house if it gives her autistic son an outlet — one he’s shown ability in.
“When this opportunity came up … I knew it was perfect, and I knew he would love it,” said his mother. “I think he’s pretty good for not having any formal lessons.”
Opportunities for children with autism are more limited because they have socialization and communication deficits and can be harder to teach music to, said Mae Barker, the center’s clinical director.
Barker called the drum program a “wonderful opportunity.”
The center at 6271 St. Augustine Road, provides free assistance to children and adults with autism disorders, dual-sensory impairments and related disabilities. One of seven funded by the Florida Department of Education around the state, this one gets support from the University of Florida and serves Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau and St. Johns counties.
The drum therapy idea came up when a client’s mother told Barker that Brown was showing her autistic child how to drum. Brown agreed to teach, and George’s Music donated the gear. Shinedown, with six million albums sold and a song on the soundtrack for Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland,” got involved thanks to drummer Barry Kerch’s wife, Lori. An autism behavior analyst, she had learned of the drum donation.
“It’s exciting,” Barry Kerch said. “I can’t wait to see how the program grows and see what it does for the children.”
Turner’s sister, Bethany, will also participate.
Center officials say they need more funding to take the program into the fall, and will be seeking that support.
Kerch, meanwhile, is bringing the band in to see the program as their Carnival of Madness tour continues. They’re headlining Friday at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.
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