Do You Have Unclaimed Money ?

The State of Ohio has come out with a new list of people that have unclaimed money. You can find out if you are on it, by visiting Ohio.Gov. The list is reported to have thousands of people on it.

If you don't live in Ohio, don't think this doesn't relate to you. Check to see if your state has an unclaimed list, too. My does. In fact, my husband did this a couple of years ago for our state, and he was on the list. It wasn't much, but it was his.

Do a search for unclaimed money and your state, to find out the site you need to visit. It will be a state government website. In this economy, you can't afford not to go look. You never know, you could have a few dollars or a few thousand dollars that you have forgotten about. This could be money sitting in a bank account that you moved and forgot about. Don't just check the current state you are living in. Check the previous states, too. Good luck.

The New HealthCare Reform Bill Not Constitutional

I am all for health insurance. I have children. They visit the doctor, a lot. They have had a lot of surgeries, especially my autistic son. I think that it is great that, under this new bill, insurances will not be able to deny coverage based on a pre-existing condition. I don't think that a person should be required, by law, to have insurance. Yes, I think everyone should be insured. I think children should be covered. I don't think that the government should make you have health coverage. I'm not the only one. States are challenging the new Healthcare Reform Bill under the grounds that it is unconstitutional.

This bill doesn't just affect the individual and his/her rights. It will also affect the small business owner. A business owner, even one that has only one employee, will be required to insure all employees. Now, if you have time on your hands, you can read the long bill for yourself. I tried, but it is just too long for me to get through.

My concerns for this new bill are the legality of making us have insurance and how the government is going to pay for this massive program. I'm also extremely concerned about the violence and threats that have been discussed on the news this morning. Threats are being made to government officials. Bricks are being thrown into windows. This is unacceptable. Violence is not the answer. If you are unhappy with this bill, you need to write, call, and passively protest the bill. DO NOT resort to violence. This will not help the situation.

Senators Burr and Hagan Ignore Autism Issues

I am following up on my previous articles about asking the government to respond to the new autism rates. I have sent out emails to several government officials and am waiting for replies. So far, no one has replied. I can understand why Senators from different states may not want to reply. I am not their constituent. Although, I think that the fact that my readers are from all over the United States, would be a good reason to respond.

So, what does that say for Senator Kay Hagan and Senator Richard Burr? I am one of their constituents. Out of everyone that I have emailed so far, they should have been the first to reply. Why haven’t they? Do they think that autism isn’t an important enough issue to address? Is it not glamorous enough for them? Do they think that since we do not pour money into their campaigns, that we are not worthy of their attention?

There’s a reason we do not pour money into their campaigns. We are using it to take care of our family and children. Do they even realize how much it costs to take care of a child that is autistic? Do they realize how much money out of our pockets are spend every year to ensure that our children are taken care of? We go into debt, because we have to do what is necessary to give our children the help they need.

I wish that they would take a day and spend it with a family that is raising an autistic child. Then, maybe they will start to realize how much help we need. I am tired of being ignored. I am tired of the Band-Aids they use with us and say that they are supporting our children and families.

Maybe I am going too far. It may not be their fault that they have not responded to my emails. It could be that their staff just doesn’t think it is important. On the other hand, their staff represents them. Doesn’t it amount to the same thing? Burr and Hagan have dismissed autism as a concern. They are ignoring our plea for help. When election time comes around, I may have to take a look at someone else to elect.

What Happens When Autistic Children Become Adults

I conducted an email interview with Dan E. Burns, Ph.D., author of Saving Ben about the new autism rates. His son is currently 22 and is dealing with issues now that will only get worse when the rising number of children now being diagnosed with autism become adults. After you read this, I urge you to leave a comment about your concerns. We need to make our voices heard.

You can also join me, Stacie with Super Mommy to the Rescue and Jon Gilbert with Same Child, Different Day in our email campaign to the government. You can read more about our efforts here, Government Officials Need to Respond to Rising Autism Rates. A copy of the email we are using can be found on my post, Reaching Out to the Government to Help Our Children.

Here are the questions and answers for my interview with Dan E. Burns is author of Saving Ben:

Question: What was your reaction to the new CDC autism rates?

Answer: I was surprised that the CDC rate 1 in 110 was not higher. The commonly quoted prevalence rate from October 2009 issue of Pediatrics was 1 in 91, and anecdotal evidence suggests that both rates understate the problem. Dallas Independent School District (DISD) had three or four autism classrooms fifteen years ago, when Ben entered the system. DISD is planning to open ten new special education classrooms this year, mainly to serve ASD students. Big picture, we are looking at a 10-fold increase in ASD students in the last decade. Clearly, there is a growing wave of ASD students rolling toward graduation.

Question: These rates are based on children diagnosed with autism. How do you see this affecting children when they are adults?

Answer: When Ben was diagnosed, his pediatric neurologist said, "Save your money for his institutionalization when he turns 21." Ben is 22 and has aged out of the school system and related support services. He is at the lip of a tsunami of aged-out students who are about to hit the impact zone and will need jobs, homes, and supportive communities.

Question: Do you think the government will be prepared to assist such an increase in autistic adults in the future?

Answer: Governments are unprepared for the impact. As an example, last October, Ben interviewed with the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services in search of a job. He was informed by letter that "It has been determined that an employment outcome cannot be achieved because of the severity of your disability. Therefore, you are not eligible for vocational rehabilitative services." Without a job, Ben's opportunities to live in a group home are severely limited. And the supportive community that surrounded him at school has simply disappeared. Ben is left in the shore dump.

Question: 3. Do you think that the government is currently meeting the needs of autistic adults? If not, what will this mean for the rising number of autistic children when they are adults?

Answer: No, government is not currently meeting the needs of autistic adults. According to a CARD in Florida, "The Current State of Services for Adults with Autism," 74% of autistic adults want to work, but only 19% are currently working.

As usual, policies pressure for a solution must come through parents. Advancing Futures of Adults with Autism (AFAA) is holding national town hall meetings and is preparing a national agenda for presentation to Congress and President Obama. Meanwhile, there are some things that parents can do for children who have not yet aged out. Here are five things I wish I'd done before Ben graduated:

Institute a rigorous program of household chores and savings.

Consider a summer job instead of summer school.

Participate in weekend work retreats with your ASD child.

Work with the school system to create internships in sheltered workshops.

Resist school system dependency. Teach your child to advocate for himself.

Whether our children are school age or adults, we are in this together.

Dan E. Burns is author of Saving Ben: A Father's Story of Autism. See a 2-minute video review of the book, HERE.

Government Officials Need to Respond to Rising Autism Rates

I continued my email campaign to government officials requesting a response to the new CDC report of the rising autism rates in America. Their previous report stated 1 in 150 children are diagnosed with autism. That shocked us, but the newest rates, 1 in 110 not only shocked us but also scared us. We want answers, not only to how they feel about it, but also what they intend to do about it.

Last time I sent out emails, it was to Governors and Senators. This time, I only emailed Senators. I will get back to Governors when I have emailed all of the U.S. Senators. I also intend to email Congressmen and all other government officials until I am satisfied that they are listening and reacting.

If you want to see a copy of the email I am sending, you can read it on my original post. You can also see who I sent my first round of emails to. Here is a list of the Senators I just emailed and am awaiting responses:

Baucus, Max - (D - MT)
Bayh, Evan - (D - IN)
Begich, Mark - (D - AK)
Bennet, Michael F. - (D - CO)
Bennett, Robert F. - (R - UT)
Bingaman, Jeff - (D - NM)
Bond, Christopher S. - (R - MO)
Brown, Sherrod - (D - OH)
Brownback, Sam - (R - KS)
Bunning, Jim - (R - KY)
Burris, Roland W. - (D - IL)

Jon Gilbert, with Same Child, Different Day, has requested to join me in my cause and I will report on his progress as he updates me. If you would like to use my email letter to request information from your government representatives, feel free to do so. I would appreciate it if you would keep me updated on any responses you receive so that I can write about them on my site.

This is an extremely important issue. It deserves a response from our elected officials. We may not be big contributors to their campaigns, but we are American citizens and we do elect them to serve us. If they can not respond to our requests for action, then we will find someone to elect in their place next time we are voting. Our children deserve their help now and in the future. The CDC acknowledges the rising autism rates as a major health concern in the U.S. With so many children being diagnosed with autism now, what will happen when they are adults? Will there be a system in place to assure their proper care? Will they be lost in a system that doesn’t understand them?

We also need our children to receive more help now. If they can’t provide the help and support we need for our children now, I don’t see how they can help them when they are adults. Action is needed now. It is time that empty promises are replaced with practical solutions. I will not stop making my voice heard. I will not stop calling for our elected officials to acknowledge the autism community and start helping us. I am a mom and I can roar.

Reaching Out to the Government to Help Our Children

I do a lot of writing about what the government isn't doing to help our children. Now that the CDC has officially recognized autism as a major health concern, 1 in 110 children are diagnosed with autism, I thought it was time to reach out to our government and ask them directly for help.

I have sent out my first round of emails to different government officials. Each one said the same thing and asked the same questions. Because it is so close to Christmas, I don't expect a response from anyone immediately. Hopefully, after the holidays, someone will reply. I will continue sending out my emails each day until I have contacted everyone in a position to help.



Here is a copy of the email I sent and the list of who I have sent it out to today:


Thank you for taking time to read my email request for information. I am the owner and administrator of AutismLearningFelt, and online publication for parents raising a child with autism. My readers and I would like to know what you are doing to help us.

I have a few questions that I would like to ask you and hope you will respond. Your answers will be published on my website within a day or two of your response. Thank you again for your time.

1. When the CDC announced the new autism rates, 1 in 110 children are diagnosed with autism, what were your first thoughts?

2. Services for children with autism are limited and difficult to receive. Most are limited to speech, occupational and speech therapy, yet hardly ever enough of these services to make a big impact for our children. Services like ABA and Floortime therapy are usually not available for our children unless we, the parents, pay for them ourselves. Children that receive at least 20 to 25 hours a week of specialized therapy make more progress than those that do not. What do you intend to do to make government paid specialized therapy services available for our children?

3. Early Intervention is extremely important. Do you have any plans for improving the identification and diagnosis of autism and an earlier age?

4. Autism families need a voice within the government. There are several great organizations that lobby and advocate for us, but we need government officials to take up our cause. Do you have any plans to stand up as a voice for the autism community and bring about more government involvement in addressing the concerns of families raising a child with autism and bringing about practical help for us?

5. Finally, have you considered the time when our children are adults and will require even more help? As parents, we like to think that we will always be here for our children. As our children get older, we realize that soon they will be adults and may become dependent on the government for their care. Do you have any plans to address this issue?

Governor Bob Riley, Alabama
Governor Charlie Crist, FL
Gov. Bev Perdue, NC
Gov. David A. Patterson, NY
Gov. Chris Gregoire, WA
Gov. Martin O’Malley

Alexander, Lamar - (R - TN)
Barrasso, John - (R - WY)
Hagan, Kay R. - (D - NC)
Burr, Richard - (R - NC)
Boxer, Barbara - (D - CA)

Calling for Action After the CDC Reports Higher Autism Rates

1 in 110 children are diagnosed with autism. That is 1 percent of our children in the United States. “These results indicate an increased prevalence of identified ASDs among U.S. children aged 8 years and underscore the need to regard ASDs as an urgent public health concern. Continued monitoring is needed to document and understand changes over time, including the multiple ascertainment and potential risk factors likely to be contributing. Research is needed to ascertain the factors that put certain persons at risk, and concerted efforts are essential to provide support for persons with ASDs, their families, and communities to improve long-term outcome.” - CDC

Identifying ASD at a young age is important. Early intervention has been proved to benefit our children. Yet, “the average age of diagnosis was 53 months” - CDC. Autism Speaks is pushing for the government to finance efforts to improve this number. I feel that this is extremely important for children that have yet to be diagnosed.






The CDC also acknowledges that community services are important in order to “improve daily functioning and long-term life outcomes.” The Autism Society of America agrees with this, and is calling upon the “government to address the pressing need for community-based services to ensure a better quality of life for people with autism and their families and to increase funding for research into what factors put people at risk and treatments that will mitigate the severest medical symptoms affecting people with this chronic medical condition.” http://www.autism-society.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=15481&news_iv_ctrl=1882

Both organizations are working towards important goals. Both are doing what they can to get the government to step up and help the children of America. This is no longer a concern for the few. The statistics show that the ASD rates are increasing drastically. It is time that the government started making a real impact in this area.

A child should not have to wait until the age of 4 and 5 for a diagnosis. Appropriate therapy can not be established without an appropriate diagnosis. Parents should not have to fight for a few hours of therapy a week. Children with autism benefit more from intense therapy, like ABA or Floortime, 20 to 25 hours a week, minimum. Most parents are not able to get this for their child. Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy are important, but they don’t address the communication and social skills issues that are key with most autistic children. Two hours a week of combined therapy in those three areas are just not enough.


It is important that we all demand that our government take action. It is not enough that Autism Speaks and Autism Society of America are rallying their resources for us. We, the people, need to make our voices heard. It is time to call and email your Representatives and demand action. Call and email every level of government and every official that represents your city and your state. It is time that they started giving us some real help.