We understand that many people and families are being directly impacted, seeing disruptions in services and coping with the uncertainty of what comes next. We want to share some resources and information that may help you at this time. This information came from Autism Speaks website free of charge informational videos. Autism Certification Center (ACC) and Autism Speaks…

Special Announcement – Funding Available for COVID-19 Needs The Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities is encouraging people with disabilities, families of people with disabilities, and disability non-profit organizations to apply for new, one-time grants through its scholarship fund. The Council special funding grants are to be used for technology to support people with disabilities to…

Science and the arts have never made easy bedfellows, but three projects that unite psychology and theater could help treat autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). The skills developed in drama training closely correspond with three of the main impairments seen in autism: social interaction, communication and flexibility of imagination. One drama-based intervention is the SENSE Theatre…

Older people are more likely to have serious COVID-19 illness. This may be because immune systems change with age, making it harder to fight off diseases and infection. Older adults also are more likely to have underlying health conditions that make it harder to cope with and recover from illness. In addition, people of all…

With a pandemic pressing tens of thousands of the nation’s school districts into extended closures, special education administrators across the nation are wrestling with a weighty dilemma: how to provide services to students with disabilities. Federal law mandates that individuals with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in everything schools provide—including online learning. But…

A practical guide for health professionals to meet the needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurological disability that affects a person’s ability to communicate, understand language, and socially interact with others. The first signs of ASD usually appear as developmental delays before age…