ARRO Westside Family and Community Center
2360 SW 170th Ave, Beaverton, Oregon
Tuesday, October 12th
6:30-8:00 PM
ARRO (Autism Research and Resources of Oregon) will be hosting a panel discussion on high school transition for teens with Autism. The panel will feature Jonathan Chase, Peter Fitzgerald, and David Abramowitz, discussing the ins and outs of transition out of high school and into adulthood as it relates to teens with Autism. Topics will include pre-high school planning, writing long-term goals into an IEP, eligibility and services in high school, and how the various agencies and services interact with families and the public school system. The panel will also be taking questions and offering advice specific to the laws in the state of Oregon.
Jonathan Chase is an adult with Asperger’s Syndrome and a member of the Autism Society of Oregon’s board of directors. Peter Fitzgerald works with the Youth Transition Program with the University of Oregon and has over 30 years of experience as a special ed teacher and transition specialist. David Abramowitz also has over 30 years of experience working with transition-age teens and their families in the Eugene school district. Jonathan, Peter, and David all serve on the Transition Subcommittee on the Oregon Commission on ASD.
This event is open to the public and will offer information helpful to parents of children with Autism who are currently in high school or looking ahead to high school in the future. Teens and adults with ASD, service providers, and professionals are welcome to attend and ask questions. The forum will be held at the ARRO Westside Family and Community Center and a $5 donation is suggested, but not required, to help support our efforts to support the autism community and develop resources that meet the needs of our families and individuals with autism throughout their life and throughout the spectrum of ability. Handouts, refreshments, and coffee will be available.
Walk-ins are welcome, but RSVP’s would be appreciated. Please email Jonathan@JonathanChase.Net if you plan to attend or have any questions.
Believe in Possibilities, Navigating Life as an Adult with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Autism Society of Oregon‘s fall Conference will be for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, their parents/caregivers and professionals working with the adult population.
The conference will be on Friday, October 1st at the Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR (more details here).
There will be several break out sessions on various topics and an exhibition hall of agencies and non-profits who supports adults with ASD.
In early 2006, 12-year-old Joshua Littman, who has Asperger Syndrome, interviewed his mother, Sarah, at StoryCorps. Their one-of-a-kind conversation covered everything from cockroaches to Sarah’s feelings about Joshua as a son.
Tune into the PBS documentary program POV in August and September to see more StoryCorps animated stories.
Reynolds School District in collaboration with Multnomah County School Districts presents the 2010 Multnomah County Transition Resource Fair.
Time – 10am – 6pm on April 9th, 2010
Place: Four Corners, Reynolds School District
14513 SE Stark Street, Portland, OR 97233
Independence Northwest will be sharing a table with several other metro area brokerages.
The fair will include resources on jobs, self-determination, health care, housing and training available to individuals living in Multnomah County and receiving (or preparing to receive) high school transition services.
For questions, please contact Shirley Burns (503.328.0428) or Shannon Selby (503.328.0423), the co-chairs of the 2010 Transition Resource Fair.
While written for the parent reader, the guide proves useful to a much more expansive group. Arm yourself with this document before your next IEP meeting. As Lewis Carroll wrote, “If you don’t know where you are going, any path will take you there.” A good transition plan will be your path to a successful adulthood for your
young adult with ASD.
Chapters include:
Agency Help/Legal Information
Transition Plan
Student-Centered Transition Plan
Vocation and Employment
Post-secondary Education
Life Skills
Looking Ahead
Please forward this important document on to anyone you kn0w who might benefit from it. There’s a slew of appendices in the back and we can’t recommend this rich resource enough.
Game Club
6:30 – 10:00 p.m.
Friday, February 12, 2010
West Linn Lutheran Church
20390 Willamette Drive
West Linn, Oregon directions »
Imagine an HFA teenager helping a younger child win a certain level on a video game. Imagine two children, who normally wouldn’t want to socialize, excitedly exchanging GameBoy tips.
Parents of children who have not succeeded in organized sports or other activities before find this is one arena where their children shine. Even a child who chooses to simply side play with the other children is still having fun! The kids enjoy the games and the potluck food, and the adults find friendships and understanding while sharing information about their children with one another
Happy birthday, Game Club!
Game Club is 10 years old! Join us this friday (February 12) for our birthday celebration. Along with the usual pizza, video games, and other fun, we will have two cakes (one will be gluten free), a group photo, and a visit from independent filmmaker Jeff Grinta, who will be filming a brief “promo video”. Meet us at the usual time place. Don’t miss out on the fun!
Cost: A donation of $8 per family is requested to offset monthly fees for use of the space.
Activities: Video games such as Wii, X-Box 360, Game Cube, Nintendo 64, Playstation, Supernintendo, SEGA and other favorites are projected on the walls using InFocus projectors (this is ultra cool!). Gameboy, Pokemon and Board Games are also available.
Disability Scoop is the first and only nationally focused online news organization serving the developmental disability community including autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fragile X and intellectual disability, among others.
Five days each week Disability Scoop sifts through the clutter to provide a central, reliable source of news, information and resources. Plus, Disability Scoop is the only place to find original content and series like “Scoop Essentials” that take an in-depth look at what lies beyond the day’s headlines.
Autism Learning Felt – A website hosted by the mother of children with autism. Full of resources and anecdotes.
Mothering Autism – Words of personal experience, opinion, and lessons learned about mothering a child on the spectrum with autism, his younger sister, marriage, finances, and seeking out a sense of self.
Autism, Aspergers and More, Oh My! – Following an abrupt introduction into the world of Special Needs children after the birth of my very premature (14 weeks to be precise) son I embarked on a journey. If you are reading these words I suspect you or someone you know is traveling a similar path. My intention in these pages is to share information about the therapies and treatments that are within the scope of my experience as a parent.
The booklet was written and edited by two mothers of children with autism. It gives basic information about the disability and summarizes resources available through the Department of Human Services.
Catherine Strong and Mary Anne Seaton first produced this booklet in 1996 as a labor of love. Both are parents of children with autism. They met when Catherine’s daughter was diagnosed 12 years ago and Mary Anne visited their home to answer the questions that Catherine and her husband Ted had about autism. That kitchen-table conversation was the inspiration for this booklet.
A new “Now What” Group is now forming in the Tigard area. This is a private-pay opportunity for individuals with Autism or Asperger Syndrome offerings tools, support, and social experience for post-high school young adults, (age 18–28 years).
About the course:
This series of 12 sessions is designed to address some of the cognitive-social issues that are common to individuals with Asperger’s, Non-verbal Learning Disorder, and High-Functioning Autism. Our group supports the inclusion of a variety of abilities. The series follows a sequence of topics that range from discussions about the member’s individual interests, to talking about plans for the future. Our final meeting is a “group date” for dinner, during which we enjoy each other’s company and apply some of the things we have discussed over the preceding weeks.
The topics that we discuss overlap from one series to the next, but this is not a comprehensive course. We often have much more material than time to cover it. There is new material in each series. As a consequence of that, and of having some new members in each series, it is a different experience every time we do it. Each series is, to some extent, tailored to the needs of the members. Many members are returning from earlier groups.
We are committed to providing an emotionally and physically safe environment. In order to maintain that safety, we discourage negative comments, and will not tolerate disparaging remarks directed at any member. We maintain confidentiality and respect for the young adults who participate in the group experience.
Each weekly meeting builds on the ones before it. In order to get the most benefit from the series, it is important that members attend every group. It is also important for the members to be able to count on each other’s support from one week to the next. We know that life happens. If you know ahead of time that you will not make many of the groups, it might be better to consider joining the next series.
Free informational meeting
Wednesday, September 9 2009, from 8:00pm to 9:00pm (at the end of clinic hours) at Southwest Family Physicians, 11900 SW Greenburg Rd., Tigard, Oregon, 97223
Meeting Schedule
Wednesday evenings 6:30 to 8:00 pm
At: Southwest Family Physicians
11900 SW Greenburg Rd.
Tigard, Oregon, 97223
$55* per 90-minute group. 12 weekly meetings.
Skills Notebook and other materials included.
*NOTE: Brokerage funds cannot be used to pay for this resource due to the rate structure.
For more information, please contact:
Peggy Piers, M.Ed.-counseling (503) 977-2411
Email: piers.p@comcast.net
Through September 18th, Future Horizons is offering a 25% discount to customers. Just enter the code BACK2SCHOOL when you check out.
About Future Horizons:
Future Horizons was founded in 1996 in the belief that dissemination of information about autism and Asperger’s Syndrome through books, conferences, and other media would beneficially impact those who live and work with the condition, personally and professionally. Devoted entirely to supporting and fostering such works and programs, Future Horizons has grown to be a world leader in publications and conferences on autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.
Leslie Clark and her husband have been trying to communicate with their autistic 7-year-old son, JW, for years, but until last month, the closest they got was rudimentary sign language.
He’s “a little bit of a mini-genius,” Clark says, but like many autistic children, JW doesn’t speak at all.
Desperate to communicate with him, she considered buying a specialized device like the ones at his elementary school in Lincoln, Neb. But the text-to-speech machines are huge, heavy and expensive; a few go for $8,000 to $10,000.
Then a teacher told her about a new application that a researcher had developed for, of all things, the iPhone and iPod Touch. Clark drove to the local Best Buy and picked up a Touch, then downloaded the “app” from iTunes.
Total cost: about $500.
A month later, JW goes everywhere with the slick touch-screen mp3 player strapped to his arm. It lets him touch icons that voice basic comments or questions, such as, “I want Grandma’s cookies” or “I’m angry — here’s why.” He uses his “talker” to communicate with everyone — including his service dog, Roscoe, who listens to voice commands through the tiny speakers.
It’s a largely untold story of Apple’s popular audio devices.
It is not known how many specialized apps are out there, but Apple touts a handful on iTunes, among them ones that help users do American Sign Language and others like Proloquo2Go, which helps JW speak.
The app also aids children and adults with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and Lou Gehrig’s Disease, or ALS — even stroke patients who have lost the ability to speak, says its co-developer, Penn State doctoral student Samuel Sennott.
Using the iPhone and Touch allows developers to democratize a system that has relied on devices that were too expensive or difficult to customize, Sennott says. “I love people being able to get it at Best Buy,” he says. “That’s just a dream.”
He also says that for an autistic child, the ability to whip out an iPhone and talk to friends brings “this very hard-to-quantify cool factor.”
Sennott won’t give out sales figures for the $149.99 app but says they’re “extremely brisk.”
Ronald Leaf, director of Autism Partnership, a private California-based agency, says he prefers to help autistic children such as JW learn how to navigate their world without gadgets. “If we could get children to talk without using technology, that would be our preference,” he says.
Clark says the app has changed her son’s life.
“He’s actually communicating,” she says. “It’s nice to see what’s going on in his head.”
Among the revelations of the past month: She now knows JW’s favorite restaurant. “I get to spend at least every other day at the Chinese buffet.”
A Portland woman who sees a void in Oregon education is starting a private school for students with neurological differences such as autism and attention deficit disorder.
Sameera Abdulaziz’s metro-area school would serve a select student population and combine academics with therapeutic intervention to help students make decisions and learn how to interact with others.
Abdulaziz, 29, a doctoral student in clinical psychology, plans to open River City Academy in fall 2010. The school has nonprofit status.
The high numbers of students with autism and other disorders support a local presence, she said. There are few private schools in the metro area that cater to students with special needs and learning disabilities.
More than 7,000 Oregon students have autism, which is 10 times the amount a decade ago. Nearly 49,000 of Oregon’s 88,000 schoolchildren in special education programs have learning disabilities or speech and language impairments. One in eight Oregon students receives special education services.
“I really want to help the students who are struggling in traditional schools,” Abdulaziz said. During her master’s program, she began thinking of opening a school for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other learning disabilities, though the focus later changed.
Federal law requires school districts to serve students with special education needs, although the programs vary.
Some districts, including Portland and Beaverton, offer programs at select schools to serve certain students, including those with autism spectrum disorder, attention disorders or behavior disorders. Most districts strive to be inclusive so that special-needs students spend much of their day with the general student population.
River City Academy will be modeled after the Monarch School in Houston, which opened in 1998 and serves 100 students. Abdulaziz has signed a contract with Monarch School to replicate its program.
Abdulaziz found Monarch on the Internet when she was refining her school’s focus. She said the program attracted her because it was a therapeutic model that could be offered during the day instead of as a boarding school. She also liked how “the children changed as people.”
“Our main goal is how they have changed emotionally, how they have been able to create relationships with other students,” Abdulaziz said.
Abdulaziz has never worked in a school. She earned her master’s degree in education administration from Portland State University and is pursuing a doctorate degree with Walden University, an online program.
River City’s tuition will be about $30,000 for early intervention students ages 4 to 6, with lower fees for older students. The school hopes to attract 20 or more students from early childhood to the high school level for its first year.
Students would have individualized learning plans and work at their own pace along with a staff psychologist and speech pathologist. Students could feel comfortable in the setting because they all have special education needs, Abdulaziz said.
Central goals of the curriculum are developing basic skills and decision-making techniques.
In public schools, the thought is to integrate students as much as possible into classes and with their peers, said Joshua Fritts, a Beaverton School District assistant special education director.
“By making sure from day one that there are interactions in the mainstream, kids are part of their community,” Fritts said.
Patrick Maguire, director of Thomas Edison High School in Beaverton, said a new metro-area school would add choices. The 80-student private high school serves students with learning differences including dyslexia, attention deficit disorder and auditory processing disorders.
“We’re turning away kids from our program,” Maguire said. “We need more options.”
Maguire added that one of his concerns about River City’s initial size is that students wouldn’t get enough social interaction with others their age.
River City is funded by private investors during its planning year. It is still raising money to send teachers, a psychologist and speech pathologist to Houston to train with the Monarch staff for a year.
School planners eventually want to add a diagnostic clinic to serve the community and create a Life Academy program for students to practice skills such as food preparation.
River City Academy “is not just going to be a school, but part of the community,” Abdulaziz said.
Kristinachew.com– Kristina Chew is a Classics professor, mother of a 12-year-old son, Charlie, who’s on the moderate to severe end of the autism spectrum, a translator and teacher of Latin and ancient Greek and a blogger, formerly at My Son Has Autism/Autismland (2006-2008), Autism Vox (2006-08) and Change.org (2008-09). She’s currently writing a book about life on the long road with Charlie.
Wrong Planet – A web community designed for individuals (and parents of those) with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, ADHD, PDDs, and other neurological differences. We provide a discussion forum, where members communicate with each other, an article section, with exclusive articles and how-to guides, a blogging feature, and a chatroom for real-time communication with other Aspies.
Portland Aspergers Network (PAN) was established in Portland, Oregon in 1997 to support families affected by Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). In its infant state it was a small group of parents in a hospital meeting room or a private home who came together to discuss how this little known disorder impacted the lives of other families. There was a strong desire to become educated. There was a humane instinct to support. Furthermore there was immediate relief in the idea that our families and our children were no longer alone.
In the past six years PAN has assisted an ever-expanding number of households with a wide range of services. We exist in goodwill to support families whose daily lives are affected by a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome.
Our mission has been one of reward and success and it is that which validates the necessity of our continued presence in the community and the need to exercise the trust earned therein. We are excited to find ourselves on the leading edge of an important cause and we are ready to take our commitment to the next level.
ASPERGERS NETWORK PROGRAMS:
Online Community
This is a moderated Internet chat group comprised of parents from around Oregon and SW Washington.
Game Night
A monthly event where Aspergers kids, ages 5 to 18, can be themselves while engaging in activities they love. They eat great snacks, play video games and board games and trade Pokemon cards all night long. Meets monthly.
Parent Support Group Meetings
Meetings feature guest speakers that provide professional services to the Aspergers community. Meetings are also a chance for informal interactions between parents, who share information and experiences. Meetings are 4 times a year (Jan, Apr, July, Oct).
Teen Club
Twice monthly activities for teens 13 and older are held at various locations: LaserTag, rock wall climbing, movies, LAN Parties, and a chance to meet others in an accepting environment.
Resource Directory
We host this helpful guide created and maintained independently by one of our members. It includes support groups, social skills groups, workshops, events, doctors, summer camps, books, web sites and more.
Inclusion: Studies have been developed in collaboration or consultation with individuals on the autistic spectrum.
Respect: Strengths-based and respectful perspectives and language are used in all phases of research including reporting.
Accessibility: Every attempt is made to create research participation materials that are physically and culturally accessible to all participants.
Relevance: Research questions are relevant and useful to the autistic adult community.
AASPIRE is conducting a series of online research studies using the AASPIRE Gateway on topics such as healthcare, online sense of community, and problem solving. AASPIRE is recruiting participants with and without disabilities and participants on the autistic spectrum.
Who can participate: Participants must be 18 years or older and must have access to the Internet. Participants may reside anywhere in the world, but all research studies will be in English.
How to participate: You can learn more about the AASPIRE Gateway Project by going to the Registration section and reading a detailed Information Sheet. Once you have read the Information Sheet, you will be asked if you would like to participate in the Gateway Project. If you decide to participate, you will need to register by entering an e-mail address and creating a password.
<!–More information about the communities and workgroups can be found on the Structure page.
More information about specific members can be found on the Members page.
More information about our projects can be found on the Projects page.
Some quick stats on Independence Northwest’s current customer base. Independence Northwest serves 450 adults with disabilities across Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties.
Multnomah – 61% of our customer base Clackamas – 23% of our customer base Washington – 16% of our customer base
65% of our customer base is under the age of 30
35% of our customers are between 18 and 21
57% of our customers are male; 43% are female
Over 20% of our customers fall on the Autism Spectrum
6% of our customers experience Down Syndrome; another 6% experience Cerebral Palsy;
5% of our customers experience Epilepsy; another 5% experience FAS or Drug-Affected Disorders
7% of our customers are exclusively non-English speaking
The “No Myths” PSA offers a refreshingly positive and optimistic view about life with autism. And it was written and performed by people who should know–individuals who are on the autism spectrum themselves. The purpose of the PSA is to tell society that, with the right supports, people with autism can do anything anybody else can do, even if it isn’t in the same way. Ari Ne’eman, president of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, leads a cast that includes {in order of appearance} Dena Gassner, Ben Liske, and Jacob Pratt.
The Dan Marino Foundation of Weston, FL sponsored the piece, which was filmed by Nashville-based Kent Creative. Jon Kent directed the PSA and Britt Simmons was the Director of Photography.
“No Myths” was filmed inside the Parthenon in Nashville, TN. The Nashville Parthenon, which was built in 1897, is a full-scale replica of the ancient Greek Temple. The two bronze doors, used as a symbol throughout the PSA, weigh 7.5 tons each, and are thought to be the largest pair of matching bronze doors in existence. The producers wish to thank Citation Film Support and the Filmworker’s Club of Nashville for their generous support of this project.
A pair of federally funded studies on autism rates is about to make news — big news — and it isn’t good: It would appear that somewhere around one percent of all US children currently have an autism spectrum disorder. The rate is even higher among six to 11 year olds and among boys, according to data from at least one of the new studies.
If you are an expectant parent, or planning to have a child soon, you might want to sit down before absorbing these staggering statistics, recently released by the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), which is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services.
According to data from the 2007 telephone survey of parents of nearly 82,000 US children, the odds of a child receiving an ASD diagnosis are one in 63. If it is a boy, the chances climb to a science fiction-like level of one in 38, or 2.6% of all male children in America.
But there was also some surprisingly good news. Enormous numbers of children originally diagnosed with ASD went on to shed their diagnosis as they got older, parents reported.
Among all children aged two to 17, according to respondents, one in 100 (100-per-10,000) currently have an ASD diagnosis, which is considerably higher than the previously (CDC) estimated rate of 1-in-150, (or 66-per-10,000).
But researchers were also told by parents that 60-per-10,000 children “had autism, Asperger’s Disorder etc. at some point, but not currently.”
This suggests two rather remarkable things:
1. At some point in their lives, 1-in-63 US children (160-per-10,000) will have an ASD diagnosis and;
2. Out of every 160 children diagnosed with ASD, 60 of them (37.5%) will somehow go on to lose that diagnosis.
Building Futures is for anyone who has an interest in supporting individuals with disabilities as they transition from school to life. This includes Secondary Educators, Post Secondary Educators, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors, Special Educators, therapists, counselors, service providers, job developers, and other rehabilitation specialists, and especially secondary students with disabilities and their families. Throughout the two-day event there will be presentations by regional and national experts on issues surrounding secondary transition and assistive technology. Check out the agenda here.
The University of Missouri has published Adult Autism & Employment: A Guide for Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals. According to their website, the document is a practical synthesis of existing literature and innovative promising practices. It includes previously unpublished insights and suggestions from a national expert on autism & employment.
To develop this resource, author Scott Standifer consulted closely with James Emmett, one of the few experts with real world experience about employment supports specifically for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). It is a valuable tool for vocational rehabilitation professionals, employment service providers, and anyone interested in supporting the employment of adults with ASD.
Portland Asperger’s Network – This is a support group in Portland, Oregon, for parents of children with Asperger Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism. We have an online community that shares experiences and suggestions and we also meet about once a month for face-to-face support, to hear speakers or go on family outings together.
Meetings:
Tabor Heights Methodist Church
6161 S.E. Stark St.
No charge to attend, but donations gladly accepted. For more information, call 503-284-4507.
This is a monthly video and board game party for AS/HFA children age 5-18.
Meeting times and date for game club:
The group meets the second Friday of each month (some variation around holidays), 6:30-10 p.m., at West Linn Lutheran Church, 20390 Willamette Drive, West Linn, Oregon. Children learn social skills while playing games and parents share information and experiences. Free, but donations gladly accepted. Potluck snacks and beverages.
Portland AS Adult Support Group – A support group for AS adults, currently age 19-75, which meets twice monthly.
Meeting Times
This group meets on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month
Meeting Location:
Independence Living Resources Center in Portland.
Contact:
Individuals wishing to know more about the group are encouraged to contact:
Roger Meyer at rogernmeyer@earthlink.net , or,
Linda Newland at OPU@peak.org
Description:Autism I is a much-in-demand class which is both highly informative about Autism Spectrum Disorders, and practical about support needs and strategies. This course is highly recommended for anyone with an interest or need to gain a good basic understanding of autism and the wide spectrum of autism disorders.
Location: East Portland Police Precinct, Community Room
737 SE 106TH AVE
PORTLAND, Oregon 97216-3197
Cost: $20/co-op member, $40/non-member. (Check or money order payable to ‘Danville Services of Oregon, LLC’)
If you have any questions contact:
Name: Liz Saufley
Telephone: (503) 228-4401
Mail registration form to:
Danville Services of Oregon
The mission of the site is to encourage new ways of thinking about developmental disabilities, in the belief that changes in our attitudes and actions can help create a society where all children and adults with developmental disabilities have opportunities to live the lives of their dreams, included in all areas of life.
As a parent, author, and trainer, Kathie challenges conventional wisdom and promotes new attitudes, new actions, and common sense in the disability arena. Since 1991, she’s presented hundreds of seminars at conferences and meetings across the United States and Canada. Her first book, Disability is Natural: Revolutionary Common Sense for Raising Successful Children with Disabilities, was published in 2001, and is now in its second edition. It’s a ground-breaking manual for change that’s used by parents, professionals, teachers, and several universities. Kathie launched this website in 2001, along with a variety of products that promote positive attitudes and perceptions about disability, including the one-of-a-kind “Disability is Natural” DVD. She’s written hundreds of articles, many of which are included in her second book, 101 Reproducible Articles for a New Disability Paradigm. She’s currently working on her next book on the inclusion of people with disabilities in community activities, like churches/synagogues, recreational activities, and other ordinary environments.
The Oregon Training Series on Direct Supports will be sponsoring an exceptional opportunity on January 30th, 2009. Acclaimed author, trainer and advocate John O’Brien will be making a rare Oregon appearance and we urge you to take advantage of this opportunity. To view the flier, click here.
John O’Brien has been in the forefront of thinking and creating precedent setting innovations that helped create full lives for people with disability labels the world over. In addition to developing many of the planning systems used internationally, training thousands of facilitators and human service workers, he is a writer with enormous insight and sensitivity. The training will bring to life John’s new book “Making A Difference, A Guidebook for Person Centered Direct Support.”
This isn’t OCDS’ only opportunity. Visit their website for a number of excellent trainings on disability over the coming months.
ARRO Westside Family and Community Center
Believe in Possibilities, Navigating Life as an Adult with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Autism Learning Felt
A new “Now What” Group is now forming in the Tigard area. This is a private-pay opportunity for individuals with Autism or Asperger Syndrome offerings tools, support, and social experience for post-high school young adults, (age 18–28 years).
Through September 18th, 
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Kristinachew.com
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Some quick stats on Independence Northwest’s current customer base. Independence Northwest serves 450 adults with disabilities across Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties.
The following article was recently posted on 
The University of Missouri has published 
Portland Asperger’s Network
