Autism Connections: January 10-17

An online support group for adults with autism to share successes and concerns, give and receive support, and be a part of a community that understands.

ASGC Closed Jan. 17 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Autism Society Greater Cincinnati offices will be closed Monday, January 17, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. No programming will be affected, and we will reopen on Tuesday, January 18. Look for our newsletter next week on Tuesday instead of Monday!

Black & Brown Families Support Group on Jan. 12

Our Black & Brown Families Support Group has a new schedule in 2022! Parents and caregivers can join us on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month from 7-8:30 p.m. ET on Zoom. This group is a safe place to talk about the joys and challenges of raising a child with autism by supporting, educating, and advocating for a unique segment of the population that are often misunderstood, underrepresented, and forgotten.

Have Fun with Kids Exploring Fun on Jan. 15

Kids Exploring Fun is an online autism youth program to encourage engagement, creativity, socialization, and of course, FUN! Join us on Saturday, January 15, at 9 a.m., to make beaded bracelets with Miss Chloe from ABC Pediatrics. They're easy and fun to make and every bracelet will be a unique creation!

Learn More & Register

Recordatorio del programa:

Grupo de Apoyo Para Padres Y Cuidadores

El grupo de apoyo para padres y cuidadores de habla hispana ahora se lleva a cabo el primer y tercer miércoles del mes de 6 a 7:30 p.m. El próximo grupo de apoyo se llevará a cabo el 19 de enero a las 6 p.m. en Zoom.

Regístrate ahora

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

New Preschool Program - Sing and Dance

Sing and Dance is a new 30-minute online program coming in February that will focus on engaging preschoolers in interactive play, song and movement to encourage peer interactions, explore basic social and gross and fine motor skills in a fun, playful environment.

Meet Sing and Dance Facilitator, Meghan

Meghan Hainer graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music from Colorado State University and has been a board-certified music therapist for 7 years. Meghan is the owner of Sound Support, LLC, which provides in-home music therapy services to individuals of all ages and abilities. In addition to practicing music therapy, Meghan has over 10 years of experience working with individuals as a direct support provider and a Skill Development and Assessment Specialist for Envision CITE services. This includes work in client homes, in schools, and in the community.

New Support Group for Severe Autism

Our newest support group, Severe Autism Support Group, is geared toward providing support and encouragement for parents and caregivers of individuals with high needs and will be starting in February.

Meet Severe Autism Support Group Facilitators,

Jennifer and Tulika

Jennifer Brown is the parent of two children with Autism - Richard now an adult and Jessica who passed away at the age of seven. Both of her children had severe autism. Professionally, she has a PhD from the University of Cincinnati in Communication Disorders and is a speech-language pathologist with more than thirty years of experience in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders. She retired as the Outreach Coordinator at the Kelly O’Leary Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. She currently volunteers for several autism-related organizations and is a past-president of the Autism Society Greater Cincinnati. She is also the author of the book “Snapshots of Richard – Living with Autism.”

Tulika Prasad is mom to a handsome young boy, Vedant, who is on the autism spectrum. She has a bachelor's in Physics and master's in Information Technology. While she worked for several years as a software engineer, she finally found her passion as an autism advocate. She advocates with law makers to support bills that are important for the autism community. She volunteers with various organizations in the autism community to increase autism awareness and acceptance. Tulika is also a blogger. She has a blog of her own at www.braindroplets.com and has been featured on Huffington Post, Yahoo, The Mighty, AutismSpeaks, Autism Parenting Magazine, and other publications. She hopes to make the world a better place for the brilliance and uniqueness that people like her son bring.

COMMUNITY CORNER

SPARK (Simmons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge)

Study Now Enrolling

SPARK (Simmons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge) is a national autism research study designed to speed up research and advance understanding of autism to help improve lives. Locally, children, teens, and adults with a diagnosis of autism and their biological parents are eligible to participate in this research study in partnership with Cincinnati Children’s, and can participate at home!

What will happen in this study? Participants register, provide saliva samples and complete optional surveys. Families are reimbursed for their time after submitting samples and are connected to a wide range of resources and research opportunities after enrolling.

How do I enroll? SPARK coordinators can enroll families online through a video meeting. Contact Eldric Harrell at eldric.harrell@cchmc.org or call 513.462.7350. You can also register online at http://www.sparkforautism.org/CincinnatiChildrens. All data provided to SPARK will be stored without any identifying information and kept confidential.

DISCLAIMER: Autism Society Greater Cincinnati provides this information to the community as a resource. For more information on the above resource or training, please reach out directly to the contact listed. Inclusion of any professional or organization does not imply endorsement, and omission does not imply disapproval.

JANUARY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

COhatch

COhatch, a new kind of shared work, social, and family space built on community, offers members the services, activities and amenities to live a fully integrated life that balances work, family, well-being, community and giving back. ASGC is proud to be COhatch's Give Scholar at its newest Cincinnati location in Milford.

Three private office spaces are still available at the new Milford location, and COhatch is opening two new locations in the Cincinnati area at Kenwood and Findlay Market. COhatch also has locations in Mason, Hyde Park and Springfield. Click here for more information.