Virginia Institute of Autism is pleased to announce that we started our new online workshops and trainings to increase access to our expertise and support. Participants from as far as Montana and Louisiana have signed up for the trainings. Dr. Annie McLaughlin, BCBA-D is leading the first webinar on toilet training, including issues and strategies for working with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other related disabilities. The webinar includes a 50-minute lecture and a 1-hour live chat with Dr. McLaughlin.

“We hope online access will ensure that help is there when you need it most and when it is most convenient,” says Charlotte Moore, Director of Development and Communications.

To sign up, visit: https://student.gototraining.com/8n328/catalog/2951993349477893632

The VIA Run for Autism 5K set another record this year for registrations with 775 runners signed up for the race on a beautiful morning last Saturday, April 21st.  Almost 100 of those were children participating in the ¼ mile Kids’ Race, which is part of the 2012 Kids Triple Crown series.  Zach Gentry won the Male Overall Category with a 5K time of 17:11 and Pamela Koleck won the female overall with a time of 20:30.  Area High Schools’ Girl’s lacrosse teams competed to win the Golden Stick participation award, which was captured by Western Albemarle again this year with 79 participants.  The race was supported by over 75 volunteers, who prepared refreshments, directed traffic, cheered the runners and kept them safe.

To celebrate the start-up of VIA’s new Viability day support program for adults, Blair Sherman, the program’s first client officially started the race along with former VIA Director of Development Kate Lambert.

Special thanks go out to Race Coordinator Lynda Sharp and Race Director Mark Lorenzoni, as well as our sponsors BB&T Barger Insurance, Tommy Brannock of Better Homes and Gardens: Real Estate III, First Systems Resources (FSR), NWG Solutions, and race headquarters Ragged Mountain Running Shop.  Mizuno brought awesome prizes for runners who placed in their age group, and Dunkin Donuts and Panera provided refreshments.

VIA celebrated the graduation of one of our students, Alex Moore. He is now a full-time student at Western Albemarle High School, and he loves his new school. He’s a Warrior!

Alex started at VIA in 1998 at the age of 2. Over the years, Alex attended public school with a VIA instructor, and eventually, integrated full-time into public school without a VIA instructor. Remembering back to Alex’s initial diagnosis, his father said, “Our pediatrician said to institutionalize [Alex]. That was cold comfort. I remember the seed of hope that [VIA] gave to us and how much it meant to us as a family.”

His mother, Kelly Moore commented, “Alex is thriving and is so happy at WAHS... [He was] at VIA for 13 years and 8 months. We are so proud of all of his accomplishments and will be forever in VIA's debt for changing the course of his life.”

VIA is extremely proud of Alex and all of his hard work over the years. His sense of humor and good nature will be missed. Congratulations, Alex!

The Viability Day Support Program for adults with autism and related developmental disabilities launched today with its first client, Blair Sherman, 22. Blair was one of VIA’s founding students. The Viability Program offers a safe, supportive environment for learning life and vocational skills that enable clients to live as happily and independently as possible.

Because government funding for adults is scarce, VIA relies on private funds to help support the Viability Program. The program has been made possible through the generous donations of Alice Turner and Sarah Hendley, who provided the seed gifts to start the program. VIA will also pursue avenues for advocacy with our state legislature to ensure that services are accessible to all families, regardless of financial circumstance.

“Recognizing that learning is a life-long endeavor, we are committed to serving individuals with autism throughout their lives,” says Ethan Long, Executive Director at VIA.

Blair’s day included grocery shopping at Whole Foods, a trip to Bellair Farm and vocational skills training at VIA. Blair’s mom, Angela Sherman said, “I feel like I just dropped him off at college. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Emmett Angle-Davis began attending the Virginia Institute of Autism in July, 2010 when he was seven years old. Over the past year-and-a-half, Emmett has worked hard to go back to public school, and became a fully transitioned Johnson Elementary School student in January, 2012. A graduation party in his honor was held at VIA on February 10, 2012. Emmett was so proud of his accomplishments that he specifically requested a Johnson Elementary “Learning Leopard” theme for his graduation party! We are so proud of Emmett and all he has accomplished. We wish him all the best in the future!

Thank you to the sponsor of the bill, Delegate Greason, the General Assembly, and to the Governor. This law now makes it possible for BCBAs and BCaBAs to become licensed in the state of Virginia. The licensure regulations can now be created.

We are excited that children ages 2-6 with Autism can access ABA services covered by insurance once these regulations are completed. While the process will still take time before services can begin, we are pleased that more children will be able to access services. (It will take 280 days to write the regulations and some additional time for license application review and processing.)

Legislation on autism insurance reform is currently in the House of Delegates in Richmond. VIA has been an active participant in all aspects of this legislation. Ethan Long, Executive Director, helped to write the bill. Peggy Halliday, Director of Outreach, and Annie McLaughlin, Outreach Program Supervisor, have been in Richmond twice over the past week lobbying with delegates and attending committee meetings. Other BCBAs and staff members have emailed their delegates.

Things are heating up as the full House prepares to debate the bill Thursday and vote on it Friday. If passed, it will cross over to the Senate, and the whole process will begin again.

Last year, the legislature passed a bill requiring insurance to cover services (ABA, OT, SLP, PT) for 2-6 year olds with autism (up to $35,000/yr). The governor signed the bill into law but amended it to require that licensed professionals provide the services. BCBAs have a national certification but there is no state license. This bill, HB 1106, is the bill that creates a Virginia state license for BCBAs. The governor’s office, the insurance lobby, and the Virginia Autism Project (BCBAs) have agreed on the language in the bill.

Peggy Halliday states, “Of course, we would like the bill to cover more children and have children covered sooner than the 280 days the licensure process will take. However, the governor will not sign the bill if it has any additional changes. It is critical that the bill goes through so kids can start receiving services.”

Once this passes in the house, more advocacy will need to occur through the Senate. For more information, contact VIA or sign up for email alerts at: http://www.autismvotes.org.

VIA is now providing interactive workshops in a new Focus Series. These series will explore a variety of topics in depth. The first few workshops in our Focus Series will be led by Dr. Annie McLaughlin and will cover Toilet Training and Overcoming Sleep Challenges. It is open to all members of the public (i.e., parents, teachers, other professionals). For more information, visit our Focus Series page.

VIA is launching the Viability Day Support Program for adults with autism and related developmental disabilities. Recognizing that learning is a life-long endeavor, VIA is committed to serving individuals with autism throughout their lives. The Viability Program offers a safe, supportive environment for learning life and vocational skills that enable clients to live as happily and independently as possible. In the first year of the program, VIA anticipates serving 2 clients, then building to 4 in year 2, and 6 in year 3, etc. This is a giant step for VIA and one that has been made possible through the generosity of Dr. Alice P. Turner and Sarah P. Hendley. These two special donors, who are the grandmother and great aunt of teenagers with autism, recognize from personal experience the necessity of giving hope to families throughout the lifetime of their loved ones with autism.

On November 18, 2011 VIA staff attended and presented at the Maryland Association for Behavior Analysis Conference in Baltimore, MD. The conference consisted of a number of presentations by a distinguished group of behavior analysts who represent an array of areas of work, both basic and applied. To learn more about the Maryland Association for Behavior Analysis visit the website at www.marylandaba.org.