The Youth Sub-Committee met in September to review the review and identify gaps still remaining in our county in services for youth with ASD. We will address the following ideas at our next meeting, October 27, California Auto Association, 99 Smith Ranch Road, San Rafael, 10 to 11:30. Please join us to help prioritize our upcoming projects and make a difference for youth with ASD in Marin!

Possible short-term projects and goals:
• Work with Mike Gardner (program manager for MCOE) in developing an autism awareness training for the 22 teachers who attend his monthly staff development meetings.
• Ensure that the MAC (Marin Autism Collaborative) website keeps the ASD community aware of ways they can help support Health Care Reform and the Autism Task Force’s work on insurance reform.
• Develop a school age resource information sheet for physicians to use in their practice when supporting families and distribute to physicians in Marin.
• Develop a school age after school resource sheet/directory for families ( post on MAC and Matrix web sites).
• Once the POST-certified first responder DVD is finalized and sent to our county first responder trainers; develop ways to help support the choice of using this DVD to train our first responders in our county.
• Create one or more events to raise money to fund training programs for respite providers or para professionals or teachers on the use of effective curriculums for ASD.
• Explore ways of bringing “Autism: The Musical” to our professionals to help them not only understand characteristics of ASD but to relate to the challenges families face and the unique strengths and talents of these individuals.
• Explore ways of expanding the availability of books and curriculums on ASD to our families and professionals. Connect with local libraries and Golden Gate Regional Center. Create an event to raise dollars to purchase resources. Reach out to the community to donate books on ASD.
• Create an Overview tool on ASD to be used in one of the district’s mandated faculty and staff meetings. Connect with the Superintendents to make this happen in their schools. An event, a grant or sponsor may need to be secured in order to create the overview and implement.
• Create an event, obtain a grant or seek out a sponsor to help support the development and implementation of a respite care orientation on ASD. Work with La Chris Connection to make this happen.