October 27, 2009
Autism Youth Sub Committee Notes by Karen Kaplan, chair

Thank you Barry from Lifehouse agency, Rebecca Breen from Jewish Children and Family Services, Louse Bruce from the Chris Connection, Cheryl Markowitz from Psychology Learning and You, Zipora Anker from Golden Gate Regional Center and Judi Shepard, parent for joining our meeting today.

Today’s Accomplishments: The committee looked at potential projects, added information to help understand the projects and assigned next steps. The following is a list of the projects and their next steps.

1) Work with Mike Gardner (program manager for MCOE) in bringing awareness training to his 22 teachers. NEXT STEP: Karen Kaplan and Cheryl Markowitz will schedule a meeting with Mike to discuss logistics and outcomes for this awareness meeting.

2) Ensure that the MAC web site provide current information on health reform, insurance reform and the Autism Task Force. Next Step Karen Kaplan will ask Katrina Ferreyra, MAC coordinator, if it is possible to send out periodic requests for information from experts in these areas and post information on the MAC web site. Perhaps it would be possible to have links to this information posted on the MAC web site as well or blog about these issues on the site.

3) Develop a school age resource directory of services for physicians as well as a school age resource directory of after school services for families. Next Step: Karen Kaplan will check in with the birth through 5 autism committee and the autism transition committee to identify any current projects they have of developing resource guides. Perhaps one person from each committee could come together to work on a number of resource guides that could be posted on the MAC web site. Zipora Anker is going to bring GGRC’s resource guides to our next sub committee meeting.

4) Develop first responder training. A DVD has been developed and is soon to be sent to first responder trainers. Next Step Karen Kaplan will inform committee when DVD has been completed and send and then our community can find ways of connecting with our first responders to ensure that the DVD is offered in our local community.

5) Find ways to expand the access of autism resources to the Marin County community. Next Step Barry Benda is going to connect with Gabriel Rogin who is currently working on a similar project occurring between GGRC and Support for Families. Barry will report back to the committee next month.