On May 14, 2024, Chief Judge Schiltz preliminarily approved a class action settlement between the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and a group of students and/or their guardians represented by Minnesota Disability Law Center regarding compensatory education services for a group of Minnesota students described below: All children…
AuSM-backed legislative wins in 2024 include a bill introducing educators to ableism training, legislation establishing a journey-mapping study on the accessibility of obtaining disability services, and further reform to medical assistance for employed people with disabilities. Here is a summary of legislative progress for Minnesota’s autism community – as well…
Four Minnesota Nonprofits Further Commit to Promoting Safety for Autistic Kids and Support for Families: Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM); Multicultural Autism Action Network (MAAN); Maangaar Global; and Somali Parents Autism Network (SPAN) Media contacts: AuSM: mmalmberg@ausm.org, 651.337.8732 MAAN: maren.christenseson@gmail.com, 612.470.7003 Maangaar: a.musa@maangaarglobal.org, 469.995.4424…
To further its mission to create connections empowering everyone in the autism community with the resources needed to live fully, the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) will raise funds at its 24th Annual Steps for Autism. Where: The ROC at the St. Louis Park Recreation Center, 3700 Monterey…
AuSM’s June 6 virtual Workshop will cover the basics of cognitive accessibility and cognitively accessible formats when writing for autistic people and other people with IDD. Workshop presenter Donnie TC Denome, a multiply disabled autistic self advocate and AAC user, will talk about the difference between plain language and Easy…
The Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) has curated a wide-ranging slate of autism experts and self-advocates as speakers for its 2024 Minnesota State Autism Conference, presented by Best Care. Keynote speakers include Joyner Emerick, Dr. Devon Price, and Dr. Paula Kluth. AuSM’s conference will also feature 28 breakout sessions…
In 2019, AuSM’s Counseling and Consulting Services saw a vital need in our community: an opportunity for professionals serving the autism community to connect with each other, provide feedback and support, and to work together to improve the services they provide. This was the birth of AuSM’s Professional Networking Group,…
As an affiliate of The Autism Society of America, AuSM shares the national org’s belief that improving the vaccination experience is a critical step toward achieving more equitable healthcare for people with autism and all neurodiverse individuals. As part of our strategic partnership on…
AuSM’s Coffee Club launched in 2023, providing regularly-scheduled opportunities for autistic adults in our community to socialize, create and build bonds, and meet new people on an ongoing basis at Dogwood Coffee in St. Paul. “It was instantly popular,” said Daren Howard, AuSM’s deputy director, in…
In October 2023, AuSM piloted a family camp session for Somali and Oromo families affected by autism. Anyone who’s been to camp knows it’s a powerful experience, but we now know that summer-camp feel comes on just as strong in the fall – during just one long weekend.