Girl Power!

Errina, from the wellness group, does yoga.

Ontario ARC is deeply rooted in wellness.  We offer a comprehensive health and wellness program for the people we support as well as our staff.  In addition, we have a Wellness Committee that puts on lots of great events, including our upcoming Wellness Fair this Friday.  And, we've taken a new approach to help pre-teen girls stay healthy, too.

Once a week, we are offering a wellness group for these young women focusing on topics such as nutrition, body image, personality, and assertiveness.  Led by one of our behavioral specialists, Jennifer Danker-Stiles, each 24-week session also include yoga to help enhance breathing and relaxation techniques.  Jennifer also guides the girls through an imagery piece, where the girls listen to quiet music and focus on their feelings and thoughts.

Learn more about this new offering from our agency in this issue of ARC Life!

Dressin' up in BLUE!

In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution that declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day.  And each year, this day -- dedicated to raising awareness of autism spectrum disorders -- continues to grow in participation and strength. 

Today at Ontario ARC, it looks like a sea of blue as staff were encouraged to dress in the color to show support for World Autism Awareness Day.  Above is just a sampling of people from different departments -- Service Coordination, Clinical Services, Staff Development and Community Services -- who came together to show their support.

Not wearing blue?  That's OK.  You can still be a part of this celebration.

• Learn more about autism:  Visit The Autism Center online and get a glimpse at the services and supports we provide everyday to people on the spectrum.  We also have a wonderful Resource Library housed within -- you can check out what books are available on Pinterest.
• Volunteer at The Autism Center:  We are always looking for dedicated people from the community who want to share their talents and time with us.  Learn more about volunteering and start your application.
• Make a donation:  For more than 50 years, we've provided services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities -- including autism.  We owe much to our generous donors who make the availability of these high quality programs possible.  Any contribution to Ontario ARC is always very much appreciated.

ASD & College: Is It Right For You?

Moms and dads dedicate thousands of hours to preparing their child for college.  For parents of children with autism, the college prep process is very different and can be even more time consuming. 

The Autism Center at Ontario ARC will host ASD & College: Is It Right For You? this Saturday at our Main Facility in Canandaigua at 10 a.m.  The event will feature Laurie Ackles, LMSW and Sue Ackerman, Disability Service Director, both from the Rochester Institute of Technology.  They'll discuss the college admissions process and how young adults with autism or Asperger's Syndrome can be successful in finding the right program after high school.

Register today by emailing our Training Department or giving them a call at 585-394-7500, ext. 2300.

Want information about seminars like ASD & College?  Sign up today and get the latest and greatest from Ontario ARC!

The Autism Center celebrates its one year anniversary!

Last year to commemorate Autism Awareness Month, Ontario ARC held a ribbon cutting ceremony for The Autism Center right here in Canandaigua.  Housed within the Main Facility, The Autism Center is now celebrating its one year anniversary and its many accomplishments.  This includes...

• Providing14 community training opportunities to law enforcement personnel, college faculty, families, education professionals and people with autism spectrum disorders using our own clinical services staff and presenters that are nationally and regionally renowned for their expertise
• Giving 24 children with autism and other developmental disabilities the opportunity to attend 4-H Camp Bristol Hills
• Partnering with Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb for a sensory friendly movie viewing of How To Train Your Dragon at Smith Opera House 
• Starting an Autism Advisory Board consisting of parents, relatives, and other professionals to help shape and guide The Autism Center as it progresses
• Supporting an Autism Awareness Fair at Walmart of Geneva 
• Hosting 64 sessions of NextStep Prep -- an innovative social skills group for young adults with autism spectrum disorders
• Holding 16 SibShops -- a support group for children who have a sibling with autism or other developmental disabilities
• Loaning out countless books, DVDs and magazines through our Resource Library, which currently houses about 246 items focusing on autism.
• Offering 16 session of group play therapy sessions and hundreds of one-on-one play therapy sessions

 It is amazing to see how much has been done in just 365 days.  A big thank you goes out to our wonderful and highly trained professional staff who make this possible -- Noreen Quinn, Maggi Sullivan, Judy DeMyda, Dan DeClerck, Tonya Finn, Cheryl Cramer, Mike Kephart, Trudy Wyman, and Cyndee Jepsen.  Their hard work and effort have made The Autism Center a place where families can get the support they need.

NY Bird Dog Series donates $10,000 to The Autism Center

From left:  Deborah Wilbur, Ontario ARC Board Member; 
Julie Glynn, Autism Advisory Board Member;and 
Noreen Quinn, Ontario ARC's senior
associate executive director

Thinking about summer camp can bring back some of fond memories.  There's nothing quite like it.  The joy of being out of school and in an outdoor environment with an endless possibility of fun -- well it could bring a smile to anyone's face.  That's why The Autism Center at Ontario ARC partnered with 4-H Camp Bristol Hills.  So that children with autism and other developmental disabilities could have that same experience. 

To make this a reality, the New York Bird Dog Series recently donated $10,000 to The Autism Center to help families send their child to camp.  The Center partnered with the camp last year at the request of parents and families.  Held during weekdays in July, the camp gives children with autism and other developmental disabilities the opportunity to connect with their peers while building upon their communication and social skills.

The New York Bird Dog Series is an organization that promotes timed, tournament-style hunting with dogs.  The organization’s president and founder is Canandaigua resident Tom Glynn.

Upcoming agency presentations and seminars posted

In our quest to give families, professionals and caregivers the latest information about supports available to people with developmental disabilities, we have announced our upcoming presentations and seminars.  All of these wonderful offerings will be hosted at our Main Facility, located at 3071 County Complex Drive in Canandaigua.  For those unfamiliar with Ontario ARC, directions our posted on our website.

Are you on Facebook?  All of the events have been posted there too -- check it out.

UNYFEAT Ontario Connections October 5, 4:30 p.m. We've partnered with our friends at UNYFEAT to bring this support group to Ontario County. Geared for parents of teenagers with autism and other related diagnoses.	The Father Factor: Understanding the Special Needs of Fathers October 21, 7 p.m. Presented by Dr. Robert Naseef, this seminar will focus on the special needs of fathers and male caregivers.  Attendees will be guided in discussion of raising children with autism.
Children with Special Needs & Family Life: Taking Care of Everyone's Needs October 22, 8 a.m. Join us for this half-day seminar with Dr. Robert Naseef, who will draw upon his clinical and personal experiences to address a variety of issues facing families and children with developmental disabilities.	Teens & Sexuality: The What, The Why, The When, The Where and The How November 8, 6 p.m. Get the best strategies for discussing issues around sexuality, maintaining personal safety and learn how to identify trustworthy, appropriate resources.
UNYFEAT Ontario Connections November 9, 4:30 p.m. Another meeting of this great support group for parents of teenaged children with autism or other-related diagnoses.	The Seven Senses December 3, 10 a.m. This presentation will address the sensory needs of children and teenagers with autism spectrum disorders. It will also cover tips on how to help your child be successful in situations where the environment is not sensory-friendly.

Autism resource library open to general public

The Resource Library at The Autism Center at Ontario ARC is now open to the general public.  Its wide collection of books, journals, DVDs and sensory toys are available to borrow by registering with The Autism Center.

Books are available to borrow for two weeks and DVDs are available for a one week period.  Internet access and a television with DVD player are also available at the library.  The library's regular hours are 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Among the library's vast collection are:

• Special Children, Challenged Parents: The Struggles and Rewards of Raising a Child with a Disability by Robert A. Naseef, Ph.D.
• The Game of My Life: A True Story of Challenge, Triumph and Growing Up Autistic by Jason "J-Mac" McElwain
• Temple Grandin -- the HBO biopic featuring Claire Danes as renowned Dr. Temple Grandin and her challenges growing up with autism.
• House Rules by Jodi Picoult, a fictional account of a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome and his experience with the legal system.

The Autism Center and its Resource Library are located with Ontario ARC's Main Facility in the Ontario County Complex.  Looking for books or information?  Contact The Autism Center at 585-919-2188 or theautismcenter@ontarioarc.org.

In case you missed it...

We've been hard at work in the PR / Development department, putting the finishing touches on the grand opening of The Autism Center at Ontario ARC.  Yesterday, we had a great turn out with our workshop for teachers and educators.  A special thank you to all to everyone who volunteered -- both staff, members of our Autism Advisory Board, and participants from our Community Experience and College Experience programs at Finger Lakes Community College and Hobart & William Smith Colleges.  Its back to work for me, but I just wanted to leave you with some of the great media coverage we've gotten over the past few days.  Thank you to Ted Fioraliso at Channel 10, Patrice Walsh at Channel 13, Julie Sherwood at the Daily Messenger and Mike Hibbard at The Finger Lakes Times for bringing attention to autism spectrum disorders and letting people know that there are resources like Ontario ARC for support.




Patrice Walsh's story after the jump...

The Autism Center at Ontario ARC official grand opening festivities during April 14 -16

One in every 110 children will be diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.  When I first saw the number, I thought I had misread the information.  But after thinking about it, I realized how many people I know that have relatives with the diagnosis.  The community we live in has a need for services and supports for people with autism -- and, Ontario ARC is responding.

On April 16, the agency will hold the grand opening of The Autism Center at Ontario ARC -- a regional clearinghouse for information, sharing, referral and services.  The official ribbon cutting is at 1 p.m. with special guests, including: Congressman Tom Reed, State Senator Mike Nozzolio, Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, and Assemblyman Sean Hanna.

We hope that you'll join us on April 16 for our big day.  But, don't forget -- the festivities are ongoing during April 14 - 16.   We'll be hosting a variety of signature presentations relating to autism spectrum disorders.  Take a look at our invitation.  If you have any questions, please contact the center at theautismcenter@ontarioarc.org or leave a comment here.

As always, thank you for your support!