In June 2019 the discussion topics for the next 4 AAGW meetings were unilaterally decided by the group co-founder and president. This unilateral decision followed a prior process of members of the AAGW board of directors picking 6 topics at a time for the previous two years as well as soliciting topic suggestions at meetings themselves. Few suggestions were received beyond finding help finding and keeping a job.
On Sat, 6/22/19, 'J. Willardston Smith' willardston@[address redacted to protect privacy] [dcaspie] <dcaspie@yahoogroups.com [moved off of yahoo to groups.io]> wrote:
Subject: [AS] Discussion topics for the next four AAGW meetings
To: "Autistics Association of Greater Washington Inc." <dcaspie@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Saturday, June 22, 2019, 9:54 PM
July
27th [2019] Employment
August 24th [2019] Social acceptance of autistics
September
28th [2019] How to manage your disability - on your own or getting support
October
26th [2019] How to speak up for yourself
An email reply to the announcement of the next 4 topics shows an unmet need for assistance with transportation to Teaism restaurant at 8th and D streets, NW. Two other members have this need met regularly or semi-regularly by building peer relationships with AAGW leaders or their friends.
Pat McCoy p.a.mccoy@[redacted to protect privacy] [dcaspie] <dcaspie@yahoogroups.com>
To:dcaspie@yahoogroups.com
Jun 23 [2019] at 7:20 AM
I wish I could attend, especially about
the one on manag[ing] disability.
Unfortunately, my health issues make
it impossible to travel alone because
of additional disabilities such as
dysautonomia.
Pat McCoy, M.S.
Addiction Psychology
Slow Down and Enjoy Your Garden!
Plus a quote from Leonard Nimoy: A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP
The AAGW discussion topic pickers and leaders failed in what should be one goal of peer-run or autistic self advocate-run organizations. Focusing only on individual 'empowerment' (individual supremacist or social model of disability perspective) is a recipe for failure and stagnant organizational growth. Autistic-led self-advocacy organizations can be more effective for their members if leaders can recognize that some individual member problems are individual manifestations of systemic failures (mostly bad public policy choices because of the consequences of local, state and federal government elections). Meeting disruption by desperate people with pressing needs unmet by the self advocate leaders of the self advocacy organization also is a consequence of focusing too much on individual peer-based help and not enough on accessing systemic help ('big guvmint' that autistics on the political right seek to avoid). Benefits counseling and where to find it, within local governments and federally funded centers for independent living, was ignored in the Dec 2017 and likely September 28, 2019 AAGW discussion topics. Funding needs for self advocate run organizations could be obtained by designating them as additional CILs under the 1974 Rehab Act.
particularly to jointly advocate for funding (expand the 1974 Rehab Act funding stream to state and local governments) local CILS for people with intellectual and physical disabilities as well as wellness and recovery 'drop-in' or 'clubhouse model' centers for people living with mental illness.
Or CILs could donate, or hire a willing volunteer for training in benefits counseling, as reciprocity for referrals. Those two suggestions meet the unmet need if the CIL benefits counselor is ‘too busy’ to take on any more work. Stagnant growth can be measured by real life meeting attendance or small online platform user increases and little ‘traffic.’
The topic of the September 28, 2019 meeting (how to manage your disability- on your own or getting support) was a repeat topic from December 9, 2017 in the first image below.
The discussion subject "Autism Resources" (number 133) was the prior occurrence of an inadequate attempt at benefits counseling, replacing it with peer to peer referrals instead of referrals to Centers for Independent Living or Departments of Human or Social Services at a local government (DC, MD or VA county) level, by AAGW leaders and discussion topic selectors.
There was also a living arrangements (housing for adults with the disability of autism) topic November 2018. Most comments were individuals considering or who had bought homes. One person who had recently moved to a shared house sponsored for people with disabilities (hope-house.org) shared their individual experience that was unlikely to help anyone else because of lack of housing availability. Little discussion happened about PHA (locally-based public housing authorities) and federal HUD housing choice (formerly known as section 8) voucher wait list process. Special set-aside units, varying by town, city or county (local government jurisdiction) one lives in, for people with disabilities are rent-subsidized living options that local governments intentionally do not publicize well to avoid demands to build more such units and protect confidentiality of occupants. Confidentiality conceals inequity and inequality.
Finding a CWIC (certified work incentives counselor) at a federally designated and funded Center for Independent Living could be of more immediate individual help than going to a 'dinner and a support group meeting' of Autistic (formerly Asperger) Adults of Greater Washington.
To start one's search here are some links.
ssa.gov/disability
servicesource.org/service/benefits-counseling
drswm.org/services_menu/independent-living/ssi_benefits_counseling
These two links are focused toward people over 65 who have acquired disabilities as a result of aging. People with disabilities may also qualify if they are receiving SSI or SSDI.
www.benefitscheckup.org
www.benefits.gov or 800-333-4636
The ban on nonprofit organizations from 'political advocacy' is not an excuse for lack of advocacy for systemic improvement to 'do more good for more autistics at a faster pace.' The test that the IRS uses is that nonprofit advocacy be more about issues than candidates or legislation. All a nonprofit organization needs to do to keep its 501c3 deductible status for donors on their individual income tax returns is avoid anyone authorized to speak for the organization speaking the words 'vote for' or 'vote against' candidates or legislation. Even letter writing campaigns are still allowed to direct people to say in their own, or a template letter, 'vote for' or 'vote against' legislation.
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