Mission: To improve the lives of all affected with autism. Programs: Advocacy: asga participated in the national "day on the hill- and visited with u. S. House of representatives from our service area. We also visited with staff of the two ohio senators. At the visits we shared information about the importance of medicaid for people with developmental disabilities, which includes people living with autism. Also urged continued focus and funding of educational programs that support people with disabilities in the school. Upon returning, we held a legislative breakfast for district staff and for state representatives, where we shared similar messages. In addition, chairman of the board sara kline testified to the ohio senate finance committee the importance of funding medicaid. Asga is also a member of the autism society of ohio coalition of affiliates, which serves as the state-wide advocacy coordinator for the ohio affiliates of asa. Autism awareness: april, national autism awareness month, naam17 worked with the summit county executive to pass county council legislation declaring summit county committed to being autism friendly, first county in ohio. Proclamations/resolutions also passed by local mayors, including stow, akron, barberton, reminderville, norton, boston heights, hudson, macedonia, cuyahoga falls. Asga also held screenings of the movie "life, animated" in three counties, along with co-hosting educational workshops throughout service area. Outreach and support: our help line is free and open and allows anyone to call our office for information or referral to services in our community. There were over 350 calls and emails, representing an average of more than 7,000 hours in support. In addition, community tables are hosted throughout our service area to provide information on autism. Coffee, tea and autism: peer-facilitated support groups exists in all five counties. Education workshops: asga holds educational workshops and networking opportunities for families, professionals, and other stakeholders on issues like potty training, transition to adulthood, camp expo, iep's, and other areas of interest. Autism friendly communities and training: in 2017, the autism society of greater akron launched its autism friendly communities program. As an autism friendly community partner, we ask that business and its services are adapted and work with them as we can to support that happening. Asga's autism friendly training reached over 700 people last year, including health care professionals, first responders, educators, library and metro park staff. On the town is a youth community engagement workshop. A small group of transition age students, ages 14 - 20, go "on the town" to enjoy social, recreational and community-based activities. Bike camp: bike camp teaches individuals with any ability to ride a two- wheel bicycle. Asga's 2017 camp was its sixth, which has 40 riders and 80 volunteers. Swimming with autism: asga partnered with the greater akron ymca to develop "swimming with autism," a 10-week water safety program that launched in the fall of 2017. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (asd) are 160 times as likely to die from drowning as the general pediatric population. Given this exceptionally heightened risk of drowning for children with autism, swimming classes should be the intervention of top priority. Inclusive events: asga works with its partners to adapt everyday community-based opportunities such as caring santa, caring bunny, inclusion day at the all american soap box derby, and polar express for autism. These events attract all abilities and are family oriented and autism friendly. Special educational event: the autism summit is asga's annual special event that focuses on raising awareness of autism by bringing in national speakers with a full-day conference following. This year we welcomed ed and matt asner, who talked about their family's journey with autism. The conference held educational workshops on a variety of topics.
