IT'S APRIL, AND AUTISM ADVOCATES IN D.C. KEEP ON ORGANIZING

Over the weekend I received this important message:

Hello and hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy during these stressful times. As you know, April is Autism Awareness Month, and the “Light It Up Blue” initiative is designed to bring awareness to autism at this time. Since we will not be participating in activities outside the home, I would like to suggest we (each of us) put a blue light on our front or back porch to light up the nights in April to show our support for autism awareness in our community. 

If you have other ideas for things we can do in support of Autism Awareness Month, please let me know.

Thank you and please stay safe and healthy.

Ron Hampton

President

Autism Society of the District of Columbia

Ron, thanks so much for this initiative – I’m now scrounging around to find a blue bulb or other outdoor item in blue so I can go along with your idea.  Last year the DD Council (https://ddc.dc.gov/) had its first event marking this month, and I’m sad we won’t be able to have another in-person gathering this year.  But I’m thinking…If you have ideas, please add a comment below.

Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month also reminds us that the D.C. Department on Disability Services (https://dds.dc.gov/) continues to insist that legislation does not permit them to extend the IDD waiver (https://dds.dc.gov/service/services-people-idd) to people whose IQ exceeds the arbitrary cutoff of 69 or less.  Not everyone agrees with this, but even so, the Bowser administration has proposed legislation to change DDS authorities before, so what has prevented it from doing so to correct this inequity?  Sadly, just a lack of political will.  A period such as the one we’re living through, with people slipping through the safety net, serves as a reminder that it’s time to start preparing that legislation, now.

Light it up blue, folks – and remind Mayor Bowser you’re here.