Floreo stands with Ukraine.

It goes without say that there is no amount of behavioral therapy that can help an individual with ASD or other neurodiverse conditions cope with the trauma of a war. It is simply unthinkable and tragic. As each of us proceed with our daily ups and downs, let’s keep in mind those who are being directly impacted by the violence being waged against Ukraine, and hope for peace. We stand in solidarity with Ukraine.

Perspective

PARENTING THOUGHTS FROM FLOREO'S LEAD SELF ADVOCATE

Sam+Farmer+headshot Sam Farmer is an autism spectrum community self-advocate, writer/author, public speaker and consultant for Floreo. A Long Walk Down a Winding Road - Small Steps, Challenges, & Triumphs Through an Autistic Lens is his first book.

Sam is a regular contributor to many publications, including The Hill, and recently penned tips to autistic parents from his perspective as an autistic parent.

"What an interesting journey this has been, and it has only just begun, some 14 years ago, that is. Interesting, in part, because I became a father not yet knowing that I was autistic, and once I found out, my perspective on fatherhood changed rather dramatically. The diagnosis raised several questions and concerns. Will I be able to handle the responsibilities of parenthood going forward? How will my newly discovered autism profile affect my son? How will my son's growth trajectory affect me? Will I be able to live up to society's expectations around being a good father and husband, considering that these expectations stem from an essentially neurotypical point of view?"

Upcoming Events

VIRTUAL AND LIVE EVENTS

See Floreo and meet members of our team at the APBA Conference in New Orleans March 17-19. We would love to hear from you if you are attending either conference and would like to set up time to meet!

Grant update
FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOLS

Attention Schools and Districts in Texas: All Texas local education agencies are eligible to apply for grant funding to increase their capacity to implement innovative programs that effectively serve students with autism ages three through 21. It is a great time to implement Floreo in your district, school, or regional center with the help of this grant! Let us know how we can help support your efforts to secure funding through this grant.

Educators in other states: Our friends at RobotLab compiled a great list of grant opportunities to help you to creatively fund a Floreo subscription. You can use their helpful tool to search for grants by state. As always, if we can help you with wording for a grant opportunity you have identified, please let us know!

Medicaid update
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR MEDICAID-BASED SOLUTIONS?

Attention New York families and organizations: Floreo is an approved CFS Vendor for the OPWDD Self Directed Services Waiver. Our service provides training to increase independence, health and safety and promote opportunities to build community living and independence skills. If you are interested in using your OPWDD benefits to fund your Floreo subscription, please email us at info@floreotech.com.

If you are located in Maryland, Wisconsin, or Washington DC, please reach out to us about other Medicaid-based Floreo solutions in your area.

Virtual Series
UPCOMING PROGRAMS WITH SAM FARMER

Author, Floreo advisor and our Lead Self Advocate, Sam Farmer, announced a series of six virtual presentations which "are geared towards providing ideas and insights as to how autistic and neurodiverse individuals may be able to carve out better lives for themselves." Hosted by the Northeast Arc in MA, we hope you are able to join for one or more event!

Regarding Masking and Sense of Self (3/9 from 6:30-8:00 ET)

This workshop will discuss what "masking" is, the circumstances under which it is likely to be used, why it can be detrimental to one's sense of self and how to keep it from undermining sense of self. Register here.

An Autistic Perspective as a Son (3/23 from 6:30-8:00 ET)

This workshop will discuss all of the things my parents did right while raising me and how their parental decisions ended up positioning me for future happiness and success. Register here.

Research study opportunity
FROM OUR PARTNERS AT CHOP
Our partners at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia are recruiting participants for a compensated survey about autism and police. Please consider participating or sharing with others who might be interested!

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What have we been reading this week?
NEWS ROUND-UP

"Dear parents: Don’t just tell your kids not to ‘stare’ at mine"
Amy Schumer on possibility of son being diagnosed with autism: ‘I’m not hoping either way’
As the pandemic wanes, will autism diagnoses rise in its wake?
New program helps adults with intellectual challenges after aging out of public education system
What to know if you’re on the spectrum and have seizures
What to do when your insurance denies a claim

Heather

Heather is Floreo's Director of Customer Success. She makes sure that all of Floreo's customers are comfortable and confident using Floreo. Prior to working at Floreo, Heather worked at Trove (a news start-up) and eBay for Charity. Heather holds an A.B. from Dartmouth College, where she also played varsity basketball (and won an Ivy League Championship) and a M.Ed. from the University of Mary Washington. In her free time she enjoys reading, tennis, skiing, and hiking around Western North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and adorable lab mix, Pepper.