Taking Authority Over Autism

Staffing agency supports autistic job seekers

Is your adult child with autism aging out of school-based services and needs help landing a job? Sheletta chats with Mindshift Works, a Minnesota-based organization that helps employers find wonderful workers on the spectrum.  https://mindshift.works/

Need a ride to work? There's an app for that.

If your family lives in Forest Lake, Hastings, or Stillwater and you're having a hard time finding transportation to help your autistic adult child get to work, Sheletta's found an easy solution: Transit Link! She chats with Charles Carlson about the pre-scheduled curb-to-curb on-demand rideshare service that costs only $3.50. Link: https://metrocouncil.org/Transportation/Services/Transit-Link.aspx [https://metrocouncil.org/Transportation/Services/Transit-Link.aspx] 651-602-LINK (5456)

Parents can help to prevent autism fraud

Did you know that you can help prevent autism fraud? Sheletta chats with Minnesota Department of Human Services Inspector General James Clark who talks about ways to guard against it, how to protect your personal information from scammers and what to look out for when choosing an autism service provider. If your child is getting services from someone and something seems off, trust your gut and report it to the MN DHS fraud hotline at 651-431-2650 or 1-800-657-3750 You can also go online mn.gov/dhs/report-fraud [http://mn.gov/dhs/report-fraud].

Fun outdoor camps for the whole family

Looking for something fun for your high-functioning autistic child to do this summer? The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offers many outdoor skills programs for beginners. From overnight camping trips to fishing lessons, there's bound to be something fun and exciting for your children to enjoy. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/ican/index.html

Helping victims of sexual violence

If you're looking for an opportunity to help victims of sexual violence, Ramsey County is training volunteers to staff its crisis line. Sheletta chats with Liz De La Torre to find out more about the program.