November 22, 2010

CONTACT: BRITA DARANY VON REGENSBURG

PHONE: 203- 661-8510

Autism Planning – Obligations of the school district

FAP (Friends of Autistic People) and Attorney Courtney Spencer will present a seminar on

How to Secure your Autistic Child’s Transition Rights and Services on

Thursday, December 9th, 2010, 7 PM to 9 PM at Parish House Library, Christ Church, Greenwich,.

Attorney Spencer will discuss the basics of the law regarding transition planning, the obligations of the school district and expected outcomes for students from age 13 on, very crucial services that will affect the quality of life of the child after school ends at age 21. Any parent and grandparents of children with autism and other disabilities should plan on attending.  She will talk about different kinds of transition plans and how to ensure that students are authentically being prepared for independent living and employment. She will additionally touch upon the various state agencies responsible for adults with disabilities and how to qualify your child for those services.

Attorney Spencer, a special education attorney, graduated Magna Cum Laude from University of Connecticut and received her law degree – University of Connecticut School of Law After several years in the private sector and at the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities, she opened her own practice and also volunteers as a guardian ad litem. Her seminars provide training to parents, clinicians and advocates in special education and cover topics such as special education eligibility, IEP planning, tracking progress, discipline, legal rights, dispute resolution and transition planning.

Green Aspects of FAP’s Farm Project.

The talk is preceded by a presentation on the green aspects of FAP’s farm project by Wayne Clarke,  landscape architect. He will demonstrate them through a newly developed site plan for the FAP Farm Living and Learning Academy for adults with autism.

The Workshop will be free, donations suggested to cover expenses.

Refreshments provided. For more information 203-661-8510 or email fap.autismct@gmail.com.

Ms. Bazaar will explain how and for whom hippo therapy is used, how it incorporates a multidisciplinary approach into a treatment session, and how to use the “whole body” in speech and language treatment, and sensory integration techniques to facilitate communication.

Current research and case studies will be presented. Ms. Bazaar held a standing room only workshop at the well known yearly autism seminar in New York last year.

Meredith S. Bazaar is a lifetime equestrienne and the founder of MSB Therapy, which provides speech and language treatment and evaluation using the strategy of hippotherapy at Starlight Farm as well as in her office in Ringwood, New Jersey. She has been a speech-language pathologist at Montefiore Medical Center, as well as in a sub-acute care center and a private ear, nose, and throat practice. She has provided Early Intervention services and consulted for boards of education. Meredith also managed a day program for individuals with traumatic brain injury and provided residential care for United Cerebral Palsy of New York State. Meredith began riding horses at age 8 and began her competitive equestrian career at age 13.