The Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy

Photo description: Series of eight images with words and more positive alternatives. In each example the first word is crossed out and the more positive example is displayed underneath. They are as follows: Empowered / Making Decisions - Non-Compliant / Not Doing What Others Want - Challenging / Communicating - Placement / Home - Attention Seeking / Bored or Lonely - Stubborn / Determined - Runner / Runner - Obsessive / Passionate.

The world says that working all the time and tending to demands is required. When in fact we have the right to set boundaries around our time and energy. You deserve to rest. Now more than ever. As a reminder, we are still in a global crisis and a society threaded with ableism. #RestAsResistance [Image: Boundaries Around Resting. @BlackFemaleTherapist... I’m feeling tired. I’m going to sit down for a few minutes. I’m at capacity with what I have on my plate but maybe we can check back in, 2 weeks from today. I received your email. I’m currently resting. I will be back in touch soon. Thank you for the opportunity. Right now I’m taking time to rest. I typically shut my phone on silent after 10pm & I will not be available until the next day. www.BeWellMentalHealth.org] See more

Once you understand how different language around autism and neurodiversity fits into medical vs. neurodiversity paradigms, it can help you quickly understand what kind of space you are entering. You deserve to exist in environments that celebrate who you are!

Image: An aqua-colored field with the words "Open Enrollment ends January 15! PHAN is here to help. Call our FREE helpline at 877-570-3642" There is an illustrated alarm clock with the words "Last Chance!" PHAN's logo is in the bottom right corner.

Join us for our December social on Saturday 12/19!

Huge thanks to my friend, Julia, for sharing this wonderful resource from Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities. #COVID19 #Vaccine #Aut...ism #Disability #SocialStory #Respect #Accessible #Access {Images are two pages containing a social story titled, Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine. It reads as follows, beginning at the top left: (Picture of a cartoon man looking ill) COVID-19 is a virus that has made many people very sick. Some people have died. (Picture of a syringe) Now there is a vaccine. The vaccine is a shot. (Picture of a petri dish) The vaccine shot puts medicine in my body to keep me from getting COVID-19. (Picture of a clock and calendar page) When it’s my turn, I can get the COVID-19 shot to stay healthy. (Picture of a doctor’s office) I will go to a doctor’s office or the drug store to get my shot. (Picture of a person sitting and waiting) I will check in when I arrive, sit, and wait for the nurse to call my name. (Picture of a shot being administered) I will roll up my sleeve. The nurse will rub a cold wipe on my arm. It might smell funny. (Picture of a shot being administered) Then the nurse will give me the vaccine shot. It will feel like a pinch or a prick. I will sit very still. (Picture of two band-aids) The nurse will put a band-aid on my arm. (Picture of a person sitting and waiting) I may need to wait to make sure I am safe and healthy to go home. (Picture of a house) After the nurse tells me it’s okay, I am done for today. Now I can go home. (Picture of a masked medical professional holding two vials) I need 2 COVID-19 shots to stay healthy. (Picture of a calendar) I will come back in 3-4 weeks to get the second shot. (Picture of a shot being administered) When I come back, I will go through the same steps to get my second shot. (Picture of a cartoon man holding his head and grimacing) After the shots, my arm may be sore. I may have a headache or feel tired. (Picture of the same cartoon man smiling) I will feel fine after a couple of days. (Picture of a girl wearing a mask) I will still need to wear a mask for a while. (Picture of a cartoon person with their arms up triumphantly) I did my part to stay safe and keep others healthy!}

Your Bonus Social is here! Tonight, Tuesday 12/29, at 7pm! Join us for hang outs and fun.

TODAY is the last day to make sure you're registered to vote in the general election. Are you ready to vote? Register to vote or update your registration at ...Register.VotesPA.com. Check your status at VotesPA.com/Status. See more

The Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network & National LGBTQ Task Force are excited to share a brand new guide for trans autistic people called Before You Go: Know Y...our Rights & What to Expect at the Doctor and in the Hospital. This guide will help our trans & #autistic community members know better what to expect when going to doctors or hospitals, understand rights and responsibilities & strategize for safety planning, effective communication, accommodations, and more. Download here: https://awnnetwork.org//Final-Version-Before-You-Go-Know-Y [photo description: screenshot of the cover page for the guide, which says in large text "Before You Go: Know Your Rights & What to Expect at the Doctor and in the Hospital: Tips and Advice for Autistic Trans People About Finding and Going to Doctors." the authors' names Sharon daVanport, Victoria M. Rodríguez-Roldán, Lydia X. Z. Brown, Illustrations by Erin Casey (Human). then the logos for AWN and the Task Force. the colors are subtly blue, purple, and pink. ]

Diversity in Social Intelligence 'In essence, what we are demonstrating for the first time is that autistic people's social behaviour includes effective communi...cation and effective social interaction, in direct contradiction of the diagnostic criteria for autism. We have, for the first time, uncovered empirical evidence that there is a form of social intelligence that is specific to autistic people.' Diversity in Social Intelligence project - The University of Edinburgh http://dart.ed.ac.uk/research/nd-iq/ '1. Autistic people share information with other autistic people as effectively as non-autistic people do. 2. Information sharing can break down when pairs are from different neurotypes - when there is an autistic and a non-autistic person. 3. Feelings of rapport between people of the same neurotype accompany these information-sharing benefits - autistic people have higher rapport with other autistic people, and non-autistic people have higher rapport with non-autistic people. 4. External observers can detect the lack of rapport apparent in mixed autistic/non-autistic interactions.' http://dart.ed.ac.uk//Diversity-in-Social-Intelligence-Par 'These results, however, are the first empirical evidence that suggest the difficulties in autistic communication are apparent only when interacting with non-autistic people, and are alleviated when interacting with autistic people. This is evidenced by our finding that autistic and non-autistic people do not significantly differ in how accurately they recall information from peers of the same neurotype but that selective difficulties occur when autistic and non-autistic people are sharing information.' Crompton CJ, Ropar D, Evans-Williams CV, Flynn EG, Fletcher-Watson S. Autistic peer-to-peer information transfer is highly effective. Autism. 2020;24(7):1704-1712. doi:10.1177/1362361320919286 'Delineating precisely what makes interacting with non-autistic people difficult for autistic people may mean that non-autistic people can become more effective social interaction partners, when spending time with autistic family and friends... These findings may also be helpful for autistic people in environments in which they are a social minority, such as in education and employment, by enhancing understanding of autistic communication.' Crompton CJ, Hallett S, Ropar D, Flynn E, Fletcher-Watson S. ‘I never realised everybody felt as happy as I do when I am around autistic people’: A thematic analysis of autistic adults’ relationships with autistic and neurotypical friends and family. Autism. 2020;24(6):1438-1448. doi:10.1177/1362361320908976 'We found that that both autistic and neurotypical people benefit from having an interaction partner with the same diagnostic status when performing an information transfer task. 1. Autistic people share information with other autistic people as effectively as non-autistic people do. 2. Information sharing breaks down when pairs are mis-matched: from different neurotype.' http://dart.ed.ac.uk//2017/08/catherine-insar-poster-2019- 'This finding provides some support to the Double Empathy Theory: a theoretical framework which emphasises a mismatch between autistic and non-autistic social partners, rather than a social cognitive deficit within the autistic person.' 2020 Therapist Neurodiversity Collective For a free pdf copy of this or any of our other infographics, please go to the link below and click on ‘Educational Infographics.’ https://therapistndc.org/education/

Free PPE!!! Are you in PA, need PPE, and are you on the state CHC waiver? Call your support coordinator (PA Health & Wellness, UPMC, AmeriChoice) and request it. Let us know how it goes or if you need any help.

"We urge that these investigations be both thorough and transparent. We also call for similar investigations in all other ICE detention centers. As this horrific incidence shows, Irwin County Detention Center must be closed, as must all ICE detention centers. We further call for ICE to halt any contemplated deportations of people who have undergone these or similar procedures until investigations into these issues can be completed. Finally, we call upon the Administration to immediately rescind the Public Charge Rule, and all ableist, racist, and eugenic immigration policies. Until then, Congress should #DefundHate and refuse to fund further ICE activity."

Best Buddies Pennsylvania and Open Up are teaming up to bring you FREE inclusive yoga classes. Join us bi-weekly on Wednesdays at 12 PM, starting September 30. ...Classes will take place virtually via Zoom. We hope to see you there! . Register Now: https://forms.gle/doPBq6N8hqN8DL9x5 . See more

Disabled adults can vote! Unless a judge at a guardianship hearing decides you can't, all people 18+ in PA are allowed to vote. Register here and make sure your voice is heard!

On #LaborDay, it's important to remember that people with disabilities are still legally allowed to be paid below the minimum wage. Sometimes this is pennies on... the dollar. #SubminimumWage needs to end NOW. #EmploymentFirst #HireMeSC [Image description: A light blue background and a lime green rectangle in center. In front of the rectangle is a screenshot of an Able SC tweet that says: On #LaborDay, it’s important to remember that people with disabilities are still legally allowed to be paid below the minimum wage. Sometimes this is pennies on the dollar. #SubminimumWage needs to end NOW.]

{image description: Tweet from Allison Hitt Accessibility is not simply about accommodations. It’s about disability justice. It’s about normalizing the multip...le ways that folks exist in & interface with the world. It’s so much more than a nice practice or legal requirement. It’s an ethical responsibility for us all. Dated 8/19/2020 } See more