Hello! It has been a while since I posted. Has anybody else been a little distracted by the budget cuts and what they mean to our children? Yeah...I thought so. Thank you to all of the amazing warriors out there emailing, faxing, calling, and showing up at the legislature to advocate for the preservation of critical services. I am so grateful I am not a legislator right now; they have some terribly difficult decisions in front of them.

THANK YOU TO THOSE LEGISLATORS THAT ARE FIGHTING FOR OUR CHILDREN!! Thank you, especially, to Senators John Huppenthal, Russell Pearce, Thayer Verschoor, Carolyn Allen, Jim Waring, and Chuck Gray; Representatives John Kavanagh, Kyrsten Sinema, John McComish, and Robert Meza; and to staffers at the Capitol-- Victor Riches, Chief of Staff to the AZ House of Representatives, Wendy Baldo, Chief of Staff to the AZ Senate, and Melissa Taylor, Senior Policy Advisor. These are individuals who truly care about the children of Arizona, and have fought especially hard for those with autism. Drop them a note to say thanks (in all your free time, of course). I know we are all busy, but this is something positive you can do! Legislators (and these wonderful staffers) remember when people express gratitude for their hard work on our behalf; it can make a difference of just how much they are willing to fight when they are put against the wall.

SPECIAL EDUCATION: On another note, the next EVAN meeting will be Tuesday, March 31, at 7:00 p.m.in Gilbert. (Email if you need directions.) It was moved to the last Tuesday of the month, only for March, due to spring break. Our guest speaker will be Renaldo Fowler, Senior Staff Advocate for the Arizona Center for Disability Law. Renaldo will be speaking about advocating for your child's special education needs in the school system, and answering your questions. I know you must have a few--I certainly do. I hope to see you there!

Got a Problem Hearing About "Politics"?

I am climbing on my soapbox...ahem: I tried to keep my mouth shut, seriously, but I am afraid my head is going to explode if I don't express my thoughts. I understand that not everybody is interested in politics; I didn't used to be, until I realized how relevant it is to my life...and I have a voice...and that I have no right to complain if I am not going to make a difference or at least support those who are trying to change those issues that directly affect me. People will never entirely agree on politics. Thank heavens for that--it would be a really boring evening around the dinner table! What, you don't discuss politics in your home, or at least over meals? We certainly do in our home, from time to time; we want our children to realize they have not only a right to voice their opinion, but also a responsibility to act on those issues they feel strongly about. I try to practice what I preach. If you know me personally, then you know it is hard for me not to take action on something about which I express passion.

Here is what makes me want to pull out my hair: People complain, at length, about their frustrations with the system--lack of insurance coverage, DDD services or lack thereof, major problems with their school districts, on and on. I can relate to their frustration (I have 2 boys on the autism spectrum; that means I have 2 dogs in the fight...). The simple fact is that any major changes that must occur are going to involve politics. The bigger the issue and the more people it impacts, typically the more politics it involves. Remember Steven's Law, the most comprehensive insurance legislation in the United States? It is still fresh in my mind, as the Governor signed it into law just last March, effective July of 2009. Holy french fries, Batman! How do these people think Steven's Law was passed? There was a small group of autism moms that lived down at the Capitol for months. All we did was strategize and deal with legislators (that would be the politicians!). It simply does not get any more "political" than that. Period. The ironic thing is that just about every one of these moms will not benefit from the legislation. We did it because it was absolutely necessary and it was the right thing to do. As I am sure the majority of our readers are aware, this was a huge grass roots effort. We worked hard to get our parents to pay attention and take action. Our legislative effort truly succeeded because of all the autism families and their friends that were willing to get involved: they showed up at hearings and at the candlelight vigil; they wrote letters and emails to the legislators; they made phone calls and paid visits to their legislators; several even came out and walked legislators' districts on the weekends when we asked for their help.

This was truly an amazing, remarkable process. Everybody was important. Families made this happen. Now, take it a step further, please. Our autism community garnered some serious respect because of Steven's Law. Legislators had never seen anything like this before. Don't believe me? Call your legislator personally and ask. Is there anything else that needs to be repaired or changed for our children and the community? Gee, does anyone have any issues with the public education system? School district? Department of Education? Struggling with your therapy services? Lack thereof? Would you like to see things drastically improve? For the love of Pete, make the connection: it will take more "politics" to make these monumental changes in the system. Don't think it can be done? Well, we did it with insurance. This is a fact: every year when the “Arizona Capitol Times” publishes their "Most Powerful List" every year- top of the list, listed higher than the Speaker of the House or Governor's Chief of Staff, is "insurance industry". Wow, ruminate on that for a moment. If only one thing is taken away from my long post, make it this: Get involved. Stay involved. If "involved" merely means being supportive of those of us putting ourselves on the line for this community, then please be involved. If you can do more, we welcome you with open arms and will support you in your effort. If there are any parties objecting to our use of "politics" to get things accomplished, think twice about benefiting from our efforts, even if only for a second. After you have given it some thought, thank your lucky stars somebody was willing to talk "politics" and be on the front lines for you and your family. This truly is an amazing community. We are capable of making even greater changes within our state for our autism community. Let's stand united and support one another in our efforts to make Arizona better for all of our families. If you can't do this, then please, stand back and get out of the way for those of us willing to do the work. Thank you to those families that have given their undying support for our efforts. I am getting off my soapbox now....

GPS Board Endorsements--Make Your Voice Heard!

It is time to send in those mail-in ballots! If you are a traditional kind of voter (you know, the patriotic citizen that enjoys the actual feel of the voting booth), remember to visit the polls on Tuesday, November 4th. Either way, make sure your voice is heard! Just in case anybody is wondering, we are endorsing three candidates for our local Gilbert Public School Board (there are three seats open and four candidates running). Holly, Katie, and I have spent a considerable amount of time speaking to each of these three ladies; we are highly confident they will listen to the needs of the special education community and do a fine job representing the interest of all students in GPS. Please vote for EJ Anderson, Helen Hollands--incumbent and current GPS Board President, and Adelaida Severson.

Click on EJ's picture and bio, above, and it will pop up in a window that makes it readable. EJ came to our August EVAN meeting and answered questions from our members.

Just a reminder: Adelaida will be stopping by our next EVAN meeting, Tuesday, October 21, 7 pm, at my home in Gilbert, to answer any questions you may have about her and her views on education. Kathryn Cummard, Head of the Autism Demonstration Team for GPS, will be our main guest speaker.

Renata Gives Her 2 Cents

Remember when I said I would welcome comments and other political information? Well, yippee-skippy! Someone has taken me up on the offer! I promised I would post it on the main page if the reader wanted me to, and that is exactly what I am doing. Thanks, Renata, for putting in your 2 cents.

Good Morning Melissa-
I know we belong to different political parties, and I read the blog. I had trouble commenting on it, so I'll add my 2 cents here. I read the following on Obama's website- it states the issues, what their plans and ideas are, and then asks the public for ideas.

* His short video on disabilities mentions Michelle's father's MS and the impact, and mentions Autism twice.
*Along w/ increasing funding and awareness, he wants a national re-screening for all 2 yr. olds to increase early detection especially for ASD.
*In Illinois, he sponsored legislation that became law to create ASD Diagnosis Educ. Program to promote evidence-based practices and offered educational opportunities at all levels from doctors to day-care workers to language therapists.
*Supported efforts to build Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research
* He co-sponsored a measure that would expand federal funding for ASD life-long services
* They want to establish a position-Federal ASD Co-ordinator to be sure there is collaboration between agencies and families, and to ensure funds are spent in a way that prioritizes results.
*Goals to facilitate dialogue between federal agancies, resources, school districts, first responders and community members

They also want to establish a Civilian Assistance Corps calling on volunteers w/ expertise that could be deployed to areas of the US in times of crisis and natural disasters.

The website also answers any questions about his Christianity,etc..

I know family bonds, life experiences, religion, economic status, etc. all shape our political views--just wanted to add my 2 cents-Renata

Okay, so some people do not think Sarah Palin rocks--at least one person took the time to tell me so (thanks, thegoodguy). Specifically addressing the special needs issue: I recognize that as far as having a child with a disability (or however you want to put it), Palin is a newbie, wet-behind-the-ears, still-doesn't-know-what-she-is-in-for, and oh so much more. My enthusiasm for her appearance on the national political scene, as far as disabilities go, has nothing to do with her party affiliation. Simply put, this is the first time, ever, that I have heard somebody in a high profile position address something relevant to my child. If nothing comes of Palin's bid for Vice President, she has brought a whole lot of attention to the special needs community. As for my excitement, I am the mom of two boys with autism; to me, her lack of experience in this arena (right now today), both as a parent and a politician, is irrelevant. People must first be aware of our community and our issues before any improvements can be made. She has made the world sit up and take notice of families with differently-abled children. I wonder how many other high level politicians have had seriously disabled family members, but kept them out of the public eye? Palin has put her family out front, for better or worse. Her running mate is married to a former special education teacher. Cindy McCain has also done some terrific things as an advocate for the human race that have nothing to do with her former teaching career. My point is, these things have nothing to do with your choice of political party. It is simply that a spotlight, nationally, has finally been projected on our families. If the Republicans win this election, we will have a different perspective, in regards to our families, in the White House. If the Democrats win, there is still pressure to pay attention to the special needs population: Pandora has been released from her box, and there is no way for her to be shoved back inside and locked up.

Election update: As you are all undoubtedly aware, there are 3 seats up for re-election on the Gilbert Public Schools Board in November. Many of you attended our August EVAN meeting and had the opportunity to meet one of the candidates, EJ Anderson, and ask her questions relevant to our community. Adelaida Severson, another school board candidate, is coming to our October EVAN meeting, and is pleased to answer your questions about herself and her position on school board issues. Katie, Holly, and I have spent a reasonable amount of time with both candidates hearing their philosophies, and are proud to support both of them in pursuing 2 out of the 3 open seats on the board. Please check out the section on the right hand side of the blog titled,"Politics Relevant to YOU," and find the links for both Adelaida and EJ. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE express to every Gilbert voter you know that the autism community supports these fine women and NEEDS them on the board for all of our children in GPS. THANK YOU!!! AUTISM PARENTS ROCK!!

Have You Seen This? (Thanks Manoj!)

EVAN DISCLAIMER: We pass on information to stir up some curiousity and (always) discussion. Do your homework on all subjects--we do not claim anything we present to be fact (although it just might be), but merely a trail of bread crumbs for you to follow. Make up your own mind!!

Vaccine Makers Shielded from Autism Liability Lawsuit

An 11-year-old boy with autism and his family cannot proceed with their case against pharmaceutical companies after a judge ruled that federal law pre-empts state claims against companies if their vaccines are FDA-approved. Jared Wright, 11, of Texas, was given six vaccines during the first year-and-a-half of his life.Five of the vaccines contained the mercury-based preservative, thimerosal. Jared’s parents, Howard and Jacqueline Wright claim the mercury in the vaccines caused Jared’s autism.The vaccine makers named in the product liability lawsuit were Aventis Pasteur Inc., Merck & Co. Inc., and Wyeth. But Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Arnold L. New granted the companies summary judgment and wrote that the drug makers are shielded from liability by the federal National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. 22(b) of the Vaccine Act expressly pre-empts claims of design defects or a failure to warn the public about a vaccine’s dangers. “Congress clearly intended when it enacted the Vaccine Act to exercise its constitutionally delegated authority to preempt all state design defect claims without case-by-case determination that the side effects are unavoidable,” New wrote. The 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act was created as a no-fault system by the federal government to provide recovery of damages to people hurt by vaccines and to reduce the potential financial liability of vaccine makers due to injury claims. The Wright’s attorney Marc P. Weingarten of Locks Law Firm, had argued that the drug companies were negligent because the public and doctors were kept in the dark about the use of mercury in vaccines. But Judge New ruled that violating the protection provided by the Vaccine Act might destabilize the supply of child vaccines. Weingarten said the case is “an extremely important issue to be heard by the courts of Pennsylvania” because of the federal pre-emption issues arising in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation in both state and federal jurisdictions. Proponents of vaccines argue that major studies have not found a link between the use of thimerosal and neurological injury. But scientists pointing to the case of Hannah Poling earlier this year, put the industry on notice that pre-existing conditions in children, such as mitochondrial disorder in Hannah, might result in autism after vaccinations. In March, Julie Gerberding, head of the CDC, appeared with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN and confirmed that vaccines can trigger autism in a subset of vulnerable children. That video is available via YouTube on the web site of Adventures in Autism. To overcome this federal safety blanket for drug makers, the plaintiff would have to show the pharmaceutical companies engaged in fraud or wrongfully withheld information from the FDA; or failed to exercise due care even though the manufacturer complied with federal laws and regulations. Ultimately, measures aimed at reducing the right to file liability lawsuits against drug and device makers is one tool of the tort reform movement.

Posted on InjuryBoard.com:
http://www.injuryboard.com/national-news/Vaccine-Makers-Shielded-From-Autism-Liability-Lawsuit.aspx?googleid=247200