Special Needs

Autism/Political Regression

Clickford, Steven M.

The Autism rights movement is very non-existent in my area. I do not see any changes effecting my state related to me. I had been active in some self-advocacy in the past. There are too many older people of elderly age who have their views on “developmental disabilities”; and their views are not up to par in the 21st century. We also have too many direct support professionals who are in the institutional mind and skillset but yet we are supposed to be out in the community all day long because being exposed and being seen will fix all the intolerant issues. Sadly I know enough conservatives who do not tolerate my group at all.

I have spoken to heads of state agencies, to bureau heads, to department employees and they have refused to take my concerns into consideration other than generic acknowledgment  type of statements. I tried to show people in my own county for an example what autism can be for all, not just some limited restrictions for whatever excuses the older generation wants to believe.

Autism Awareness will always be the month to denote the signs, but we will never, ever, EVER be appreciated or accepted. I will be treated like a wallflower, just a voice that wants to only be heard in their minds.

I’ve accepted the facts that I will not be respected like any other thirty year olds in this circle. It is politically incorrect to be high functioning and be part of various special needs support circles, they want to only support the ones who allegedly cannot speak for themselves. Some are threatened by me because I’ve broken some glass barriers to the point they’d be laid off because a little known fact is that some families can speak for themselves! Which means some family advocacy groups could be out of a job, but they blame me for speaking truth to power; but they can be as  crass as they want to be. (This is the concern of the power addiction that some Concord types have a problem.)

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The Lack of Direct Support Professionals

Clickford, Steven M.

2017 Update: I still have not found a dedicated DSP outside of my program.

For adults with autism spectrum disorders, at least in my backyard; finding good help is one thing; finding help at all is even worse.

Direct support professionals (also known as DSPs, caretakers, caregivers, respite workers, etc.) is supposed to be a growing trend by 2020. The difference between DSPs and the traditional sense, is there is more standards, competencies and even ethics. While it’s good in the abstract, I find it flawed as the c-suite will continue to possibly hire incompetent managers and continue to operate unethically.

For my case, a simple DSP to take me out for fun to get away from the horrible realities of living with autism in a region regressing in service delivery, oppressive special needs systems, etc, took nearly 6 months from concept to a possible new hire. I went through every professional acquaintances  and – nothing! Even my remaining Massachusetts connections – and no luck!

Is it a case of if its too good to be true then it must be?  or is it “I don’t want to work with an autistic, because they are slow childlike boys- I can’t stand those people.”

You know who I accuse this of? Bad leadership in New Hampshire. Bad training standards (because they are taught to find “flaws” with the individuals, glorify the negativity and dilute any positive abilities of the students or clients.)

What’s worse is the training is hard to come by here in this state with the various conferences relevant to special needs. I blame the Granite State being so desperate, they’ll take out of staters who clearly want to oppress the severely autistics and train future professionals the negativity as the headline and any positives as a footnote.

I’m in my late twenties, and I haven’t been active in any advocacy or became an agent of some change till recent years. But from what I’ve gathered from the outside was that the state’s better years could’ve been the days when the Great Stone Face was still up in Franconia Notch – nearly 12 years to the day. But around 2003, remember, many of them just became of age, or would become of age. So in the days of progress, there were few people on the autism spectrum as adults, as so many were children, and in those days many were suffocating of big heavy smoke of destructive political actions of the leadership of the time.

I feel like its worse living in New Hampshire and with autism than years past! Why are we settling to such a low level? I call this Unanswered questions.