Nevada Autism Summit 2005
Nevada Autism Summit Surveys
The Nevada Autism Summit project invited parents of individuals with autism and service providers for individuals with autism to complete two surveys. The first survey covered background and the assessment process. The second survey covered intervention services. There are separate versions of each survey designed for parents and for service providers. The suveys were completed online, over the phone, or by requesting that a survey be mailed to you. All information was treated with confidentiall, and utilized at the November 2005 Nevada Autism Summit to help develop a position statement and an action plan for Nevada.
NAS Project Description
The Nevada Autism Summit (NAS) is a yearlong project of the Nevada University Center for Excellence in Disabilities (Nevada UCED), funded by a grant through the Nevada Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. The project involves engaging the collaboration of a 20-member steering committee representing parents, advocates, service providers, educators, and agency representatives from urban and rural communities with expertise in autism across the lifespan. We will collect and organize comprehensive statewide information on assessment and intervention practices, and on health, education, transition, vocation, recreation, and independent/supported living issues, from both a family and service provider perspective. This will culminate with a statewide summit for approximately 100 participants in late fall 2005. During the day-and-a-half summit, we will study the information collected and develop a position statement and a preliminary action plan to address needs and interests.
Background
In June 2004, the Nevada Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities announced the availability of funds to support projects during the 2004-2005 budget year. Their request for proposals (RFP) identified "priority areas of interest for 2004-2005 funding" that included a "statewide autism summit ...to bring consumers, parents, and providers together to discuss ways to improve services for families with children of all ages with autism." In November 2004, the Nevada UCED was officially notified that our proposal had been selected for funding. The award was formalized and funds were dispersed in mid January, 2005. The timeline for the NAS project is January through December 2005.
NAS Project Staff
The NAS Project Director, Candace Ganz, Ed.D., is Assistant Director at the Nevada UCED. The Chair of the NAS Steering Committee, Debra Vigil, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech Pathology & Audiology at UNR. Matt Tincani, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at UNLV, is NAS Project Consultant for the South. Two students are part-time NAS Project Assistants and work out of the Nevada UCED.
Contact Information
Nevada Autism Summit
Research and Educational Planning Center
University of Nevada Reno
College of Education/MS285
Reno, NV 89557
(775) 784-4921, ext. 2354 or 2399