We were very active this May, connecting with members of the community at events across the state!
On May 6th, we had a great time at the Art for Autism event in San Antonio alongside Autism Treatment Center and Mindcolor Autism, supporting Autistic artists in showcasing and selling their work. Special thanks to artist Jennifer Warren for donating her proceeds from the event to AST.
The Jack Stephens Scholarship Fund opened on May 19th, which serves Houston area families and caregivers of Autistic youth ages 2-17, by providing needed scholarships for items, services, and supports that promote skill development, education, safety, and the arts.
On May 22 we were a part of the Slaughter Associates Golf For Charity Classic where attendees raised $15K for Autism Society of Texas! Richard P. Slaughter Associates has raised a total of $625K for area nonprofits with their Golf For Charity Classic over the years, and we are so grateful for the positive impact they make on AST and the local community.
Then on May 24th we partnered with Trulieve to provide a free education event on “Autism as a Qualifying Condition for Low-THC Cannabis in Texas”, which focused on explaining the benefits of medical cannabis for those on the Spectrum, as well as how to obtain a prescription.
Our team worked hard during the last month of the Texas Legislative session to educate legislators about the negative impact that vouchers have on students with disabilities, and also worked to protect the rights of adults with disabilities regarding their placement in long term residential facilities. We also advocated for increased budgets for waiver waitlists, attendant care wage increase (which moved up to $10.60/hour from $8.11), increased funding for the Children’s Autism Program and more.
We will continue our efforts by working with state agencies on these important issues in cases where legislation didn’t pass. We appreciate everyone’s efforts in improving outcomes for people with Autism! To get a full update on our advocacy efforts and what we’ll be doing during the Interim and via Federal Advocacy, please subscribe to our Advocacy email list here.