E-Newsletter November 2007 #3 - Mini Edition

Here is your update on TACA (Talk About Curing Autism). If you are new to our site... WELCOME! This newsletter is produced two to four times each month.

We are an autism education and support group. We want to make this e-newsletter informative for you. As always, email your thoughts and/or questions so we can improve it.

We focus on parent information and support, parent mentoring, dietary intervention, the latest in medical research, special education law, reviews of the latest treatments, and many other topics relating to autism. Our main goal is to build our community so we can connect, share and support each other.

Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) provides general information of interest to the autism community. The information comes from a variety of sources and TACA does not independently verify any of it. The views expressed herein are not necessarily TACA’s.

In this edition:

1. TACA Group Meetings
2. TACA Marriage & Family Counseling Groups Now Forming
3. California Adopt-A-Family Holiday Program
4. Medical Grants Available - Deadline December 15, 2007
5. TACA Volunteer Opportunities

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1 TACA Has Eight California Meeting Locations
Corona (Inland Empire)                                                                                 

Costa Mesa (Orange County)

Los Angeles (Newly Added!)

San Diego

Santa Rosa

Torrance (South Bay)

Visalia (Tulare County/San Joaquin Valley)

West Hills (San Fernando Valley)
 
2. TACA Marriage & Family Counseling Groups Now Forming
Families who have children with autism face serious and ongoing challenges  for organizing family resources (time, finances, education.) These challenges can exhaust couples, putting incredible stress on marriages.  Divorce rates have soared to 85% during the first five years after diagnosis.  

The group will meet weekly for six or eight weeks to discuss how to better care for yourselves and your marriage so you can be effective loving parents. Learn how to reduce stress and increase your coping skills.

Two Locations:

Orange County:  TACA's Marriage and Family Counseling Group Orange County now has funding through Regional Center of Orange County.

The Orange County group will meet in Irvine beginning on November  29th.  We will have a break for Christmas holiday. Limited to five couples.

Eight meeting times: Group time and dates: Thursday Evenings, 7:00 - 8:30, November 29th
Office location is in Irvine, California at the corner of MacArthur Blvd and Jamboree Road.

There is no cost to attend this group as it is funded by RCOC if your child is a RCOC client.  If your child is not a client with regional of Orange county but you are interested in joining the group PLEASE contact us, TACA is able to fund you. Respite care funding is available for the group time.

Please Call Susan Gonzales  310-770-5009 or Karen Cladis, LMFT 714-490-3780 for more information and to register.
  
Los Angeles: TACA's Marriage and Family Counseling Group has expanded to an additional site in Los Angeles! The L.A. groups are funded by TACA.

The Los Angeles Group office location is at 864 So. Robertson, LA (between Wilshire and Olympic) and will meet for six weeks on Friday Evenings, 7:00 - 8:30 (1 1/2 hour) beginning November 30th.
  
Please call Tom Brauner, PhD 310.200. 1953, Susan Gonzales  310-770-5009 for more information and to register.

Couples will be asked for a commitment to attend the six weeks (LA group), eight weeks (Orange County) of sessions and to complete questionnaires prior to and after the completion of sessions.
  
Each couple will meet prior to to first session with group leaders to discuss their goals.

Important notes:
  • TACA began this couples group in Orange County due to funding received and professionals with experience with autism. Due to  previous funding and group reports, additional funding has become available allowing us to expand.
  • First-come, first-serve - please sign up as soon as possible before availability is gone.
  • Thank you to our TACA friends Karen Cladis, Susan Gonzales and Tom Brauner for making this much needed program happen!
  • No shows on the first date of counseling will lose their spot in the program to the first people on the wait list.
  • No changes on meeting dates or times can be made - sorry. Please check your schedule before committing to this program.
  • Special thanks to TACA's anonymous sponsor for helping us start this important program.
  • You must be a TACA member and have a child with autism to apply for this program.
  • Couples are required to attend together to qualify.
 
3. California Adopt-A-Family Holiday Program

Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) is pleased to announce its 3rd annual California Adopt-A-Family Holiday Campaign! The holiday season is a happy time filled with warmth, love, generosity and hope – and it is through the generous donations that we are able to launch and continue this much needed program.

TACA will be adopting approximately 20-30 families of all faiths to help provide the things that will make this holiday special. For the families adopted, we will be providing holiday gifts for their children which could also include: assistance with special needs such as diapers, groceries, vitamin supplements, etc., as well as the delivery of a special holiday dinner. Holiday giving will be valued at approximately $200 in total and will be based on family need and family size.

Need Help? Apply to be Adopted – Deadline December 10, 2007

If you are a family in need, we will do our best to make this a special holiday season for your family. To qualify, you must:

Applications will only be accepted by mail (no email for faxes accepted).
Send to: TACA California Adopt a Family, P.O. Box 12409, Newport Beach, CA 92658-2409

Read more.
 
4. Families in Crisis Medical Grant

Through California Integrative Hyperbarics in Irvine, CA, TACA is happy to offer the Families in Crisis Medical Grant.

Deadline for this one-time grant is December 15, 2007

A family of a child affected by autism living in California can apply for the following, one-time medical grant.

This special grant includes:

  • Forty (40) Hyperbaric - 100% Oxygen treatments at 1.3 atmospheres (hard chamber) - based on doctor's prescription
  • One (1) hour visit with Dr. Chitra Bhatra, DAN! doctor to review the child's history and needs
  • Up to $1,000 in laboratory testing to assist in creating a treatment plan unique to the child's needs

The grant value is $6,500.  

Read more.
 
5. TACA Volunteer Opportunities

TACA has grown so much over the past six years and our amazing volunteers help make TACA do what it does for families. Currently over 100 volunteers allow TACA to run and serve more than 6,000 families. Volunteer hours are crucial to our operations and so needed and appreciated.

It is our goal to make volunteer positions available to those in our community (family, friends, vendors, and sometimes our parents) as times permits in our busy schedules!

Please consider:

  • TACA Librarian for TACA Los Angeles, TACA Visalia and TACA Corona:  Attend every TACA meeting, bring all loaner books to the meeting. Help families select books and obtain the materials back from the families. For more information please contact Julia (Los Angeles), Lynne (Visalia) or Tami (Corona).

Thank you for considering a volunteer position at TACA.
 
Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) provides general information of interest to the autism community. The information comes from a variety of sources and TACA does not independently verify any of it. The views expressed herein are not necessarily TACA’s. TACA does not engage in lobbying or other political activities.

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