• Hats Off To Columbus Area Support Group and Bartholomew Community School Corporation: Partnership
• Hats Off To Hamilton-Boone-Madison Special Services Cooperative: Movie Day
• Hats Off To South LaPorte County Special Education Cooperative and Autism Society of Central Indiana: Start a Walk in Your Community
• Hats Off To M.S.D. of Wayne Township: Creating Building Level Autism Teams
• Hats Off To Johnson County Special Services
• Hats Off To Switzerland County Middle School Autism Team
• Hats Off To MSD of Lawrence Township: Training via District Website
• Hats Off To MSD of Warren Township: S.A.F.E. Supporting Autism for Everyone
• Hats Off To MSD of Martinsville: Camp Discovery: A Place for Kids to Have Fun!
• Hats Off To An Autism Team Working in Indiana: First Responder Training
• Autism Teams: Building Capacity Across Indiana
• Hats Off to Noblesville Schools for Creating Training Classrooms: Using Evidence-Based Practices of Visual Supports and Work Systems
• Hats Off To Asperger Autism Group of Goshen
• Hats Off to East Centeral Indiana Autism Society of America Chapter: Interlock
• Hats Off To Greater Lafayette Area Special Services Autism Team

Hats Off To Asperger Autism Group of Goshen:  Meeting Parents Needs

Contributed by:  Melissa Dubie

Five years ago, two moms, Christine Guth and Kaylene Ediger, got together to start the parent group now called Asperger Autism Group of Goshen Indiana.  Christine learned her first child was on the autism spectrum in the mid 90's, a time when not many resources or support were readily available from other parents.  As a result, at times she felt isolated and had no one to turn to.  Her kids are now young adults, living on their own which has given her some freedom to put her energy into this parent group.  Both Christine and Kaylene want to share resources and help families to stay connected.  This group goes above that to try to reach as many families as possible by meeting on numerous days of the month, in different places in Goshen, and by addressing a variety of themes.   Here is a list of the many activities this parent group is doing.

On the first Monday of each month, there is an educational meeting.  This is held at a local church that provides the space, allows Christine to make copies as needed, and plows the driveway in the winter.  This local church believes that holding the parent group at their church is a service to the community.  Kaylene and Christine share the group facilitator role. They invite a guest speaker each month who introduces coping strategies and helpful information for families.  The whole focus is on being positive with families.

Another regular event started when a mother called Christine wanting time to talk with other parents.  This grew into a meeting held at the local coffee shop once a month on Thursday evenings from 7:00-8:30.   Folks are encouraged to stay as long as people want to stay.  This provides an unstructured evening for parents to just sit to talk to other parents, sharing their experiences, strengths, and hopes with one another.

A Facebook group has been created to connect families in between meetings. This has been a way to include those who can't get out of their home because of children with significant challenges, younger children, or children losing skills. Social networking gives families a meaningful way to connect and allows families to still build relationships.

Families can also get information through a group newsletter titled Nuts and Bolts.  This newsletter goes out approximately once a week.  It contains short, to the point and easy to browse information about activities and resources in Elkhart County and surrounding areas with the goal of keeping everyone informed.

A group for people who have spouses on the autism spectrum has recently started.  The group is small and intimate and gives wives time to be together to share stories, laugh, and cry.  The spouse's group draws on Christine's experience of being married to man on the autism spectrum for 30 years.  She feels like she can share with compassion her life's struggles and celebrations of living with a husband on the autism spectrum.

Elkhart County has a large population of Latino families; therefore, Christine is starting to investigate the need for Latino families to have support within the autism community.  Occasionally the group has provided interpreters at their meetings for families whose English is limited.  Recently, with the help of INSOURCE, they held special education training entirely in Spanish.  From this experience, Christine is exploring more ways to meet the needs of this group within the community.

All of these groups are possible through volunteers like Christine Guth and Kaylene Ediger; plus the support of IU Health--Goshen Hospital Community Benefit Fund, which provides the group with funds to pay travel costs of speakers and to provide child care.  The meetings are publicized in four local papers, and posted on their website and on Facebook.  At times, a grandparent reads the paper and then tells their son or daughter about the meetings. Family members pick and choose meetings to attend depending on the topic.  In 2011, 135 different people have attended meetings.   An additional 140 individuals have received one-on-one assistance by phone, e-mail or in person, and their newsletter reaches about 300 families.  Both Christine and Kaylene feel strongly that every community needs autism support.  If you want more information on how to broaden the support offered in your area or to get more involved in the Goshen parent group, go to website for the Asperger Autism Group of Goshen at http://sites.google.com/site/autismgoshen/ or call Christine Guth via phone (574) 534-2718 or e-mail (christine@adnetonline.org).

Visit the Indiana Resource Center for Autism website for a complete listing of parent support groups in Indiana.  Click Here