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Author Archives: Ianthe Dempsey

ASAN Statement on Shooting of Charles Kinsey

| Ianthe Dempsey

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network strongly condemns the police shooting of Charles Kinsey, an unarmed Black support worker to an autistic man in Miami. Those who support people with disabilities should never have to worry that they or the people they support will be subject to violence as a...

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A Message from ASAN President Ari Ne’eman

| Ianthe Dempsey

Organizations go through many stages. One of the most challenging and important are transitions in leadership, particularly when they involve founding members. Over the last ten years, I have had the honor and privilege of building and directing the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. That experience has been one of...

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ASAN Supports and Calls for Immediate Committee Hearing on H.R. 2302

| Ianthe Dempsey

In the wake of the deaths of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and others at the hands of law enforcement officers, ASAN announces its support for H.R. 2302, the Police Training and Independent Review Act. The bill would make certain federal funding of state law enforcement agencies contingent upon the...

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ASAN Praises Supported Decision-Making Legislation In Delaware

| Ianthe Dempsey

ASAN applauds the Delaware General Assembly for passing Senate Bill No. 230, which allows people with disabilities in Delaware to form legally recognized supported decision making agreements. The bill would allow any person with a disability to designate another person to act as their supporter. The supporter would be...

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ASAN Comments on FDA’s Proposed Ban of Electric Shock Devices

| Ianthe Dempsey

This letter is available as a PDF here and in the embedded issuu reader here. Leslie Kux Associate Commissioner for Policy Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305) Food and Drug Administration 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061 Rockville, MD 20852 Re: Docket Number FDA-2016-N-1111, Proposal to Ban Electrical Stimulation Devices Used...

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ACTION ALERT:  Tell the FDA: Ban Electric Shock Torture of People with Disabilities

| Ianthe Dempsey

On April 22, 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposed rule to ban the use of electrical shock devices such as those used at the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton, Massachusetts. ASAN has issued a statement with more information here. The FDA is currently taking public comments...

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Building an Inclusive Rights Agenda for Autistic Adults: Joint Statement from ASAN and the Republic of Malta

| Ianthe Dempsey

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIAT FOR RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITY AND ACTIVE AGEING Building an Inclusive Rights Agenda for Autistic Adults: COSP9 side event held by the Government of Malta in collaboration with Autistic Self Advocacy Network Malta, through the Parliamentary Secretariat for Rights of Persons...

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ASAN Statement on the Revisions to H.R. 2646

| Ianthe Dempsey

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is alarmed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s passage of H.R. 2646, the so-called “Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act. Despite recent revisions, H.R. 2646 continues to focus on interventions that isolate and stigmatize people with mental health disabilities. It was not...

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ASAN’s Comments on Education Department’s Proposed Rule on Special Education Disproportionality

| Ianthe Dempsey

ASAN has submitted our comments on a proposed change to Department of Education regulations. The proposed change would require public school systems to use a specific method for determining whether or not an unusually high or low number of students of color are identified as needing special education. This is...

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Morénike Giwa-Onaiwu: I Suck At Introductions, But Here’s Mine :)

| Ianthe Dempsey

Enthusiastic two hand wave, gentle (or tight) hugs, fist bump of solidarity, or whatever greetings you prefer! I’m glad to be here with all of you. For those of you who do not know me, I’m Morénike, the newest ASAN Board member. I have been involved in autistic advocacy...

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