Chris Hartzog » Autism

Please Save Washington’s RHC’s

chartzog — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:12:35 +0000

Here is my letter to Washington State legislators pleading with them to save from closure the state’s homes for the profoundly disabled.

Dear Senator/Representative:

I am contacting you state my concern and urge you to please do NOT vote to close Washington’s residential rehabilitation centers.

This idea might sound tempting as it [...]

Families and Lawmakers Work to Save Disabled From Budget Cuts

admin — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 17:50:09 +0000

I have included below a copy of a letter that I wrote to my Washington state legislators and state senator to voice concern over Governor Christine Gregoire’s proposal to close the Frances Haddon Morgan Center by June 2011, consolidate DDD residential facilities and place many of the profoundly disabled residents out into rented houses [...]

Fircrest Christmas Concert

admin — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 06:21:25 +0000

On Thursday, Dec 23rd, I will play a Christmas show at the Fircrest Residential Habilitation Center in Seattle at 7 pm for residents, staff, family and friends of the Fircrest. Merry Christmas! We had a blast playing for 50 residents with autism at FHMC on Wednesday. You folks light up my life! I love [...]

Center for Autistic Closing Due to Governor’s Budget Cuts

admin — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 16:53:21 +0000

We got to do our first ever television interview last week! It was on a troubling topic however. The Governor of Washington trying to close down the ONLY AUTISM SPECIALITY residence in the state, which coincidentally is where our daughter lives, and is thriving by the way. A transcript of the interview is listed [...]

New Facebook Page

chartzog — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 01:34:04 +0000

This is just a mini post to let you know about my New Facebook Fan Page for my music in support of autism and disabilities: Here is the link – Kilika Music Facebook Page

Music and the Brain

chartzog — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:27:43 +0000

The AP published an interesting article recently describing the links found in the brain between music and words including the possiblity that intense therapy with music might improve speech in not only stroke patients, but in individuals with autism as well. It’s nice to know that what my wife and I have known instinctively [...]

Music for Caregivers

chartzog — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:38:16 +0000

My mission is to provide “Music for Caregivers” to integrate into the lives of people living in nursing homes and to those with physical, developmental or neurological disabilities living in our world.

This page and web site is a place for anyone interested in bringing music into a care-giving environment. Care-giving environments can be [...]

Resources For Caregivers

chartzog — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:34:13 +0000

With the aging of our population there has been a increased need for caregivers, either professional, or those who fill the role out of love due to an aging spouse, parent or loved one. There is also a large population of caregivers of disabled children, afflicted with various things such as autism, mental retardation, [...]

Free Daysails for Special Needs Children

chartzog — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:47:52 +0000

Here is a great opportunity for you and your special needs child (or adult) that was brought to my attention by the wonderful Washington State Fathers Network.

Free Daysails with Heart of Sailing

When: various, over the next two weeks, or by appointment

Where: varies, see below

My name is George Saidah, Founder of [...]

Congressional Inquiry: Washington State Schools Use of Restraint and Seclusion

chartzog — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:06:12 +0000

Thanks to the Washington State Fathers Network for providing this notification.

Congressional Inquiry: Restraint and Seclusion

Deadline: Friday, August 14, 2009

National Protection and Advocacy has a Congressional inquiry regarding the use of restraint and seclusion in Washington schools and wants to hear of any examples of abusive situations.

Washington state’s protection and advocacy [...]

Do Schools Abuse Disabled Students?

chartzog — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:44:36 +0000

It’s no surprise to me, but the GAO released a report detailing how public schools use abuse to deal with disabled children, including those with autism.

There is an article on this in the Washington Times and there is a video news story by MSNBC.

Just watching this video gives me post traumatic stress [...]

This Is It – World Autism Awareness Day

chartzog — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:30:22 +0000

Well, it is finally April 2nd. The second annual World Autism Awareness Day. Here are some resources to help you become more aware:

Autism Speaks press release

My site’s entry portal into background information and resources for autism, developmental disabilities, dementia, Alzheimer’s and related topics.

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Autism Awareness Day April 2nd

chartzog — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:30:24 +0000

Oh my gosh, it almost caught me off guard. I realized that tomorrow, Thursday April 2nd is coincidentally enough the 2nd annual World Autism Awareness Day. Below is what Autism Speaks has posted on the event:

Autism Speaks to Celebrate Second Annual World Autism Awareness Day with an Array of International Events on April [...]

Rockin' & Ridin' For Autism

chartzog — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:10:23 +0000

Hi everyone — This is a shameless plug for a great autism charity: Rockin’ & Ridin’ for Autism. I added the link to RRFA’s web site along with a picture of their cool banner to my page, Autism Support. Won’t you please stop by their site and support autism awareness?

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New for Disabilities – Reference Points

chartzog — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:19:49 +0000

I just learned about this and I thought I would pass it on:

REFERENCE POINTS:

New National Center For Parents with Disabilities and Their Families

REFERENCE POINTS is an activity of TATRA, a project of PACER Center:

Through the Looking Glass recently announced its new National Center for Parents with Disabilities [...]

A Bogus Autism Study?

chartzog — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:29:13 +0000

So, have you seen the news report from The Times of London that Dr. Andrew Wakefield manipulated data in his research that sparked the scare of an autism link with the measles, mumps and rubella vacine?

Even though the results from the original 1998 research were based on a statistically [...]

New Autism Research

chartzog — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:11:24 +0000

The AP published a fascinating article today on language processing by autistic children that described a new study of brain wave patterns during language processing done using noninvasive technology called magnetoencephalography, or MEG. They found autistic children had a 20 millisecond delay per word in processing the sounds, which while only a small amount [...]

Autism From the Rain?

chartzog — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:29:04 +0000

Well, well, given that I live in the “rainy northwest” corner of the USA, this headline running on Yahoo’s new page today caught my attention. This past spring I posted on this issue, wondering if autism rates were higher in the Pacific northwest. My curiosity was due to Wired Magazine’s article on high autism [...]

The Number 1 Reason Senator Barack Obama Should Not Be Elected

chartzog — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:34:06 +0000

People who know me know that I very rarely talk about politics. I don’t like politics (in government or at the office) and I am not political.

However, I am making an exception right now, a week and a half before our presidential election, because it is of vital importance to our future. I [...]

Updated Concert Schedule

chartzog — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:13:52 +0000

I have updated my concert schedule on the Live page. In October I will be performing for the Seattle Asperger’s Support Group’s 10 year anniversary celebration.

The Asperger Support Network is a place to find resources related to living life with Asperger’s Syndrome and relate conditions in Seattle, the Puget Sound, and Washington State.

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