Taking Authority Over Autism

With the trauma that the Hispanic community is experiencing with Operation Metro Surge, one organization is working to address mental health, protective factors, and opioid education in a culturally responsive way. Sheletta chats with Karina Kelton of Raices Latinas Minnesota about the programs and services they provide to Washington County residents.

Sheletta chats with Shelley Neilsen Gatti at the University of St Thomas and Annette Lee from St. Paul Public Schools about a really unique program that provides a non traditional program that creates a pathway to get more diverse teachers in the classrooms.

When Sheletta's father-in-law moved into their home, he felt alone and isolated from his friends. She wishes she had known about Friends & Co. to help him find a phone buddy to chat with to lift his spirits. Featuring Emma Lucchesi from Friends & Co., discussing the ‘Coffee Talk’ program, which connects older adults through meaningful conversation and community. 

Moms with autism oftentimes go without eating. The long days and even longer nights don't lend themselves to a sit down breakfast with the kids. Dinners can be daunting. So how do you get a nutritious, quick meal?  Sheletta found a sweet surprise in the frozen food section at her local Hy-Vee grocery store that allows busy moms to have a tasty treat!

Cannabis is legal in Minnesota, but that doesn't mean you should be lax about where you store it. Kids with autism are inquisitive and will reach for things they're not supposed to have. Sheletta talks with her friends in Minneapolis about a program that will give you a bag to lock up your goodies, free of charge, so you can keep your kiddos safe.

Sheletta chats with her friends at Steve Rummler's Hope Network about how folks in Washington County can help provide naloxone to people in need to prevent opioid overdose deaths. 

 For families in St. Louis Park who need help upgrading their homes but can't afford it, Sheletta tells you about some funding you can tap into to get it done on the latest episode of her autism podcast.

Now, 1 in 34 children in Minnesota has autism, and many school-based programs exist to help meet their needs. But at some point, they'll grow up. What happens when it's 1 in 34 elderly people on the spectrum? What's available for them then? One Minnesota-based organization, Hammer and N.E.R., has a new campaign and hopes to provide the long-term care many parents will be looking for in the future.

Sheletta chats with her friend Dee Torgerson from the Vocational Rehabilitation Office at Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development about how the program helps people with autism prepare for, find and keep a job. https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/disabilities/

As Sheletta's oldest autistic son, Brandon, gets to the age where he can find a job, her biggest challenge is getting him there. She called her friend Barbara Bursack, a mobility manager at GoWashingtonMN.com, to explore safe transportation options and training for him.