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Local Events
April 25 - AZA United
Family Event at the Zoo
May 9 - Litchfield Park
ABA Training
May 16 - AZA United
ASA Autism Conference
April 4 & 5 - Glendale
4 Corners ABA Conference
April 6 & 7 - Sedona
ASA Family Picnic
April 11 - Scottsdale
School Tuition Workshop
April 14 - Scottsdale
ABA International Conference
May 22 to 26 - Phoenix
Contact us for more information on any of these events.
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Link of the Month
Watch a short video about one family's discovery of autism, and the need for some cultural changes that are long overdue.
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Don't Miss the AZA Annual Meeting!  Every spring the families of AZA United gather at the Annual Member Meeting to discuss ideas and learn about the organization's plans, challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. This year will be especially important as we adjust to major changes including the economy, state funding rates, insurance legislation, and our new center. How can we make it all work together to provide the best possible services? We need to hear your voice. The Annual Meeting is a key component to the concept of a Human Service Co-op to make sure every family has an opportunity to participate and to cast a vote on key issues. The Annual Meeting is also the forum for annual Board elections. Invitations will be sent by mail and email to all AZA member families. In the meantime, save the date for April 25th for the Annual Member Meeting!
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DDD Rate Cuts Tentatively Reversed Last month we announced that DDD had cut all of our service rates by 10% for March, April, May and June. Since then, a preliminary injunction has been filed on behalf of providers and granted to reverse these cuts. DES has announced that it is honoring the previous rates for now but is appealing the injunction, so we do not know yet what will happen in the near future. Many efforts are underway statewide to protect services and maintain the provider network for individuals with disabilities. To stay informed, consider joining the Arizona Autism Coalition or another advocacy group that is appropriate for your needs. With the state budget facing a crisis, this will be a year when we all need to learn how to contact our legislators. Let us know if you need some help!
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Getting Ready for Summer  Summer is approaching fast and, with that changing schedules. Here at AZA United we are doing all we can to plan ahead and make sure your family has the support you need to make this summer a great one. Parents, give us a call to let us know what additional hours you will need covered. Employees, let us know if you are interested in picking up more habilitation or respite hours over the summer. Stay tuned as AZA United is working on some fun summer activities for our providers to do with our kids. If you have an idea, let us know! Or better yet, bring it to the Annual Meeting.
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Employee of the Month  Congratulations to our April 2009 Employee of the Month, Kenny Beahm! According to one the families Kenny works with, "He is awesome and very creative in assisting our teenage son with indoor and outdoor community outings. They had a wonderful time on the Light Rail in December! Kenny intuitively and skillfully knows how to work with any of my son's challenges and is a great role model for him. Thank you a million for Kenny - we are very blessed to have him in our life."
When asked why he enjoys being a Habilitator, Kenny told us, "I originally started habilitation as a temporary job while I figured things out with my music career. Little did I know 5 years ago that this would become my career, my love, and my life. What I love most about the job is the sense of purpose I have in the lives of these kiddos. I also enjoy the unpredictability of the job. Every time I walk into work with a different child, it's a new and fun challenge." Well said Kenny. So what do you do in your free time? "I like to do Karaoke and pretend I'm a rock star, and I also enjoy ballroom dancing." Living the dream.
Parents, do you have a Habilitator that goes above and beyond? Send us your nomination for Employee of the Month!
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We're Going to that Other Zoo!  For the next AZA United Family Event, we are going to the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium in Litchfield Park! This is one event you won't want to miss. For those of you who are not "in the know," there is another zoo in the Phoenix area a little further out west, and they just opened a new aquarium. This zoo has a variety of cool attractions, such as hand feeding the giraffes! These types of experiences don't come cheap, with admission prices upwards of $25 for adults and almost $15 for kids. But never fear - AZA is here! For this special family event on Saturday, May 9th, member families of AZA United will get a reduced admission price of only $10 per adult and $5 per child! If you would like to invite others to join our group who are not members of AZA United, they can also get a discount of $20 per adult and $10 per child. More information will be sent out soon, but in the meantime please RSVP if you'd like to attend. Hope to see you there! | |
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Thanks for all you do, and don't forget to tell us what else we can do...for you! |
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