New Autism Support Group

A new support group for parents of children with Autism is being established in McHenry County. As a chapter of the national organization TACA (Talk About Curing Autism), this local group will present a seminar on Saturday, November 1.

I met one of the coordinators recently at the Parent University that was sponsored by the Family CARE Project of the McHenry County Mental Health Board. Huntley resident Linda Betzold is the mother of a 12-year-old boy with autism. As co-leader of the new group, she invites anyone directly or indirectly interested in autism to attend.

Linda's son was diagnosed ten years ago, and she told me that she remembers those days when she felt utterly alone and without information or resources. She doesn't want any parent to go through what her family has experienced.

Due to the sensory issues of her son, he is home-schooled, and he gets good support services from the Huntley School District. But she knows that many families are not getting what they need in terms of services from schools and other organizations.

TACA started in California and went national after Jenny McCarthy spoke out on this subject. Jenny has written two books, Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism and Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds.

When and where is the seminar?

TACA New Parent Seminar
Saturday, November 1, 2008, 8:30AM - 5:00PM
Home State Bank
611 South Main Street
Crystal Lake, Ill. 60014
Cost: $28 per person (or $45 per couple). Scholarships may be available for families in need.

For information, contact Linda Betzold at linda_betzold@tacanow.org or call (847) 961-6914. (Note the underscore hiding in the above link between Linda and Betzold (linda_betzold...)

You might also be interested in the Schaumburg-area support group that meets on the second Saturday of each month, 4:00-6:00PM at Woodfield Mall. Email Linda for contact information for Sara DiFucci and Christina Blakey.

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