CAAN Fall 2024 Newsletter
A Foundational Year
As the end of the year approaches, many people take the opportunity to reflect on where they started and look forward to where they are headed. The Capital Area Autism Network is no different, and 2024 has proven to be a foundational year as we move into a more active phase.
The year began with the appointment of Drew Walker as the full-time executive director for CAAN. This allowed CAAN to refocus its energies and work towards implementing its mission to be the premier network of stakeholders convening to provide support and education to address the most impactful needs of the autism and neurodivergent community in the Baton Rouge area.
As part of work making connections across the community, we hosted two stakeholder meetings this year.
In the spring, April Hampton introduced us to the Louisiana Council’s Advocacy Network. LaCAN works to bring together self-advocates and their families to urge support for in-home support for disabled individuals and to promote greater inclusion across the community.
At our fall stakeholder meeting, Dr. Steven Felix, Dr. Willie Louviere, and Angela Adolph participated in a panel discussion about their experiences from the medical, educational, and parental perspectives respectively. CAAN also officially released its full multi-year strategic plan (available here). The plan lays out the organization’s strategic objectives to work across the community to support collaboration and fill gaps including:
1. Increasing Connection
2. Promoting Opportunities
3. Investing in Inclusion
We have been able to put these strategic objectives into action as we continue to make inroads across the Baton Rouge community.
Some of the partnerships that have developed and deepened over the past year include working with LSU to develop practices leading to greater inclusion on their campus in Baton Rouge, beginning the process of collecting data to gain a clearer picture of the state of neurodiversity in our community, and to develop emergency preparedness procedures for college campuses. The arts community has also been a strong partner in promoting opportunities for greater social connections. We worked this year with the Manship Theatre, Playmakers of Baton Rouge, and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge to develop and promote sensory-friendly offerings.
Looking Ahead
As 2025 approaches, CAAN is squarely focused on implementing the strategic objectives to raise awareness of the needs of the neurodivergent community and develop solutions to meet those needs.
Several events are already planned including an open house at Cary Saurage Community Arts Center on December 5, 2024, and a sensory-friendly performance at Playmakers of Baton Rouge on December 21, 2024.
Additionally, there will be more opportunities for engaging with the network and ways to help bring awareness to the greatest needs of autistic and neurodivergent individuals and families.
The organization is focused on deepening the connections we made this year, but we will also be putting an added emphasis on our theme for the year, “Getting to Work.” In addition to increased opportunities for stakeholder engagement, we will be working to develop our business network of organizations supporting greater accommodation and access for neurodivergent customers and employees. The structure of the business network will be released early in 2025, and organizations will have the opportunity to join as business members.
Support CAAN’s Work
The work of CAAN is only possible because of the generous support of our stakeholders and organizations who recognize the benefits of collaboration to meet the needs of the neurodivergent community.
As we move into the holiday giving season, we ask you to consider making a donation to CAAN in support of our efforts and to help us grow the network. We have a goal to raise $10,000 by the end of the year. Your support is crucial to advancing the network and helping to make an impact in the lives of the neurodivergent community.
Donations can be made online at https://www.caanbr.org/donate. If you would like to make an offline donation, checks can be made out to CAAN and mailed to 2041 Silverside Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 or you can reach us at info@caanbr.org.
Upcoming Events
There are plenty of opportunities to be a part of the community this holiday season!
Network Events
December 5th, 5:30-7:30 pm, 233 St. Ferdinand Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802 – CAAN is joining with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge to host an Open Art House at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public. We will be highlighting Arts Council member works. Additionally, CAAN will highlight the role art can play in communicating the experience from an autistic perspective as well as showcasing work by neurodivergent artists.
December 21st, 10:00 am, 10 Tower Drive, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 – CAAN is sponsoring a sensory-friendly performance of Playmakers of Baton Rouge’s holiday production, Frozen Jr. Seating is limited to provide a more accommodating experience. Tickets are available at https://playmakersbr.org/.
Community Events
November 23rd, 5:00-7:00 pm, 3953 N. Flannery Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70814 – The ATA Lopez Foundation is hosting an inclusive Friendsgiving. We would like all families of those with “different abilities” to come join us for a thanksgiving meal! Please fill out the “Ticket” information so we can have a head count! For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1280106473171509.
December 7th, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, North Sherwood Forest Community Park - In partnership with Families Helping Families, the BREC Adaptive team invites you to come right down Santa Clause Lane and take a picture with Santa! Children and adults with sensory processing disorders have an opportunity to enjoy activities and have one on one time to take a picture with Santa, without the hassle of standing in line. Register at https://www.brec.org/form/sensory-santa-registration
November 1st – December 14th, 2356 Drusilla Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 – Families Helping Families of Greater Baton Rouge is seeking donations of new, unwrapped toys for children with autism and other learning and developmental exceptionalities, as well as their siblings (ages 0-18). Sensory toys are especially welcome. Your generosity can be joy to families in need in our community! For more information, visit https://www.fhfgbr.org/events-calendar and also be sure to see what else FHFGBR has to offer.
December 7th, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, 16040 Hatteras Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70816 – The Magnolia Rose Foundation is hosting a sensory movie day at AMC Baton Rouge 16. Two movies will be available for different age groups. Children ages 0-12 will watch Moana 2 while ExceptionaliTEENS, for teens ages 13-19, will be seeing Red One. Tickets are $10 for teens and adults, and free for children. For more information and to register visit https://www.facebook.com/themagnoliarosefoundation/events.
Network News
Exceptional Lives: How can schools avoid legal trouble in Special Education? Build trust with families. When schools focus only on compliance, they miss something essential, building trust with Special Education families. Read more here.
ICYMI: Meet Joe Petraro, age 11, student at LSU who wants to make sports accessible for everybody. Read Joe’s story here. (The Advocate)