SOMALI AMERICAN AUTISM FOUNDATION           
PO Box 6451                                                                  
MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55406                                           
612-216-3677                                                                 
CONTACTUS@SAAFMN.ORG                                
http://www.saafmn.org/                                                 

In the News:  WCCO, Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, NY Times, Boston Globe, BBC News, Medical News Today, ABC news, CBS news, MPR, Fox news, MSNBC, Huffington Post, US News & World Report, Hiiraan Online, Arab-American Television - Belahdan with Ahmed, Bartamaha.com, Minneapolis Television Network, Twin Cities Public Television - Almanac, Somali television of Rochester, Somali weekly radio show (KFAI), Puntland Post and Twin Cities Daily Planet - MN Voices. Below are some of the links for Autism and our children.  We thank wholeheartedly all of the journalists and reporters local, national and international that validated and told our concerns to the public.
Thank You very much!  Below are some of the links.

www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/42505467.html
www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/health/17auti.html
www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/42201122.html 
www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/health/01autism.html
minnesota.publicradio.org/display/.../somalis_autism_research
www.tcdailyplanet.net/article/.../mn-voices-idil-abdull.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/minneapolis-and-the-somal_b_143967.htmlwcco.com/health/autism.somali.kids.2.972430.html
www.tpt.org/aatc/person/idil_abdull
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144752.php

Upcoming Events:
Somali American Autism Project (SAAP) which will provide therapy services to all Somali children with autism and their families. coming soon!

Note to all Somalis; if you have a child with autism, is related to or will like to have children one day!
Autism Insurance Bill Number HF 359 will be heard on Tuesday April 27th at State Capitol Office in St Paul.  This bill DOES NOT AND WILL NOT HELP Somali children with autism.  This bill will discriminate those children with state medical assistance, older than five and or have classic or severe autism.  It allows providers to pick and choose children based on their parents income such as having private insurance as well as if the child is older and has classic autism.  Most of the Somali children in Minnesota with autism are usually diagnosed around age 5 and they mostly have state medical assistance.  If this legislation becomes law, our community and our children will suffer.  Please call your local representative and ask them to NOT support it unless the language is changed to include our community and our children. 
Contact Rep Tom Huntley rep.thomas.huntley@house.mn Call Jan Horner to testify 651-296-5496.  Also, contact the author of this bill;  Rep Kim Norton of Rochester and ask her to be more inclusive in the language to make sure all kids with autism get therapy services regardless of their age, severity of autism or their parent's income.  Her contact info is rep.kim.norton@house.mn  Our community is suffering with autism higher than any other in Minnesota and it should not be excluded in therapy and treatment services.  THANK YOU AND PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD!
As a result of Somali parents with autistic children, members of Confederation Somali Community of Minnesota, members of New American Home Care, members of Somali American Community and many others' diligent advocacy, children with autism who don't have private insurance were protected during the health and human services hearing at the end of Minnesota legislation in May 2010.  All children with autism deserve equal autism therapy.  SAAF thanks everyone that testified and supported our cause.  We especially thank all of our elected officials that supported children with autism regardless of their parent's income.  www.startribune.com/politics/state/93505404.html
Lessons learned to all of our parents and Somali community are; be involved and be informed with their elected legislators and let their concerns known and heard. 

Previous Events:

August 3rd 2010: A Senate Environment & Public Works Subcommittee on children's health held a hearing on whether there is a link between autism and the environment chaired by Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Barbara Boxer.  Autism and Somali children in Minnesota were among some of the discussed topics.  For more information click on below link.
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/294878 Somali autism parents thank Senator Amy Klobuchar and her staff.


Wednesday - April 14, 2010 at 7pm to 9pm:
Somali American Autism Foundation along with Minneapolis, Burnsville, Eagan and Savage school districts, Pacer, Courage Center, Fraser, Hennepin County and others will be joined at Autism Society of Minnesota for one of their skillshop series.  If you are a professional and would like to attend, please contact hodanhassan@saafmn.org or call 612-703-3302 to register.  If you are a parent and would like to attend, please contact istahilmoalin@saafmn.org or call 952-220-4553 to register. 

Location is Autism Soc of MN at 2380 Wycliff Street, Suite 102, St. Paul, MN 55114.
Thanks and we hope to see you there! 

To Everyone that attended and gave presentations; Thank you so much. 
Special thanks to Dr. Abdirashid Shire of Mayo Clinic and Wiilwaal from Bartamaha.com and KFAI 90.3fm
Thanks to the parents that shared their stories and experiences.   


March 9, 2010 6pm to 8pm:
Somali parents and Advocates testified at the Minnesota Joint Senate/House Autism Task Force about how the Somali community is dealing with the high rate of autism in their children.  Services they receive from education, health and various therapies.  We thank Hassan from Pacer.  Abdihakin, Hodan, Abdiqadir and Istahil were the parents that testified.  Thanks very much!

January 30, 2010 1:30pm to 3:30pm:
Dr. Anne Edwards, President of MN American Academy of Pediatrics and Dr. Michael Reff, Director of University of Minnesota Autism Clinic appeared on Minneapolis Television Network (MTN) - Somali section.  They explained autism, early signs and symptoms, early education, early intervention, medical diagnoses verses education identification and the relationship between parents and medical providers.  They both told us that parents are the experts of their children and their best advocates. Thanks so much for such important and true statements. Both doctors told us the importance of having a good and open relationship with your child's doctor. We couldn't agree more.
Thanks to Istahil who shared her experience with Mayo Clinic in Rochester.  Also, thanks to host Abdirahman and producer Siyad who have always been so helpful in telling autism and Somali children's story.

January 19, 2010 7:30pm to 8:30pm:
KFAI radio 90.3 Minneapolis and 106.7 St. Paul interviewed Kathryn and Paul from Minnesota Autism Center to raise awareness about autism in the Somali community and the importance of medical diagnoses.  Please contact Paul who is a psychologist at MAC to schedule an appointment to get your child evaluated.  Education evaluation alone is not enough.  You need medical diagnoses for your child to receive more and better services. Thanks to the parents that shared their stores which were Hodan and Istahil.  Also, our big thanks to Wiilwaal for always telling our community's needs and concerns. Thanks Abdisalan.

January 9, 2010 1pm to 3pm:
Somali Television of Rochester interviewed Kathryn, Paul and Lindsay from Minnesota Autism Center.  They explained Applied Behavior Analysis and how it helps children with Autism.  ABA teaches children communication, self care skills, gross and fine motor skills as well as play and social skills.  They also stated the importance of early intensive home therapy for autistic children.  We thank them all for their help in our community.  We also thank host Kaafi and producer Abbas.

October 3, 2009 1pm to 2pm:
Somali Television of Minnesota interviewed Executive Director of Confederation of Somali Community of Minnesota, Dr. Saeed Fahia to explain the stigma of Autism in U.S as well the stigma of mental health in Somalia.  ECSE Autism Specialist Donna Asher explained services offered by Minneapolis school district and how parents can get started. Epidemiologist Judy Punkyo from Minnesota Department of Health explained what has been done so far and what the next steps are within the health department. Multicultural Parent Advocate Hassan Samantar from Pacer explained Individualized Education Plan and the role of parents in their child's education. Psychiatrist, Dr. Jama from Virginia explained Autism and available treatments for children. Research Scientist and Medical doctor in Somalia and in the U.S, Dr. Dalmar explained autism from research point of view and if autism existed in Somalia.  Thank you all very much!

June 12, 2009 8am - 2pm:
Autism in Somali Children Forum sponsored by Minnesota department of education, Minnesota department of health, American Academy of Pediatrics, Fraser, Pacer, Celaberate the Spectrum Center, Somali American Autism Foundation and others.  Building partnerships to improve care by working together with medical, education, therapy and service providers as well as families.  Somali parents are grateful and thank everyone that attended this forum.

April 19, 2009 3pm to 5pm:
Minnesota Health Dept will explain their report to Somali community and Somali parents in Brian Coyle as well as what the next steps are.  SAAF thanks everyone that attended this meeting.

March 31, 2009.
Dr. Sanne Magnan, Commissioner of Minnesota Health Department; THANK YOU, MAHADSANID!
All Somali parents that have children with autism are thanking you! We are glad that you validated our concerns and told us "what we were seeing with our eyes was true"  MDH's report was a good first step in trying to solve this mysterious disorder of autism. We also would like to thank Judy Punkyo, the epidemiologist that was the lead in this report. Somali Parents would also like to thank Anne Harrington, Saeed Fahia, Abdullahi Egal, Hassan Samantar, and Khadra Isse. (khayr Allah ha idin siiyo)
                                                                            
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Thank you!