Please forward to anyone or anywhere you deem appropriate . . .  Dear all: A slew of articles have recently come out. Dr. Allen Frances (architect of the DSM-IV) denounces the ideas and work habits of the Committee again (but this time in the New York Times), the Committee defends itself again, but cracks in the armor have appeared in the removal of two proposed ideas that fell under heavy criticism. No change—yet—to the proposed criteria for an Autism Spectrum condition, but we're sensing…See More

We're so surprised (that's sarcasm, btw, influenced by added disappointment in the APA) . . .  All: (First off, please forward anywhere or to anyone you deem appropriate . . .) Many of you have experienced difficulty trying to register your comments with the APA over the proposed changes to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the forthcoming DSM-5. As we let you know a couple of days ago, the Committee has opened up a new period where they will accept commentary, and we should all be letting them…See More

Please forward to whomever or wherever you deem appropriate . . . Dear all: At the end of this update is a slew of new articles on the DSM-5 controversy. But first . . . It's time to dig out those emails you sent to the APA! The DSM-5 Committee has just announced that starting yesterday, they will take one final round of commentary from the public. Remember that when this story broke on January 19, the last commentary period had just ended, and so our emails to the APA were outside the demands…See More

All: DSM-5 developments have slowed down a tad, and we're partly responsible as we huddled close and (1) waited to see how the DSM Committee responded to the criticism, and (2) mapped out what we hope to, and can, do. In short, the Committee isn't budging. Despite the controversy, the flawed field trials, the disingenuous damage control conducted by Committee members, and Fred Volkmar's certainty that more studies are forthcoming that back up the Yale and LSU studies (concluding 32%-40% of…See More

As we prepare for the 2012 GRASP benefit on Tuesday, May 15 at the League of Women Voters' Ballroom (4 West 43rd Street, between 5th and 6th avenues)  in New York, we want to showcase the recipients of our usual three awards, and a fourth award that is special to this year only. This is the fourth and final of these four posts.  The 2012 Distinguished Spectrumite Medal (The "DSM"):…See More

As we prepare for the 2012 GRASP benefit on Tuesday, May 15 at the League of Women Voters' Ballroom (4 West 43rd Street, between 5th and 6th avenues)  in New York City, we want to showcase the recipients of our three standard awards—and a fourth award that is special to this year only. This is the third of these four posts. The 2012 Inaugural Thrust Reluctantly into Acrimonious Politics Award (The "TRAP"):Dr. Fred Volkmar …See More

As we prepare for the 2012 GRASP benefit on Tuesday, May 15 at the League of Women Voters' Ballroom (4 West 43rd Street, between 5th and 6th avenues)  in New York City, we want to showcase the recipients of our three standard awards—and a fourth award that is special to this year only. This is the second of these four posts. The 2012 Friend and Benefactor Award (the "FAB"):Chris and Terry Ballou…See More

As we prepare for the 2012 GRASP benefit on Tuesday, May 15 at the League of Women Voters' Ballroom (4 West 43rd Street, between 5th and 6th avenues)  in New York City, we want to showcase the recipients of our three standard awards—and a fourth award that is special to this year only. This is the first of these four posts. The 2012 Divine Neurotypical Award (the "DNA"):Stephanie McCaskill…See More

Dear all: Back in October, we told you about a remarkable and generous man named Chris Ballou who would run 150 miles across the Chilean desert for GRASP. Chris is now halfway through the almost-weeklong race, and has a blog that he updates each night which you can read by clicking here. Chris' efforts have raised almost $14,000 for GRASP, and reading his exploits will simply excite and astonish you. I hope you…See More

Please forward to anyone and everyone you deem appropriate . . . Those of you who have been following this issue since it broke just over a month ago know that two studies; one by Yale's Fred Volkmar, and one by LSU's Johnny Matson and Julie Worley state that between 32-40% of people who current qualify for a diagnosis under the DSM-IV, will lose their diagnosis—and with it all services or educational funding—under the proposed changes to the DSM-5 criteria for the reclassified Autism Spectrum…See More