Showing posts with label Mental health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mental health. Show all posts

Senate Bill 220 to assist Autistic Individuals...

Blue-Eyed Dog

Senate Bill 220 Would Treat Autistic Individuals Using an Assistance Dog Equally Under the Law

We have all at one time or another seen a person with an assistance dog. These specially-trained animals help individuals with a seizure disorder, vision or hearing impairments or who have other conditions that limit their physical abilities live more active and independent lives.

Recently, assistance dogs have also been used to help individuals with autism. Dogs can be trained to help keep an autistic person safe in large open areas, to redirect repetitive or aggressive behaviors or to calm the person down if they become agitated. The presence of an assistance dog can also provide increased social interactions with others while the person is at school or at work.

While not every person with autism utilizes an assistance dog, those that do often benefit from the additional social and sensory interaction they have when the dog is present. Unfortunately, because autism is not included in Ohio’s laws pertaining to the use of assistance dogs, these individuals could face unequal treatment under the law.

To help clarify this situation and ensure that people with autism who use an assistance dog are able to take their dog anywhere they need to go, I introduced Senate Bill 220 last year. This bill seeks to include people diagnosed with autism in the definition of “mobility impaired person” as it relates to the laws governing assistance dogs.

I personally have seen the difference an assistance dog can make in the life of a person with autism. Some constituents of mine in Springboro have an autistic son, and use an assistance dog to help keep him calm and safe during the day. The dog accompanies him to school and has been trained to reduce emotional outbursts by pawing at him or licking him. The dog also provides a sense of spatial reference when the family is travelling through airports or other open spaces.

The family recently came to the Statehouse to testify in support of Senate Bill 220, and I want to thank them for sharing how an autism assistance dog has benefitted them and how the bill could help other families in similar situations.

Autism is a complex disorder with a wide range of symptoms that affects people differently. Senate Bill 220 will allow those individuals who benefit from the presence of an assistance dog to use the dog in all environments, helping them become more independent and increasing their overall quality of life. Senate Bill 220 is currently under discussion in the Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee, and similar legislation has also been introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives.

Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or concerns about any state-related matter. You can reach my office by phone at (614) 466-9737, by e-mail at SD07@senate.state.oh.us or by writing State Senator Shannon Jones, Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215. I look forward to hearing from you.



Image by Randy Son Of Robert via Flickr

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A Good Hair Day...


    A Good hair day at the Library



     Except for one time in my life, I have always had long hair. My hair has been my security blanket in many ways. I could hide behind it when I was feeling shy, or it was my signature that everyone focused on when I didn’t have to be “on” with the other parts of me.  Nothing made me feel better about myself then for someone to tell me my hair was beautiful. A bad hair day for me was a major event; it could make or break me.

     So, many people were shocked when I told them I was going to get my hair cut short. I had just spent 5 weeks convalescing from bunion surgery, and my hair had gotten on my last nerve. Since it’s very heavy, coarse and curly, it became extremely hard to control, as if it had a mind of its own.  Its annoyance had finally outweighed its beauty, and I decided to whack it off. Once I made up my mind I found a style I liked, printed multiple versions of it off the internet, and went to see my hair dresser. She was supportive about my decision, although hesitant to cut my hair until I reassured her repeatedly I wasn’t going to get up get upset.

      We consulted over the pictures I took with me, and she cut my hair into a design that fit my needs and my face. I was pleasantly surprised I didn’t get upset and cry when I saw my hair lying in bunches on the floor, but I generally felt nothing but relief.

      Before you do anything as drastic as I did, research different hairstyles either on the internet or in hair books. Find the perfect fit for your face and lifestyle.

      One good book I looked at before making up my mind was, Great Hair, by Nick Arrojo, stylist for the show, What not To Wear, on TLC. His book runs the gamut of hair questions and answers.  Nick’s hair philosophy is the same as mine, “The best way to get a great haircut is to match the texture and shape of your hair and not your face.” This will give you a low maintenance hairstyle that will work for you instead of against you.  This is a philosophy I heartily embrace.

Since my hair is so thick and curly it would take me a huge amount of time every day to straighten it. Time that I don’t have. So I have always chosen a hair style that embraces my natural curl.

      Some of Nick’s golden rules for taking care of your hair are:

•     If your hair looks great long, who cares if you are over 40.

•     Bangs cut wrong can make your eyes look too close together.

•     A good haircut should last 6 weeks before needing another cut.

•     When combing out tangles in your hair always comb from end to roots.

     Throughout this book, Nick Arrojo gives timeless advice to having a beautiful head of hair. If you are planning on investing in a new hairdo, before making a big mistake, head on over to your local library and pick up this or numerous other hair care books.
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