BENTON, Mo. — A community forum on autism care will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Riverside Regional Library in Benton.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is a space to ask questions of panelists, share experiences and begin to work together to identify ways to provide the necessary care for people on the autism spectrum.
“A forum on autism is a great way to help families navigate and understand funding and resources, and to help educate the community as a whole. It will be a wonderful discussion between families, providers, resource experts, and pundits, where you will get information on any part of the autism experience,” said Summer Bridges, event organizer.
Panelists/facilitators include a local music therapist; a local resource director with a leading disability organization; parent of a child with Autism; and Kathy Ellis, Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in Missouri’s 8th Congressional District, who has worked as a licensed Clinical Social Worker and Addictions Counselor for over 35 years.
Ellis and Bridges are hosting the forum, which is the eighth in a series of community-led forums throughout the District.
Also, a forum on LGBTQ+ rights, free and open to the public, is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Redhawk Room at Southeast Missouri State University’s University Center, 388 N. Henderson Ave. in Cape Girardeau.
Ellis along with local organizers Aaron Lerma, Amber Moyers and the SEMO College Democrats, will host. Panelists and facilitators will include local organizers working on LGBTQ+ rights and community: Moyers, candidate for the 147th District; Kaitlin Cavey, statewide field coordinator for PROMO, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization; and Ellis.