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What: Montana Families Speak of Missoula is hosting a meeting for Parents of Children with Emotional or Behavioral Challenges. Please join us in creating a group for families and caregivers to share  information and resources Together our voices will be heard. When: Thursday, October 28 from 6:00–8:00pm Where: Christ the King 1400 Gerald Ave., Missoula (Side entrance on Keith Ave. Lower Level)        Dinner will be provided. On-site childcare provided by University of Montana School Psychology graduate students. If you have questions, please contact Marry Hall at 888-406-1914 or mary.hall@pluk.org

Click here to download the full flyer (PDF) What: Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children withemotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Wraparound Process When: Friday, December 16, 2011 6:00 – 7:30pm Where: Tumbleweed 505 North 24th St Billings, MT To register, contact: Jami Machler jami.machler@pluk.org (406) 850-2938RSVP by December 13, 2011Dinner and Childcare Provided if Pre-Registered

What:Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. SPACE IS LIMITEDRSVP by February 15, 2012When: Friday, February 17, 2012 6:00 – 7:30pm Where: Tumbleweed 505 North 24th StreetBillings, MTContact:Jami MachlerPhone: (406) 850-2938Email: jami.machler@pluk.org

Click here to download the flyer (pdf) What: Join us in the second session of a new statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement.

Click here to download the full flyer (PDF) Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Technology and Communication When: Friday, February 18, 2011 6:00 – 7:30pm Where: American Lutheran Church 5 Lewis Ave. Billings, MT To register, contact: Jami Machler jami.machler@pluk.org (406) 850-2564 Dinner and Childcare Provided if Pre-Registered

Click here to download the full flyer (PDF) What: Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Personal Boundaries and Sensory Issues When: Friday, May 20, 2011 6:00 – 7:30pm Where: American Lutheran Church 5 Lewis Ave. Billings, MT To register, contact: Jami Machler jami.machler@pluk.org (406) 850-2938 Dinner and Childcare Provided if Pre-Registered

Click here to download the full flyer (PDF) What: Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Back to School When: Friday, August 19, 2011 6:00 – 7:30pm Where: American Lutheran Church 5 Lewis Ave. Billings, MT To register, contact: Jami Machler jami.machler@pluk.org (406) 850-2938 Dinner and Childcare Provided if Pre-Registered

Click here to download the full flyer (PDF) What: Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Communicating with Schools - Part 2 When: Friday, April 15, 2011 6:00 – 7:30pm Where: American Lutheran Church 5 Lewis Ave. Billings, MT To register, contact: Jami Machler jami.machler@pluk.org (406) 850-2564 Dinner and Childcare Provided if Pre-Registered

Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Choosing Your Own Path When: Friday, October 15, 2010 6:00 – 8:00pm Where: American Lutheran Church 5 Lewis Ave. Billings, MT To register, contact: Jami Machler jami.machler@pluk.org (406) 850-2564

Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Choosing Your Own Path When: Friday, October 15, 2010 6:00 – 8:00pm

What:Is Asperger's syndrome really less common in girls and women, or are females just better than males at masking autistic symptoms? Rudy Simone, a San Francisco singer, writer and stand-up comic, didn't learn that she was on the autism spectrum until her mid-40s. Simone has Asperger's syndrome - a high-functioning form of autism that leads to social problems but no intellectual disabilities - which, like all forms of autism, appear much more commonly in boys than in girls. Ten times more men are believed to reside on the spectrum than women. But some experts think the real prevalence of Asperger's in girls may be much higher than believed, because girls tend to be far better than boys at concealing its symptoms, masking social problems and hiding the repetitive behaviors often associated with autism. So, many women go undiagnosed until middle age, along the way given other labels and therapies that do not address their real issues. To help make up for the lack of resources available to girls with Asperger's and their families, Simone wrote Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger's Syndrome. Healthland spoke with her recently. Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/27/mind-reading-a-qa-with-the-author-of-aspergirls/#ixzz1hl7AHuDt Ms. Simone will be speaking in Montana this spring. More details will be provided in mid-March. All of her appearances will free and open to the public. Where and When:Billings (CEC Conference) - April 25, 2012Helena - April 26, 2012 Missoula - April 27, 2012Kalispell - April 28, 2012Contact: Doug Doty, Coordinator Website: www.opi.mt.gov/autism/maep Phone: (406) 444-0907

Click here to download the flyer (PDF) When: Friday, July 16, 2010 Where: American Lutheran Church 5 Lewis Ave. Billings, MT What: Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Contact: Call Jami Machler at 406-850-2564 or jami.machler@pluk.org for more information.

Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Collaborative Problem Solving

Click here to register for this event What: For too long, autism has been under-served and under-heard. At Autism Speaks, our goal is to change the future for all who struggle with autism spectrum disorders. We are dedicated to funding global biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments, and a cure for autism; to raising public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families, and society; and to bringing hope to all who deal with the hardships of this disorder. As the nation's leading autism organization, we are excited to be coming to your community.  Please register today for the Montana Walk Now for Autism Speaks! If you are interested in being involved in Autism Speaks in your area: Please contact Susan Mauro at jaysusanseth@msn.com. We need the entire community to help in these efforts so please take a moment to contact us and discover how you can be a part of these efforts. When: Sunday, September 11, 2011 Registration: 1:00 pm Walk Starts: 2:00 pm Where: Thomson Park Laurel, MT

Click here to download the flyer (PDF) What: We are a voice for parents. Join us and tell us what you need and how a group can help. When:   Thursday, February 24th   5:30–8:30pm Where: First Presbyterian Church – Fellowship Hall (new location by Missoula Community School) 201 S 5th Street West Dinner provided | On-site childcare Please let us know by Wednesday, 2/23 if you are coming so we can plan for dinner and childcare. Contact: Mary Hall mary.hall@pluk.org 877-219-9986

 Click here to download the full flyer for this event (PDF) What: Join together with family, friends and your local community for an evening of Cajun Food, Fun & Entertainment while raising money for a great cause.  When: Saturday, August 20, 2011 6:00pm – 8:00pm Where: Billings Sports Plex Silent Auction items include Giftcards Signed Season 2 DVD set of True Blood Jewelry Dinner packages Toy Baskets Personal Training Package Clothing Beauty Product Baskets Artwork Silpada Certificate And much, much more! For more information: Contact Susan Mauro at 406-628-5940 or jaysusanseth@msn.com Proceeds go towards the Montana Walk Now for Autism Speaks

When Medicaid twice denied a SleepSafe Bed for Mikayla Wisher, her family, friends, community and many strangers stepped up. Mikayla Wisher is a 21-year-old Kalispell woman who can neither speak nor walk and who suffers multiple seizures and uncontrolled movement, Sabrina Wisher, Mikayla’s mom, said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love . “Strangers [have been] coming up to me and giving me hundreds of dollars,” she said. “The community and my family and friends have been huge.”

“There will always be someone worse off and better off than you. Always.”I hear this repeated whenever we take our daughter with cerebral palsy to medical appointments, and we see children who are bald after grueling rounds of chemotherapy or families dealing with children’s emotional and behavioral issues.I count my blessings and say to myself, “Self, you are lucky.” I look at my daughter happily tooling around in her wheelchair the color and sheen of nail polish while I fight the urge to run from the repetitive questions and forms in triplicate to skedaddle in the direction of the nearest Krispy Kreme.There are times I forget how the world sees my daughter: a cute girl who walks with a strange gait, who most often is drooling and who uses a communication device to speak. I forget that she resembles a broken marionette that has snipped her strings and says so much with a smile. What I see is a strong, capable, intelligent, goofy and amazing child who lightens hearts and communities that are blessed to know her.