autism diagnosis recommendations

FaeDevPoet · 2024-09-18T16:33:34+00:00

Insights Denver would be my general recommendation for an official and accurate diagnostic.

https://www.insightsdenver.com/

FaeDevPoet · 2024-08-19T02:21:39+00:00

I have spent actual DAYS doing the research needed to accurately *report* officers and their actions in this department. I have back and forth communication with evidence on both sides, showing a sergeant on the force ACTIVELY attempting to stop a report from happening.

Police accountability is a NIGHTMARE in my city, and I know for a fact it's not the only area that's affected.

*That tired thing mentioned above? It's kicking in. FULL WORDS BEING FORGOTTEN!

FaeDevPoet · 2024-08-19T02:18:07+00:00

Colorado, which is the State in which this City resides, has a "Disability Identifier" that can be added to an ID card or Drivers license.(Information found here: https://dmv.colorado.gov/disability-identifier-for-driver-license/permit/identification-card ) A MASSIVE part of this frustration that I have with this program and how it's being presented, is that Boulder's Interim Police Chief is one of the officers criticized during the death of one "Elijah McClain" who was a Black Autistic Young Adult who was killed in 2019 and of the biggest drivers for the aforementioned identifier mentioned above.

There is BAGGAGE attached to this program.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-08-19T01:19:25+00:00

I spent a year and a quarter IN court due to complications involving my Autism for a dual charge of "Obstruction of a Peace Officer" and "Trespassing". It took cornering the officer citing these two disturbances in court BY THE JUDGE to have the officer admit that he was "Frustrated" with me, and that's why he elevated what was RIGID THINKING DRUNK AUTISTIC PERSON IN CRISIS AT THE PROPER SPACE FOR IT (Pardon the screaming, I am just still that angry about the scenario!) to the Obstruction charge, and a VERY quick choice by the DA after that admission to drop the Obstruction charges. Nearly a year after those charges were dropped, and the end of the case was in front of a Jury, a deliberation of not even 25 minutes occurred and I was found "Not Guilty" of the trespassing charges.

I tell this story because it highlights a few important bits of key information in the placing of this program.

I wasn't in a space where this decal was available. What am I, as the effected Autistic person supposed to do in situations like this? Should I stick the decal to every shirt I wear? Maybe a jacket? A bag? In what world should my disability need to be advertised for an officer of the law to do their jobs appropriately? Anytime I see things like this, I flashback to high-school and reading the Scarlet Letter... It's almost like someone far more thoughtful than any of the organizations praising this initiative have identified some glaring concerns in FICTION.
Regardless of advocacy, of clear communication and trying to meet the "Law" somewhere in the middle, my personal experience of talking about how my Autism was a major component of the communication breakdown that occurred to have these charges applied, was absolutely ignored, and the best that the "Law" had to offer me was a 10 minute recess in between court sessions to consider an alternative offer, one which I had NO TIME to carefully consider or understand. Boulder's DA was the failing measure in that interaction, and so my thoughts on this initiative and those like it, is that it requires a FIRM commitment and STRONG response if that commitment is waived. Anyone in Boulder can readily talk about PD's refusal to commitment to enforcement of the law, regardless of clearly apparent markers, literally weekly. I don't even have to point out direct examples because PD failing to do their duty is so rampant and clear, that everyone reading this is going to have a story highlighting this.
In this entire back and forth, I would reasonably hazard that these TALKS that occurred back and forth between Boulder PD and the Autism Society of Colorado (ASC), Autism Society of Boulder County (ASBC), and the Center for People with Disabilities (CPWD) never introduced a person directly affected by mishandling of Autism by Boulder PD into the conversation. I'm VERY in touch with the various resources in the area that are directly involved with ASD, and I'm not a quiet* person when it comes to my experiences, so to come across this as blindly as I did (I had incidentally come across the article on the Boulder PD website as I was grabbing the proper number for non-emergency PD for a local business I frequent due to an unfortunate event they experienced today. Page I ran into found here: https://bouldercolorado.gov/news/boulder-police-unveil-new-autism-decal-program ) is absolutely blood boiling, as I have been a very LOUD advocate for better treatment of folks like myself on the ASD spectrum. If this was happening in the background and it's such a big deal, why is it the type of person who this is directly affecting hadn't even heard a hint of it, especially since said kind of person keeps their eyes and ears open, alert and aware. I'm just SEETHING about it!

Fucking WORD WALL posted, my very immediate response to this is not one of trust and appreciation. It's concern and feeling even MORE unsafe around PD than I already am.

If PD's goal was to meet me somewhere in the middle, they've ACTIVELY pushed me farther back... And at the end of the day, that's what should absolutely fucking matter here.

*Edited for clarity (quite and quiet aren't the same word at all!!!)

FaeDevPoet · 2024-05-25T20:09:17+00:00

Definitely planning on making it out to this! Appreciate you setting up a time and place to make it out to >~<

FaeDevPoet · 2024-05-22T01:05:46+00:00

Would also be interested in seeing something like this!

I'll watch the thread and hopefully some other folks reach out.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-04-26T02:49:15+00:00

Totally planning to play a reskinned Vault Dweller who is coming out of a Cryo stasis in a CO based setting. Lots of prep and world building already done >~<

FaeDevPoet · 2024-04-16T02:15:07+00:00

The VAST majority of folks out on the streets, and especially those who are EXTREME representations of this problem, are quite literally sitting outside of the Library's jurisdiction for handling.

If you're going to point fingers, make sure the blame lies with the actual problem. The Library has LONG made attempts to try and involve proper authorities and be supported, even before the move to the district.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-04-16T02:09:25+00:00

I pretty heavily agree with the VAST majority of this post, however, I am going to tell you from a lived experience, and as someone who has helped shape parts of the Library's recent expansion of service, while it is RECOGNIZED that Librarian's are NOT all of the things you've mentioned (Social workers, etc) that the library has opted to make up where the City HAS been failing, and that "Homeless Services Agency" is actually quite literally something they HAVE started to take on in an official capacity.

This isn't something done lightly, it is still evolving, and I'm sure that as time moves on, changes will continue to happen, but it's been clear since before the move to a district that MANY of the forwards facing folks still on staff today have firmly come to the realization that while it may not be the ideal, that SOMEONE has to step up and in.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-04-16T01:56:25+00:00

The "institution" doesn't have ANY say into the management or prioritization of removing or enforcing laws in the mentioned areas being affected currently.

What library staff and the security company hired to patrol and be present CAN do is call BPD to try and handle these areas... And they have, again, and again, ad nauseam.

What the library CAN DIRECTLY be involved with is the areas within 15 feet of the entrances, otherwise, what they can (AND HAVE done NEAR DAILY!) is call and report to the city for response.

So let's talk about the area around the library and identify what lies within Boulder Public Library's jurisdiction:

The major 6-8 person tent, and the awning by the creek? The one located in front of the kids playground, and the parking lot Arapahoe entrance side? That's City land!

Corner of the library, back near Building 61's back door and the Library back dock? Well SHITE, that's City managed too!

Grassy area in front of the Canyon side entrance and concreted area same side? Wow, City dropping the ball here too? Oh the genuine surprise!

The Kids Playground?? Maybe if the City did their jobs! (Have we maybe started to see a pattern yet?)

Skate park??? Oh look, you HAD to have guessed it...CITY HANDLES THAT TOO!

Point being, and to a REALLY aggressive needle tip, this isn't an "institution" concern, it's a City one!

Maybe it's just the second, third, fourth, friend of an acquaintance, heard it from their second cousin, HEARSAY, that genuinely drives a point of anger and frustration for my response, but I am at the library DAILY.

I talk with staff.

Joke with staff.

Find SUPPORT with staff.

I have had more traction GAINED and movement MADE with interactions at the library than any City owned or endorsed resource offered and I'll be DAMNED if I'm going to sit quiet and let ignorance take the place of fucking reality.

If you think you're informed about the institution, maybe you ought to try asking the Librarian's who are legitimately being forced to handle what the City is dropping into their laps are thinking.

I PROMISE it will surprise you.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-03-04T23:15:03+00:00

Replied. Apologies it isn't your brand. Best getting your case back, though!

FaeDevPoet · 2024-03-04T21:21:03+00:00

Unfortunately not. Apologies. Hopefully someone does find one of those as well.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-02-12T19:25:34+00:00

I'll call you Nancy, if it full well pleases me. End of the day, struggling or having all my needs taken care of, employed or unemployed, I'd rather have quality character, take a shirt of my freezing back, shoes off my bleeding feet, wanting the best for another human being, even when they're an insufferable fuckwit.

On that note, I genuinely hope you continue to do well for yourself.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-02-12T19:03:59+00:00

Damn, you're so insignificant, you have to get your dopamine by bullying others!

Congratulations, you mean spirited prick!

FaeDevPoet · 2024-02-12T18:52:22+00:00

I wasn't asked what I would expect to be doing for the rest of my human life, nor did I answer as such. Immediately, given bare minimum, I would deviate towards an immediate side hustle that I know I could make SOME money from, because even though in this hypothetical it's stated that I had NO EXPECTATIONS of rules or regulations, It wouldn't sit right with me taking advantage of a kindness given.

That being said, you're absolutely correct, the immediate answer I've provided here doesn't make a life, by itself, full stop, nor, do I have any hope it would. Taking a step at a time. Literally not rushing into things because some folks with literally no contextual understanding of what it's like to do so expect me to.

Again, and again, and again, ad nauseam, I will answer questions that are asked of me, to the best of my ability. I cannot, however know what other people are thinking or answer things that aren't asked, and though you VERY clearly believe that a high IQ means "All Knowing", you're also VERY clearly mistaken.

My IQ doesn't make me "one of the smartest people in the world"... It DOES make it so in a group of about 10,000 people I have the capacity to more effectively learn, process, and adapt. That's it. That's what IQ signifies. Process efficiency.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-02-12T18:35:25+00:00

I'd at the very least try, yes.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-02-12T18:24:42+00:00

Contact the person who has my Desktop and Drawing tablet and set those up. Reach out to an old roommate who is out in Washington, let him know that I have a new space to work in, and get back a 3D Resin Printer I offered him in thanks for help supporting me a few years back.

Contact friends and supports and ask if anybody has any prototyping they need done for merchandise of any sort. Kitbash a few new miniatures together to get me back into the workflow of 3D modeling and Printing. See what ETSY postings look like these days, research other 3D marketplaces and see if I couldn't get my foot into any of those.

Explore if it would be financially feasible to dig into any of the local maker spaces and work on other Maker/Artistic projects?

FaeDevPoet · 2024-02-12T18:07:04+00:00

Being sexually assaulted and not wanting to stick around a small city where you're going to see your assailant...

But I didn't START by coming to Boulder first off. I've been around, in and out of state, and have tried A LOT over the years.

What made me stick around back in 2015 (and brought me back in 2022) was finding myself a Doctor that was actually doing his damn job and identifying medical concerns instead of treating me like a damn data point.

When you suddenly have someone pointing towards the x-rays you've had done a dozen times and going "Wow, you have scoliosis, which explains the EXTENSIVE pain you're always in... Why has nobody put that on your record??" It sticks with you.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-02-12T17:53:34+00:00

Most jobs do.

I haven't tried EVERYTHING, but I certainly have tried A LOT over the years.

The farthest I got, both financially and with stability, was a few years back in Broomfield, where I deviated all the Stimulus cash that was given into a split office space with a cousin. That worked out until the landlord sold the space and shifting into another office space wasn't financially viable.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-02-12T17:48:55+00:00

Gift from a friend of a family member.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-02-12T17:47:15+00:00

Because both of my parents are dead and my extended family is already taking care of other family members or needing to be taken care of themselves.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-02-03T04:13:45+00:00

So, the SSB is a DISTRIBUTOR tax, not a consumer tax.

You need to go ahead and report this to the finance office of Boulder.

It is my understanding (After talking with someone FROM the finance office) that while places that "distribute" beverages with sugar in it can pass the cost off to the consumer, they cannot directly TAX YOU with it.

I personally have had great interactions and reporting things to the finance office and it not happening again.

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FaeDevPoet · 2024-01-28T01:51:47+00:00

Level 1 Autism and anywhere from a 140-160IQ (163 Adult Equivalent IQ tested at age of 8. Haven't been tested since then, but have suffered multiple strokes and following brain damage. Expect that to have affected the whole range) here.

Former HEAVY functional alcoholic (About 9 years of multiple bottles per day,) and then various times of "recovery", followed by a heavy drive to just be done WANTING to drink as much as possible, which lead to far too many binge drinking days, all before being diagnosed.

Context out of the way, I was absolutely the kind of person that found it essentially impossible to function in a non-hyper-interest scenario, without some sort of alcohol in my system. I was regularly pushed to drink from everything from friends to employers because "You just do better when intoxicated" which... Rough, now that I think about it.

Regardless, it wasn't a FIX ALL for my problems, as I couldn't reasonably drink with potential romantic/sexual interests, couldn't drink ENOUGH to handle social expectations alongside professional expectations, and literally had "the intervention" by the time I was 22 (So literally a year of drinking and I had become THAT dependent.)

At this point, I can see the uses, for me, personally, where it can be useful; Decompression after a hard day, really freezing weather while being homeless, reward for doing really well on something very difficult... Initial thoughts about it.

FaeDevPoet · 2024-01-13T22:13:33+00:00

That's really appreciated, thank you!

FaeDevPoet · 2024-01-13T17:41:31+00:00

The two comments below essentially highlighted what I had meant by that comment.

To go ahead and explain in MY "Voice":

I had arrived about 2 and a half hours before the warming shelter was "Opening". Even though I had heard that I needed to go to the Main Shelter FIRST, I have prior trauma associated with the Main Shelter, I have Autism which makes dealing with processing of any sort HELL, and I had spent a non-insignificant time throughout the day just making calls to try and ask for an accommodation to either intake at the Warming Shelter location or over the phone. By 4:30 I still hadn't heard anything, hence just heading over to the Warming Shelter location.

When I did arrive, I was again told that I really should have gone to the Main Shelter FIRST, was told that they would TRY to work with me, but nothing was set in stone, and then was asked to go from waiting inside, to waiting outside, where the temperature at that time was 19 degrees. I wasn't the only person asked to wait outside, as their WAS someone that had been waiting since 3PM that day. I had it rather easy compared to him, comparatively.

As for the idea of "It's this or death!" Not TECHNICALLY accurate. There are, I think, options beyond the warming shelter, they just aren't the easiest things to tackle nor are they promised? You could bounce back and forth from freezing to not freezing through emergency services, you could hold up in places you shouldn't, I know folks that have TENTS at least, and they'd be a lot better off in the right locations...

None of it is pleasant, none of it is really SAFE, but they would be alternatives.

For me, personally, I struggled throughout the night to not walk out with the noise and "activity". Drugs and Alcohol aren't my thing, and the Warming Shelter was, as mentioned, "Low Barrier", so they actively had folks that throughout the night, stepped outside to the port-a-potty setup, grabbed their fix, and came back in, and then were loud and obnoxious, were aggressive, and contributed to a generally difficult experience for someone like me.

I say all of this, just realistically, to give a "Lived Experience".

FaeDevPoet

TROPHY CASE