PODCAST · kids
Taking Authority Over Autism
by takingauthorityoverautism
Sheletta Brundidge has three children on the spectrum but that’s not the only reason why she’s known as The Autism Mom. Sheletta is an advocate for parents who have children with special needs and uses her family’s autism journey to offer hope to others at SHElettaMakesMeLaugh.com.
Episodes
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A new resource center for families in St Paul
A new Lutheran Social Service community hub brings together housing, early childhood education and comprehensive support services for children, youth and young families in Saint Paul. LSS celebrates the grand opening of the Center for Changing Lives - University | Lutheran Social Service of...
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Support for Parents of Autistic Adults
If you have an adult child with a disability and you're looking for your tribe, Family Voices of Minnesota has a support group for that. Parents of Adult Children Group - Family Voices of Minnesota
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People are talking. DHS is listening.
Minnesota Department of Human Services held listening sessions to hear from Minnesotans about their EIDBI services. What did people have to say? How did the state agency response? Sheletta finds out on the latest episode of her autism podcast.
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Sprucing up St. Paul
On a ride around St. Paul with her kids, Sheletta noticed many amazing murals on buildings. When she went looking for the artist, she found something even better: The Creative Enterprise Zone, which features some artists who are on the spectrum. Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival
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Caravel Can Help!
Do you have a child who is newly diagnosed with autism and you're not sure where to start looking for resources and services? Look no further than Caravel Autism Health so your child can have a better outcome and a happier life. Comprehensive Autism Therapy | Caravel Autism Health
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Keeping Our Kids Safe During Transitions
The start of school is not only a busy time for most parents, but it's especially worrying for moms and dads who have kids on the spectrum who wander. Changes in schedules and transitions can make them more prone to eloping. How can we keep them safe? Sheletta may have found the answer from an...
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When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors
When it began to thunder, Sheletta looked out of the kitchen window and noticed that her neighbor's kids were still playing in their backyard pool, she made them go in the house; then, she called her friends at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety to join her on a podcast to figure out if…
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It takes a village
Sheletta grew up in the safe village of Kelly Village, subsidized housing in Houston's 5th Ward, where she was nurtured and given the necessary discipline to succeed. As times get hard for many Black women and job prospects are few and far between, she encourages people to check in with Daveta...
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The Emmys are aware of autism
Sheletta chats with her friend Paul McGuire-Grimes, Minnesota movie critic, about the autistic storylines and actors represented at this year's Emmy awards. Which ones have a shot at winning that coveted statuette? Paul offers his predictions. Paul's Trip to the Movies
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Get a deconstruction grant!
Got a home deconstruction project and need more money to complete it? There's a grant for that. Sheletta tells you where you can find that money for that on the latest episode of her podcast. https://recyclingandenergy.org/deconstruction/
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Helping your adult autistic child find work
Is your autistic adult child looking for work and can't find a job? Hennepin County wants to help. They've got a transition age youth and employment program that just might be a perfect fit. Seniors and people with disabilities | Hennepin County Disability Hub MN - Your Options: Work
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One woman. One show. One fabulous story.
Sheletta becomes fast friends with Megan Dolan, the autism mom, actress, and the brainchild behind "Not The Right Mom," a one-woman show that she wrote and produced. Megan travels the world performing for thousands of people using humor and storytelling to educate them about the concerns and...
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Free fun for the kids in St Paul
Tired of being cooped up in the house with your kids, but you just counted your coins and don't have enough money to take them somewhere fun? The City of St. Paul is hosting a free concert series at its parks all summer long. Bring a blanket, your babies, and a bag of snacks, and get out and…
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Cottage Grove needs more child care providers
With a housing boom happening in Cottage Grove, there's a big gap between the number of families moving to the area and the number of licensed child care providers. If you've been laid off, have a love for children, and live in Washington County, this may be the perfect pivot for your next career...
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The wait is over: Hamline Library is opening!
It's the moment parents across St. Paul have all been waiting for: the renovations are done, and Hamline Library is opening again. Sheletta chats with library staff about all the cool new upgrades and even offers to do some special programming with her children's books in April for Autism…
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More autism services are heading to Mankato
Sheletta was so excited to learn that Fraser is opening a satellite location in Mankato. The 90-year-old, award-winning autism center is now accepting new clients aged 2 to 6. Get registered: [email protected] or CALL 612-767-7222
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Engineering help for kids with autism
Jim Swift, a retired engineer, uses GoFundMe to raise enough money to build adaptive devices for autistic children in need....
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Fighting fraud in Minnesota
James Clark, Inspector General of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, talks about how his office is fighting fraud and working to protect taxpayer funded services.
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Puppets for Pupils
Pacer has a unique program that brings puppets to the classroom to teach students about inclusion and acceptance. https://www.pacer.org/events/puppets/
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Your clinic could be moving...
If you've received healthcare in Ramsey County, the place you normally get care for you and your family could have moved. They've got a new location, and Sheletta's going to tell you where, along with the new services they're offering on the latest episode of her podcast.
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If your provider is disenrolled, help is available
Help is available for families who lost a Medicare provider after Minnesota’s revalidation process. Sheletta chats with her friends from the Minnesota Department of Human Services to offer resources available to help families access the services they need. https://mn.gov/dhs/find-care/
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If you think your child has autism, test them for lead first
Sheletta chats with her friends from Ramsey County about how important it is to test for lead in soil, in your homes, and in your children. https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/residents/health-medical/healthy-homes/lead-home…
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Mall of America celebrates inclusivity
Sheletta chats with her friends at the Mall of America about their new artful arches that celebrate their inclusive spirit as well as their new partnership with Fraser to make the mall more accessible to all shoppers.
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History in the hallways
Benjamin E. Mays, a St. Paul public elementary school, will become Afrocentric in the fall, adopting a new progressive teaching model.
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Get your provider to revalidate right away!
The Minnesota Department of Human Services is making sure providers of high-risk Medicaid services have the right paperwork, training, and insurance on file. Over 5,500 Medicaid providers are required to go through revalidation by the end of May. If you’re one of these providers, Sheletta tells…
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Staffing agency supports autistic job seekers
Is your adult child with autism aging out of school-based services and needs help landing a job? Sheletta chats with Mindshift Works, a Minnesota-based organization that helps employers find wonderful workers on the spectrum. https://mindshift.works/
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Need a ride to work? There's an app for that.
If your family lives in Forest Lake, Hastings, or Stillwater and you're having a hard time finding transportation to help your autistic adult child get to work, Sheletta's found an easy solution: Transit Link! She chats with Charles Carlson about the pre-scheduled curb-to-curb on-demand rideshare...
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Parents can help to prevent autism fraud
Did you know that you can help prevent autism fraud? Sheletta chats with Minnesota Department of Human Services Inspector General James Clark who talks about ways to guard against it, how to protect your personal information from scammers and what to look out for when choosing an autism service...
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Fun outdoor camps for the whole family
Looking for something fun for your high-functioning autistic child to do this summer? The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offers many outdoor skills programs for beginners. From overnight camping trips to fishing lessons, there's bound to be something fun and exciting for your children…
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Helping victims of sexual violence
If you're looking for an opportunity to help victims of sexual violence, Ramsey County is training volunteers to staff its crisis line. Sheletta chats with Liz De La Torre to find out more about the program.
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Help for Hispanic communities in Washington County
With the trauma that the Hispanic community is experiencing with Operation Metro Surge, one organization is working to address mental health, protective factors, and opioid education in a culturally responsive way. Sheletta chats with Karina Kelton of Raices Latinas Minnesota about the programs…
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Teaching the Teacher
Sheletta chats with Shelley Neilsen Gatti at the University of St Thomas and Annette Lee from St. Paul Public Schools about a really unique program that provides a non traditional program that creates a pathway to get more diverse teachers in the classrooms.
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Finding a phone friend for Grandpa!
When Sheletta's father-in-law moved into their home, he felt alone and isolated from his friends. She wishes she had known about Friends & Co. to help him find a phone buddy to chat with to lift his spirits. Featuring Emma Lucchesi from Friends & Co., discussing the ‘Coffee Talk’ program, which...
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Eat right; have a healthier life
Moms with autism oftentimes go without eating. The long days and even longer nights don't lend themselves to a sit down breakfast with the kids. Dinners can be daunting. So how do you get a nutritious, quick meal? Sheletta found a sweet surprise in the frozen food section at her local Hy-Vee...
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Don't be lax, lock up your cannabis.
Cannabis is legal in Minnesota, but that doesn't mean you should be lax about where you store it. Kids with autism are inquisitive and will reach for things they're not supposed to have. Sheletta talks with her friends in Minneapolis about a program that will give you a bag to lock up your…
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Do your part. Save a Life.
Sheletta chats with her friends at Steve Rummler's Hope Network about how folks in Washington County can help provide naloxone to people in need to prevent opioid overdose deaths.
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Housing help in St. Louis Park
For families in St. Louis Park who need help upgrading their homes but can't afford it, Sheletta tells you about some funding you can tap into to get it done on the latest episode of her autism podcast.
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What happens when they get older?
Now, 1 in 34 children in Minnesota has autism, and many school-based programs exist to help meet their needs. But at some point, they'll grow up. What happens when it's 1 in 34 elderly people on the spectrum? What's available for them then? One Minnesota-based organization, Hammer and N.E.R., has…
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Employment help for people with autism
Sheletta chats with her friend Dee Torgerson from the Vocational Rehabilitation Office at Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development about how the program helps people with autism prepare for, find and keep a job. https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/disabilities/
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Getting your autistic teen to work
As Sheletta's oldest autistic son, Brandon, gets to the age where he can find a job, her biggest challenge is getting him there. She called her friend Barbara Bursack, a mobility manager at GoWashingtonMN.com, to explore safe transportation options and training for him.
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Getting your autistic kids active
Sheletta is so excited that her autistic kids are getting active in after school programs like theater and debate team. She's encouraging other parents to take a leap of faith and sign up their high functioning children on the spectrum for extra curricular activities. Up first: The Civics Bee!...
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Mississippi doing better than Minnesota?
There are billboards popping up all over town that say Mississippi students have better reading test scores than children in Minnesota. What in the world? If Mississippi, known for being dead last in education every year, is better than us, what is that saying about our schools? Sheletta's…
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New merger means more services for neurodiverse college students
Sheletta chats with her friends at Dakota County Technical College and Inver Hills about the two college communities and their upcoming merger, and how it's a win-win situation for neurodivergent students on the latest episode of her autism podcast .**Please note** The merge between the colleges…
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Put down that cigarette, pick up the telephone
Start the new year right by breaking some bad habits that you picked up during COVID like smoking. On this week's episode of Taking Authority over Autism, Sheletta shows you how to put down the cigarette and pick up the phone to call Quit Partner at 1-800-QUIT-NOW. They have programs, medication...
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Reliable supplemental transportation for your special needs student
Sheletta is trying to figure out how to get her 7th grader to theater camp and her 8th grader to debate practice while picking up her 5th grader from school all at the same time. Being a divorced parent of three kids with autism, she's got to be careful about how they get to their appointments…
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In the midst of all the autism fraud happening in Minnesota
Sheletta introduces her listeners to the Minnesota Autism Center Midwest, a trusted autism therapy center that serves children on the spectrum. She chats with MAC Midwest's CEO Christine Bent who has been a leader in healthcare for three decades.
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How to COPE with stress
Holiday stress is hard, but you don't have to struggle alone. Sheletta chats with Jihan Ali from Hennepin County who shares information about a vital resource that offers help for you to COPE if you're in crisis mode so you can get back to living your best and healthiest life.
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Black mommas battle for service
Black moms share their experience of fighting for fairness for their autistic children both inside and outside of their homes. Sheletta chats with Vinyarie, a fellow African American autism mom who says a library story time with her son crushed her spirit then made her a crusader for equity for...
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Finding the right provider for your Black autistic child
Sheletta chats with Andrea Lawson Founder and Chief Principal Consultant of HealthEQ Solutions, where she partners with organizations to design inclusive systems, about what it looks like to provide culturally competent care to Black neurodiverse children.
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The 2026 Special Olympics is coming to Minnesota. What can you expect?
Sheletta sits down and chats with the CEO, Christy Sovereign, to get all the details. Visit https://2026specialolympicsusagames.org/
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Sheletta Brundidge has three children on the spectrum but that’s not the only reason why she’s known as The Autism Mom. Sheletta is an advocate for parents who have children with special needs and uses her family’s autism journey to offer hope to others at SHElettaMakesMeLaugh.com.
HOSTED BY
takingauthorityoverautism
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Taking Authority Over Autism have?
Taking Authority Over Autism currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Taking Authority Over Autism about?
Sheletta Brundidge has three children on the spectrum but that’s not the only reason why she’s known as The Autism Mom. Sheletta is an advocate for parents who have children with special needs and uses her family’s autism journey to offer hope to others at SHElettaMakesMeLaugh.com.
How often does Taking Authority Over Autism release new episodes?
Taking Authority Over Autism has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Taking Authority Over Autism?
You can listen to Taking Authority Over Autism on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Taking Authority Over Autism?
Taking Authority Over Autism is created and hosted by takingauthorityoverautism.
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