Arizona mother wins seat alongside lawmaker she says didn’t listen to her
Christine Scianna’s advocacy for her nonverbal autistic daughter led her to run for the Arizona House
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Christine Scianna tried emails. She tried phone calls. She joined protests at the Arizona Capitol and went to her representative’s office.
“We tried everything and no response,” she said.
Now, after years of advocating for her daughter and others with disabilities, Scianna is heading to the Capitol herself. She won a seat in the Arizona House of Representatives for Legislative District 29, receiving the most votes in the West Valley district.
She’ll serve alongside Republican Rep. Steve Montenegro, the exact lawmaker she says did not respond to her concerns.
A mother’s fight
Scianna’s advocacy began with her daughter Brooke, who is autistic and nonverbal. Scianna said Brooke has experienced meltdowns because of difficulties communicating, including one involving transportation in 2018.
Scianna said the state’s Department of Child Safety took Brooke from her home and placed her in a group home.
“She ended up being put in the hospital by the group home and then ended up in a mental hospital...