Family Services Grants Awarded to Community Organizations by Autism Speaks
December 21, 2007
NEW YORK, NY (December
20, 2007) -- Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism advocacy organization,
has approved more than $565,000 in funding for 29 family services community
grants, it was announced today by Autism Speaks President Mark Roithmayr. The
grants will help community organizations across the country expand existing
programs and create new ones that show true innovation in providing services to
improve and enrich the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders
(ASD).
In September, Autism Speaks invited autism service providers to
submit grant applications that promote services which enhance the lives of those
affected by autism spectrum disorders. Grant proposals were solicited that
addressed one or more of the following areas of need: education,
recreation/community activities, equipment/supportive technology and young adult
services. Autism Speaks received 355 applications from organizations in 41
states and Canada in this initial family
services grant cycle.
"These initial community grants focus on building
the field of services for individuals with autism and expanding the capacity to
effectively serve this growing community and its range of needs," said
Roithmayr. "There are many organizations out there doing remarkable and
innovative work, and Autism Speaks is committed to helping them take their
programs to the next level."
"Although our primary mission at Autism
Speaks is to identify more effective treatments and ultimately find a cure for
autism, we are also committed to improving the quality of life for those
affected by autism today," said Peter Bell, executive vice president of programs
and services at Autism Speaks, who also has a 14 year old son with autism. "As
the population of people affected by autism grows and ages up, it is imperative
that we expand the field of autism services to help our children realize their
full potential."
A two-tier review process was used to assess each grant
application. In the first tier, each proposal was reviewed by both the parent of
a child with autism who had experience in the area of need and an autism
professional with expertise in that same area. To help ensure objectivity,
proposals were assigned to reviewers located in a different geographic location
from the applicant. A total of 176 proposals that earned an established minimum
score were reviewed by members of the Autism Speaks Family Services Committee
(FSC).
The FSC members considered the following criteria for each
program:
- Field building -- increasing services (new opportunities) and the capacity of service providers;
- Number of individuals served;
- Innovation and creativity;
- Geography;
- Ability to address the needs of the underserved;
- Replicability;
- Services provided for individuals across the spectrum.
The 29 approved grants
totaling $565,100 fall into the following categories: Education -- thirteen
grants ($258,500); Recreation/Community Activities - eight grants ($141,900);
Young Adult/Adults Services - four grants ($85,400); Equipment/Supportive
Technology - four grants ($79,300). A full list of grants can be found here.
In
the area of education, the grants will fund an array of innovative initiatives.
One program will create a 20-minute instructional film to help parents and
professionals teach children with autism how to communicate in play and become
more socially connected to others. Another organization will utilize funding to
train 200 parents of children with autism, informing them about available
services and their legal rights, and providing intensive and culturally
appropriate services to 30 Haitian and Latino families. A South Carolina school
district will train teachers to meet the assistive technology needs of students
with autism, train other teachers who have students with autism, and serve as
mentors for those teachers. In Central
Nebraska, an intensive parent training program will help fill the
services void in three rural, underserved communities.
The young adult
and adult services programs that have been awarded grants include an
organization that provides job training and placement services for teens with
autism, and recently added vocational services for young adults. It will use the
funding to expand its adult division to serve more young adults with autism,
provide additional working hours, teach new job skills and add more employers to
its roster. Another organization will launch a pilot semester of a supported
college program for young people with autism spectrum and related disorders for
freshman and sophomore students at a local community college.
A public
school district in Virginia received a grant in the equipment and
supportive technology category to purchase computer software - which helps
create visual supports and facilitates interaction -- for 19 elementary school
ASD classes and to train teachers. At the secondary level, a new program will
enhance social skills and reduce bullying. Another school serving individuals
with autism will create an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Library, featuring devices that can help students improve their ability to
communicate and interact with the world and live more independently. In
Palm Beach County,
Florida, a first response
initiative will be launched to help locate individuals with ASD and ensure their
safety.
In the area of recreation/community activities, one grant will
enable a group that uses live theater as a means to teach social cognition
skills to expand the scope of its program. A summer golf program for middle and
high school students in New
Jersey, which promotes improved communication, social
and physical skills, and the formation of closer bonds with peers, siblings and
parents, will also be expanded. A children's museum will use funding to create
exclusive events for children with autism and their families in a safe, friendly
and understanding environment. And a YMCA camp will provide 10 weekends of
respite care in a camp setting for 20 young adults with ASD.
All of the
applicants will be included in the Autism Speaks Family Services Resource Guide.
It is anticipated that Autism Speaks will announce the next round of Family
Services Community Grants by the end of the first quarter in
2008.
Read more . Plus, read summaries of the funded projects.