Easter Seals Bay Area springs into action
by Matt
The rain clouds have passed and my tomato plants are in the ground, which in Northern California means that spring is upon us. Across the country, Easter Seals affiliates are gearing up for spring and summer programming for the individuals we serve every day.
Here at Easter Seals Bay Area, we are looking forward to:
- Celebrating with the graduates of our Child Development Center as they head off to kindergarten.
- Providing extended school year services at our Lily Learning Center, our school program dedicated to serving students with autism spectrum disorder.
- Enjoying the great outdoors with the Kaleidoscope summer program.
Thanks to programs like these, and the hundreds of others run by Easter Seals across the country, we are providing help, hope and answers to families and individuals living with autism today.
In addition to direct programming, our affiliates are working with local, state and national legislators to develop legislation that directly addresses the issues facing individuals and families living with autism. Here in California, many of our affiliates are members of the California State Senate Subcommittee on Autism Spectrum Disorders. The Committee is focused on addressing four important issues:
- Evaluation and treatment for children at an early age.
- That private health plans are doing their fair share to provide medically necessary services.
- Access to adequate employment opportunities, and
- The development and expansion of appropriate and affordable housing.
These taskforces consist of legislators, consumers, families, advocates and autism experts all working towards a common vision: helping individuals with autism live, learn, work, and play to their full potential.
We know we can’t do this alone, we know that autism is treatable, and we know that by working together we can make a difference in the lives of individuals and families living with autism right now. Autism may not affect every family, but every family can affect autism. For more information on what you can do to help, visit ActForAutism.org.