Family Picnic

Special Olympics

Music Therapy Speaker

Apps For Autism

By clicking Here you can access hundreds of apps for many platforms. These apps are specially made for children with autism and are great learning tools!

Summer Camp Grant - Bucks County

This grant is only for those who live in Bucks County!!

Autism Services

Welcome to the Bureau of Autism Services, Office of Developmental Programs. The information shared in this site is intended to communicate the Department of Public Welfare’s efforts to enhance the quality of life and independence of Pennsylvanians with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and to support their families and caregivers. Please scroll through this page to learn about the work we are doing to help families and adults with autism in the Commonwealth.

We are committed to hearing your questions, suggestions and feedback about our initiatives.

You can contact us or call the Bureau of Autism Services at 1-866-539-7689.

Mailing address:
Department of Public Welfare
Bureau of Autism Services
P.O. Box 2675; 605 Health and Welfare Building
Harrisburg, PA 17105

2012 Bureau of Autism Services Family and Individual Mini Grants

The Bureau of Autism Services of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare is pleased to announce the availability of mini-grants to support children and adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and families that include an individual with ASD. Learn more...

A focus of this project is to reach out and serve individuals and families that are not able to access existing support systems for various reasons (for example: eligibility criteria, age, waiting lists). The term “family” may include an immediate family member or other relative, a person providing foster care or a legal guardian or custodian, but does not include a person or entity who acts in a paid employment capacity. These grants are funding opportunities that will only be offered once and are time limited. The full application packet including the application, instructions to apply, and frequently asked questions is available to download and print off of our website.

How Do I Apply?

The full application packet including the application, instructions to apply, and frequently asked questions is available to download and print by clicking here: 2012 BAS Mini-Grant Application Packet

Mail your completed application and supporting materials, which may include brochures, printouts from the Internet, statements on sponsoring organization letterhead, or statements of cost to the address on the application packet.

The deadline for submission is April 15, 2012. Applications must be postmarked no later than April 15. Applications which are faxed or e-mailed will not be accepted. BAS cannot be responsible for applications returned for insufficient postage, delayed or lost in transit to our office. Incomplete and illegible applications will not be considered for funding. Please be sure that your application is signed and complete with all necessary documentation attached. BAS cannot be responsible for applications completed or submitted by a third party such as a case manager, BSC, etc.

http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/forchildren/autism/index.htm

Applications are due (postmarked by):	April 15, 2012
Notification of awards sent by mail on a rolling basis beginning on or about:	May 16, 2012 (on or about and continuing through the end of the fiscal year.)
Activities must occur between these dates:	March 1, 2012 and August 31, 2012

Labels for Education

Big Red Safety Box

PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release: February 14, 2012

Contact: Wendy Fournier, NAA (Portsmouth, RI) 401-835-5828 Lori McIlwain, NAA (Cary, NC) 919-741-7646

National Autism Association Announces Second Launch of “Big Red Safety Box” to Combat Deaths In Autism Community Boston, MA – In an ongoing effort to combat the rise in wandering-related tragedies and deaths within the autism community, the National Autism Association (NAA) announced today its second launch of “The Big Red Safety Box,” a program that provides free toolkits to caregivers with an at-risk child or adult. Similar to wandering behaviors in the Alzheimer’s community, wandering/elopement, or “running,” behaviors in children and adults with autism have led to countless tragedies across the country. In 2011, preliminary data from an Interactive Autism Network study found that: Roughly half, or 48%, of children with autism attempt to wander/elope from a safe environment, a rate nearly four times higher than their unaffected siblings More than one third of children with ASD who wander/elope are never or rarely able to communicate their name, address, or phone number Two in three parents of elopers reported their missing children had a “close call” with a traffic injury; 32% of parents reported a “close call” with a possible drowning Wandering was ranked among the most stressful ASD behaviors by 58% of parents of elopers Half of families with elopers report they had never received advice or guidance about elopement from a professional Over the last three years, accidental drowning accounted for 91% of total U.S. deaths reported in children with autism ages 14 and younger subsequent to wandering/elopement, according to NAA. Earlier this month, a 12-year-old boy with autism wandered from his Michigan home and was killed after being struck by a vehicle, another common occurrence. “People with wandering tendencies can be gone in the blink of an eye despite even the most diligent supervision,” says NAA President Wendy Fournier. “It is our hope that these safety boxes will provide the critical support caregivers need to protect their loved ones with autism.” The Big Red Safety Box includes educational materials, door alarms, a wearable ID, and visual prompts to deter children and adults from exiting their homes. Because at least 18 students with autism were reported missing over the last six months after leaving a school or school bus, visual prompts may also be used for classroom and other non-home settings. This second round of the program will provide 1000 free boxes to 1000 at-risk individuals, and is made possible by the generous support of Autism Speaks and LoJack SafetyNet. Those diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, and who are at risk of wandering/eloping from a safe environment, qualify to receive a Big Red Safety Box while supplies allow. Beginning at 10:00 am ET, families may apply by, clicking here. To make a donation to support this important program, please click here. About National Autism Association (NAA): NAA is a parent-run nonprofit organization and the leading voice on issues related to autism safety and crisis prevention. The organization’s mission is to respond to the most urgent needs of the autism community, providing real help and hope so that all affected can reach their full potential. For more information on wandering prevention, visit NAA’s Safety Site at AutismSafety.org, or its sister site at AWAARE.org.

Autism Conference

Valentine's Dance

The Joint Statement of the Autism Society and Autistic Self Advocacy Network on the DSM-5 and Autism

As two national organizations committed to working to empower the autism and Autistic communities today and into the future, the Autism Society of America and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network issue the following joint statement regarding the definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder within the DSM-5.The autism spectrum is broad and diverse, including individuals with a wide range of functional needs, strengths and challenges. The DSM-5's criteria for the new, unified autism spectrum disorder diagnosis must be able to reflect that diversity and range of experience. Over the course of the last 60 years, the definition of autism has evolved and expanded to reflect growing scientific and societal understanding of the condition. That expansion has resulted in improved societal understanding of the experiences of individuals on the autism spectrum and their family members. It has also led to the development of innovative service-provision, treatment and support strategies whose continued existence is imperative to improving the life experiences of individuals and families. As the DSM-5's final release approaches and the autism and Autistic communities prepare for a unified diagnosis of ASD encompassing the broad range of different autism experiences, it is important for us to keep a few basic priorities in mind.One of the key principles of the medical profession has always been, "First, do no harm." As such, it is essential that the DSM-5's criteria are structured in such a way as to ensure that those who have or would have qualified for a diagnosis under the DSM-IV maintain access to an ASD diagnosis. Contrary to assertions that ASD is over diagnosed, evidence suggests that the opposite is the case - namely, that racial and ethnic minorities, women and girls, adults and individuals from rural and low-income communities face challenges in accessing diagnosis, even where they clearly fit criteria under the DSM-IV. Furthermore, additional effort is needed to ensure that the criteria for ASD in the DSM-5 are culturally competent and accessible to under-represented groups. Addressing the needs of marginalized communities has been a consistent problem with the DSM-IV.Individuals receive a diagnosis for a wide variety of reasons. Evidence from research and practice supports the idea that enhancing access to diagnosis can result in substantial improvements in quality of life and more competent forms of service-provision and mental health treatment. This is particularly true for individuals receiving diagnosis later in life, who may have managed to discover coping strategies and other adaptive mechanisms which serve to mask traits of ASD prior to a diagnosis. Frequently, individuals who are diagnosed in adolescence or adulthood report that receiving a diagnosis results in improvements in the provision of existing services and mental health treatment, a conceptual framework that helps explain past experiences, greater self-understanding and informal support as well as an awareness of additional, previously unknown service options.Some have criticized the idea of maintaining the existing, broad autism spectrum, stating that doing so takes limited resources away from those most in need. We contend that this is a misleading argument - no publicly funded resource is accessible to autistic adults and children solely on the basis of a diagnosis. Furthermore, while the fact that an individual has a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder does not in and of itself provide access to any type of service-provision or funding, a diagnosis can be a useful contributing factor in assisting those who meet other functional eligibility criteria in accessing necessary supports, reasonable accommodations and legal protections. As such, we encourage the DSM-5 Neurodevelopmental Disorders Working Group to interpret the definition of autism spectrum disorder broadly, so as to ensure that all of those who can benefit from an ASD diagnosis have the ability to do so. The Autism Society and Autistic Self Advocacy Network encourage other organizations and groups to join with us in forming a national coalition aimed at working on issues related to definition of the autism spectrum within the DSM-5. Community engagement and representation within the DSM-5 process itself is a critical component of ensuring accurate, scientific and research-validated diagnostic criteria. Furthermore, our community must work both before and after the finalization of the DSM-5 to conduct effective outreach and training on how to appropriately identify and diagnose all those on the autism spectrum, regardless of age, background or status in other under-represented groups.
Scott BadeschPresidentAutism Societysbadesch@autism-society.org
Ari Ne'emanPresidentAutistic Self Advocacy Networkaneeman@autisticadvocacy.org
P.S. The Autism Society will continue to share its thoughts and feelings about keeping the community inclusive as more information about the revisions is known. In the meantime, we strongly encourage people to get involved in the discussion.