The Future is Now
The Arc of the Ozarks has provided quality services for people with disabilities for nearly 60 years. We recognize that needs of people with disabilities are changing. The Arc is committed to finding solutions for individuals and families. Our future is focused on innovation, and the future is now.
What We Do Today Makes a Difference for the Future of Children with Autism.
Did you know there are at least 78 million people with autism in the United States and that autism affects one in 60 children in Missouri?
Did you know that with early diagnosis and interventions, children can have more successful outcomes in their education and social development, leading to more independent lives as an adult?
Autism can now be diagnosed as early as 18 months old, yet Missouri families struggle with a nine-month to two-year waiting list for an evaluation and diagnosis. Without a diagnosis, early intervention therapies cannot start, further delaying a child’s speech, physical, social, and behavioral development.
Benefits of Early Intervention
Early interventions improve a child’s overall development, social skills, self-regulation and coping skills; speech, language, and communication skills; independent life skills; physical health; parent-child relationships; and a child’s overall quality of life.
Early intervention creates a different path of success and opportunities with therapies that can prevent long-term behavioral issues, possible delinquency due to frustrations from having the lack of necessary communication and social skills, and possible future homelessness due to loss of financial support. Early intervention therapies lead to more long-term successful outcomes for children as they become an adult entering the workforce and starting their own families. What we do today makes a difference for the future of children with autism.
Building Confidence for a Lifetime
Meet Grayson! Grayson began therapy services after a diagnosis of Autism and an Expressive-Language Delay at age three. With early intervention therapies and strategies to address Grayson’s sensory processing and language delays, his mother saw a vast improvement in his behavior not only at home, but also at school and in activities outside the home. Through speech/language therapy, over the last year Grayson greatly improved his formation of sentences and his ability to express himself which in turn improved his behavior tremendously. The early intervention therapies, tools, and strategies have helped Grayson blossom into the happy boy he is today!!
The Future is Now and You Can Help
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening for all children aged 18-24 months for Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental delays, but getting the initial screening is a challenge due to waiting lists and limited providers in the community. The Arc of the Ozarks is committed to increasing awareness about the importance of early intervention and diagnosis of autism by breaking down barriers for families to receive evaluations and therapeutic services for their children on the autism spectrum.
The future is now and The Arc is excited to announce that we are making strides in fulfilling that commitment by establishing a new state of the art multi-disciplinary autism clinic in Springfield, Missouri. This new autism clinic is a collaboration between The Arc of the Ozarks, Mercy, and Missouri State University that will offer comprehensive diagnostic, treatment, and advocacy services all in one location by providers specializing in autism. However, we need your help!
Your gift today will help increase access for families seeking answers and help for their children that may be experiencing developmental delays and/or behavioral issues. The clinic will provide diagnostic evaluations, behavioral analysis, psychological/psychiatric services, and speech, occupational, physical, and specialty therapy services. The new autism clinic will work with families regardless of their ability to pay and will accept referrals from all network providers. To learn more about the Children’s Autism Services The Arc provides, watch the video below!
Please consider making a charitable gift to The Arc of the Ozarks and together we can bring this clinic to life and provide hope to families by providing early intervention therapies for their children with autism.
Thanks to your generous support children with autism will excel in life!
To Help Children with Autism Like Grayson
- Click here to donate online.
- Mail a check made payable to: The Arc of the Ozarks, 1501 E. Pythian, Springfield, Missouri 65802
- Call 417.864.7887
Reference:
The Arc of the Ozarks
417.864.7887
info@thearcoftheozarks.org
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