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September 2007 Finally, after several years of waiting patiently for the right group to move into the Mary Ann Taggart Christian Education Wing, we have reached an agreement with The Model Program for Toddlers with Autism to operate the first program of its kind in the state of Oklahoma! Thanks to Nancy Klos, who first got us connected with individuals planning to open this center on a grant from the OUHSC, and through the tireless efforts of the Board of Christian Education and careful negotiations by the Board of Trustees, Mayflower will become home to an innovative effort to help very young children diagnosed with Autism get the professional help they need, and their families require--at no cost! Autism spectrum disorders now affect 1 in 150 American children. Here is how Dr. Bonnie McBride, who will direct the center, and is an Assistant Professor in Developmental and Behavioral pediatrics at OUHSC, explains it: Recent research has led to better identification of ASD early in life and early identification has resulted in the development of better early intervention and treatment programs. More importantly, early intervention can make a major difference in helping children with autism reach their full potential. With this in mind, "Autism Partners," a group of state and local agencies interested in helping promote effective services for young children with ASD and their families have joined together to develop a model program for very young children. This model program will promote the use of evidence-based practices, community inclusion, and the empowerment of families to feel competent and confident in parenting their child. The Model Program for Toddlers with Autism has two major goals. The first goal is to provide effective services at no cost to families through state and local systems that are already mandated to provide services to children with special needs. The second goal is to help other communities in Oklahoma develop similar programs and provide training and technical assistance to those communities through the Model Program. The result of both of these efforts will be an increased capacity in this state to give children with ASD a good start in preparation for their future. While the needs of children with ASD and their families do not end in early childhood, we are focusing on this critical time period as a starting place to give children and families support early in the process. The children with ASD participating in this program will be between the ages of 18 and 48 months. They will attend play groups with their typically developing peers at Mayflower Congregational Church as well as receive specialized services. These services will be provided by a variety of professionals including educators, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, etc. and family members will be involved in all aspects of the planning and implementation process. The education wing at Mayflower Congregational Church provides the perfect venue for developing a child and family friendly setting for this program in an organization that also values community inclusion and activism. We are thrilled to include Mayflower among our "partners" in this important program. We are thrilled too, Dr. McBride, and proud to be the site of the first such program to benefit these children. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship, and pledge to do everything in our power to help you in this important work Grace and Peace, RM |
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