Thursday, July 12, 2007

Easter Seals and Autism Society Unveil Partnership to Improve Service Access, Delivery

Easter Seals, the 88-year-old advocacy and social services organization for people with developmental disabilities, has formed a partnership with the Autism Society of America to improve access to and delivery of local autism services and treatments. The two groups announced the partnership today at the Autism Society's annual conference in Phoenix. You can read a press release here.

The two non-profits said they "plan to pilot programs and initiatives that will help improve the lives of individuals living with autism." In addition to improving access and delivery of autism services, the groups identified three additional focus areas:

* Information sharing. Plans call for establishing an international network of autism services organizations so they can share knowledge, information about best practices and effective treatments.

* Conferences. The groups said they would co-sponsor "a series of research-based consensus conferences" about positive outcomes for people with autism.

* Autism awareness. They plan to work to "increase awareness and understanding of the needs of the autism community."

Leaders of the groups issued statements suggesting the announcement today was the start of a long-term relationship with broad ambitions.

James E. Williams Jr., Easter Seals president and CEO said: "It is a beginning -- our partnership as ASA and Easter Seals. Our job is to provide effective treatment and services to families in communities across the country. But it will take more than our village. To truly address the needs of children and adults living with autism, we must engage the autism community at large -- government, our corporate sector, and our communities working together to assure that everyone living with autism is accepted, and has the very best chance to live, learn, work and play in our communities."

Lee Grossman, president and CEO of the Autism Society, said the groups had been discussing a partnership for more than a year. He emphasized that it should be judged on results: "By far the most important feature of this partnership is how we are measuring its success. If we succeed, more people with autism and the people who live with them, and the people who treat them, will receive the services and supports they deserve. In a generation, autism will be an accepted, and honored, part of the human condition."

3 comments:

Maddy said...

Completely off topic, but please, put us [foreigners] out of our misery. Why are they called Easter Seals?

But yes it's great alliance, good to have good news for a change.
Cheers
[actually, I should probably just look it up on the web]

WebBarbie said...

Happy to oblige to answer mcewen's question:
In 1907, Ohio-businessman Edgar Allen lost his son in a streetcar accident. The lack of adequate medical services available to save his son prompted Allen to sell his business and begin a fund-raising campaign to build a hospital in his hometown of Elyria, Ohio. Through this new hospital, Allen was surprised to learn that children with disabilities were often hidden from public view. Inspired by this discovery, in 1919 Allen founded what became known as the National Society for Crippled Children, the first organization of its kind.

In the spring of 1934, the organization launched its first Easter "seals" campaign to raise money for its services. To show their support, donors placed the seals on envelopes and letters. Cleveland Plain Dealer cartoonist J.H. Donahey designed the first seal. Donahey based the design on a concept of simplicity because those served by the charity asked "simply for the right to live a normal life."

The overwhelming public support for the Easter "seals" campaign triggered a nationwide expansion of the organization and a swell of grassroots efforts on behalf of people with disabilities. By 1967, the Easter "seal" was so well recognized, the organization formally adopted the name "Easter Seals."t

Anonymous said...

thanks I always wanted to know
about the name
I hope it works out for our kids
Joyce

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