AUTISM GRANTS FOR FAMILIES

The National Autism Association is accepting applications for its 2008 Helping Hand grants.

NAA is the only national autism membership organization to provide financial assistance to families in need of therapies and treatments for their children.

Of course, if you want the BIG grant bucks, we suggest you skedaddle back to school and get your PhD in genetics, psychiatry or anthropology.  (Wink. Wink.)

Comments

[Jeannie Krouch]

I have a 3 year old with autism. I am looking for a grant to help pay for therapy. I am a school teacher in Florida (we are not paid well, but I am a little over the poverty line so I do not qualify for most grants) Does anyone know of a grant that is awarded to individuals for therapy? I am desperate. Yes, autism is treatable, but I can't afford even half of the services that I am told that she needs.

[shahbeen]

my daughter has autism spectrum disorder and moderate learning difficulty and anxiety im looking for someone to help me with a playhouse for the garden shes not aloud to be left alone because she goes wondering off and gets into trouble shes 12 years old but a mind of 7 year old with the play house she can bring friends to play in her own home where i no she is safe and it will help her to relax and it will stop the siblings fighting all the time

[Theresa]

Hi, Fran, I looked online for information on assistance dog grants, but everything I found was about grants for people who want to train dogs, but can't afford to feed them, etc. One way to go about getting a grant is to ask your local assistance dog group to apply for a grant on your behalf, for example, through Oprah's Angel Network (http://oprahsangelnetwork.org/our-work/grants/information).

I don't know where you live, but the assistance dog networks seem to be regional. For example, assistancedog.org serves California residents. Maybe if your regional assistance dog network can identify several families needing help purchasing an assistance dog, they can make a compelling case to Oprah (or another charitable foundation), so they can provide trained assistance dogs to local families (including yours).

Good luck to you.

[Fran McIntosh]

I am a mother of three children which two have autism. The middle child elopes and puts himself in harms way. They are both nonverbal. I'm looking for some support in recieving funds for an assistance dog for the child that elopes, it's a life or death situation. Can an persons help me in finding funds (a grant)I'm seeking $8,000 for the dog (St. Bernard) and training and equipment. Any grants out there? Please help if you can. Truly grateful.
Fran

[Kimeth Robinson]

As a parent of an autistic child it pisses me off to hear people criticize anyone who is attempting to make some type of a difference with this disorder. People who criticize always have the answer, but those same people don't seem to be helping. JUST CRITICIZING!!!! Instead of going against groups who promote ASD awareness help in finding a cure and promote more positive awareness.

[frank]

There is a grant program in central virginia that helps pay for ABA tuition. It's called http://www.autismgrant.org/

[Spamela]

"Not inform the public at large that these treatment modalities are out there and readily available to all and sundry"

No, no...effective early intervention works. We know this. But treatments are NOT available to all. In our area, as I suspect it is on many others, we simply have no certified speech pathologists/therapists taking on new clients.

The grant criteria noted in earlier posts seems to be just what we need to help a lot of families in our area...

[Lisa Miller]

Me and my ex are divorced and he sends me bills every month for the uninsured expenses for my son's speech and occupational therapy. I don't have the money to pay him. Would one of these programs be able to assist me with paying these expenses?

[nettie smith]

I have just found out my child has asd a month ago.Tyler, i got him when he was 2 years old. He is now 13.My husband and i need to know how to get a grant to help on doctor bills, lights, water. we live in a small trailer, Tyler needs alot of things. All the doctors and meds we haft to pay out of pocket is hurtting us. I can take it but it is hard on Tyler. Any help would great. thank you Nettie

[nhokkanen]

"Primum non nocere" is this blog's raison d'etre.

[Kristina Chew]

Much richness in the heart and spirit and mind---worth more than any material riches. Vivat lingua Latina in aetate autismi.

[Stagmom]

Semper ubi sub ubi. There, will that get me six figures? Got me out of Latin class in 10th grade in prep school. Someday I'll embroider it onto a pillow.

[Kristina Chew]

You'd be surprised what a little Latin and something more of Greek can do, too.

[Elucidatus]

It will be very interesting to see how they deteremine which families get money and which ones don't. However, I think this is exactly what is needed and we the Autism Community would love to see more of these Marriage Saving and life saving services in the near future. The NAA has my vote of approval. Great Job.

[Expand your dimension]

For an organization as large and as flush with funds as Autism Speaks, its a disgrace of magnitude dimension to not do the following:

- Not inform the public at large that autism is a bodily disorder that needs to be treated with various modalities of treatment options.
- Not inform the public at large that these treatment modalities are out there and readily available to all and sundry.
- Not inform the powers that be that this medical condition for most, unless treated by the alternative treatments out there, will largely leave the majority of the ASD kids in a state where they will require all round 24 hour treatment for the rest of their lives.
- Not inform the parents of the ASD kids that the educational, behavioral, speech and occupational therapies that they so loudly broadcast to the community at large, while necessary, are in no way sufficient to cure the ASD children of the disorder. Please note that this is in flagrant violation of the knowledge that they personally hold very closely to their chest.
- Not inform the AAP that they hold this knowledge, mentioned above, and not propel the AAP into adequately discharging its foremost duty - the health and care of the children of America (and maybe lead by example to the rest of the world once they have assimilated this very simple fact).

I could go on but this is all for now. I hope you will begin to realize that its mostly very very far from "it's all good" and I hope you will begin to appreciate why the bio-medical community is up in arms over the matter of Autism Speaks. We now understand why it chose that name. You see, speaking is not enough, you need to *do*. Your actions need to match your words but first, your words must speak the truth. Nobody likes liars!!! Yes, nobody likes liars very much at all.

[KidsNotCompetition]

Where do you see the word TREATMENT?? AS starts and ends with the assumption your child is autistic and will remain so because there is no treatment. Otherwise they'd include it in their grant criteria. Good thing they're starting schools. Soon they'll be the Donald Trump of Group Homes - just you wait and see.

"At Autism Speaks, one of our goals is to change the future for all individuals who struggle with autism spectrum disorders.

In keeping with this goal, the Family Services Committee has established Family Service Community Grants in order to promote services that will enhance the lives of those affected by autism spectrum disorders. Recognizing that there are multiple needs in this expansive and varied community, the focus of these grants will be on proposals that serve to build the field of services for individuals with autism and expand the capacity to effectively serve this growing community. As such, the Family Services Committee is seeking proposals for project grants that focus on the following 4 areas of need:

Education

Building the field and scope of educators and trainers, by providing continuing education and training to those working with individuals with autism spectrum disorders

Providing funding for consultation to improve
education for individuals with autism

Providing funding to increase the capacity of service providers

Sponsoring conferences

Training professionals to interact more effectively with individuals with autism spectrum disorders
Recreation/Community Activities

Safety equipment

Funding to organizations that provide respite services.

Social skills training that provides peer modeling and inclusion with typically developing peers

Recreation and athletic programs for individuals with autism spectrum disorders
Equipment/Supportive Technology

Vehicles to transport individuals with autism

Computer programs for schools, centers or agencies

OT and PT equipment

Augmentative communication devices (for schools or agencies, not individuals)
Young Adult/Adults Services

Pre-vocational and vocational training

Transition planning

Residential services

Recreation programs for adults

Life/community integration skills"

[Autismvile]

NAA is doing an incredible job supporting families. There is such a tremendous need.

Autism Speaks kicked off their Family Services initiative by doing the following in 2007:

Autism Speaks Approves more than $565,000 in Family Services Community Grants
Initial 29 Grants Fund Education Programs, Community Activities, Supportive Technology and Services for Teens and Adults

http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/family_services_funded_december_2007.php

More grants will be awarded in 2008.

It is phenomenal news that the autism organizations are stepping up! Fortunately, it's not a competitive sport. It's about different organizations taking different roles to make a difference.

It's all good...