NORTHWEST AUTISM CENTER
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Mission Statement
Building a strong network of support. Autism is a world-wide health concern, but the real challenges occur at home, in our families, schools and neighborhoods. Formed in 2003, Northwest Autism Center exists to build, facilitate, and coordinate comprehensive services for those with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities through the lifespan, using community based approaches.
About This Cause
Northwest Autism Center is a federally approved nonprofit 501c(3) organization established in 2003 through the grassroots efforts of the Spokane community under the guidance of Dawn Sidell, RN, Executive Director. Services through our Community Connections Office include information and resource referral, personal contact with families and providers and vendor participation at conferences and workshops. Direct services offered through NAC include screenings for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), intensive Applied Behavioral Analysis services provided on-site, in-home, within the community and via telehealth. Direct services include opportunities for university student practicum and internship positions and supervision hours for Board Certified Behavior Analysis (BCBA) candidates. Community trainings, educational workshops, and consultations are regularly provided covering a wide variety of topics across a broad spectrum of disciplines (education, healthcare, law enforcement, dentistry, family impact, civic progress, etc.). Northwest Autism Center is deeply committed to advocacy efforts improving policy development; participating in local, state, and federal committees relevant to the cause of improving services and resources for individuals with autism and their families. What sets Northwest Autism Center apart from other ASD services is our community connections involvement. Northwest Autism Center is committed to fostering a sense of community for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities and their families. On a day-to-day basis, our dedicated Community Outreach team provides information and referral services and exists as a common access point for members of the community and surrounding region seeking direct services, support, education, consultation and advocacy related to ASD. Throughout the year we also sponsor key events to raise awareness of these valued members of our community, support individuals and families affected by autism and raise funds and resources to support them. Two of our most meaningful community outreach programs include Steps for Autism and our Annual Giving Tree. Steps for Autism is an annual 5K walk/run that promotes community inclusion and integration through the engagement of families with children of all ages who have autism. In addition to raising awareness of autism spectrum disorder, the event is a chance to connect people to autism-friendly businesses and providers and to participate in a variety of sensory activities. During the Christmas season, our Annual Giving Tree provides hundreds of gifts to children and adults with developmental disabilities living in residential care homes. Northwest Autism Center works with local agencies contracted with the Developmental Disabilities Administration to identify the wishes and needs of those individuals and then partners with the community of Spokane to supply those needs. With the help and support of the community, Northwest Autism Center provided more than 1,500 gifts in the past three seasons, spreading warmth and joy to everyone that participated. In addition to our community outreach programs, Northwest Autism Center has been partnering with region-wide public-school systems since 2012, including: Cheney, LaCrosse, Garfield/Palouse, East Valley, Inchelium and Mary Walker. Currently we work with Medical Lake, Spokane and Pullman Public School systems. This partnership includes being active participants in five local elementary schools and supporting 30 classroom and therapeutic staff members. The P-12 school systems are equipped with expertise, training, consultation and coaching to build our public education system’s capacity and competencies in providing education and services for children with autism spectrum disorder and other disabilities. In an effort to raise up the next generation of qualified BCBAs and qualified therapists, Northwest Autism Center also partners with four local universities to support research studies and continuing education. This partnership includes working with clinical research teams of PhD research faculty, speech-language pathologists, applied behavior analysts, medical students and graduate students. These universities rely on the strength of community-based research to support the health of all people in Washington State. Pairing community outreach and clinical education allows each university to have a broad reach within the autism community and to engage with children and families with autism in research projects. Finally, Northwest Autism Center is committed to the advocacy efforts at a legislative level within the state. Our goal is to ensure that people with autism are included in their communities and receive appropriate, timely and legally-required services throughout their life. Regardless of age, race, ethnicity and geography, an individual with autism needs individualized, evidence-based, culturally effective, multidisciplinary interventions, comprehensive health care and community inclusion. As a regional autism center of excellence, we work closely with our state legislators to: increase Washington’s capacity to identify and track people with autism and the services they receive across their lifespan, provide autism screenings for all Washington children before the age of three years, ideally by 18 months and ensure that state agencies already required to provide services to people with autism will have in place staff training on autism and autism supports. Our recommendations require long term systems changes. These changes include greatly increased access to comprehensive health care in a medical home, ongoing training of all types of professionals who work with individuals with autism, fully funded and culturally effective provider and family support services and full funding of regular and special education. Such systems improvements are essential and will benefit not only individuals with autism, but all people with disabilities. Overall, we are dedicated to an integrated approach to serving the individual, the community in which the individual lives, the competency and capacity across professions and the improvement in policy across systems locally and within our state. Northwest Autism Center provides a return on taxpayer investment through serving more than 46 providers in seven counties and in the participation in several advisory committees, regional organizations including the Department of Health, Spokane Public Schools, local universities and various community groups. We desire to build a strong network of support and promote the worth of every individual for the optimal personal growth and the fullest level of participation within the family and community as a whole.