South Jersey Magazine - Cherry Hill / Haddonfield / Voorhees

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SJM_DEPT_Autism_0323 - FINAL - Reg2_Dept 3 / 28 / 23 4 : 32 PM Page 1 nation for people who have lost hope , for families all over the country whose loved ones can’t be served any - I M P A C T where else , ” explains Dr . Karen Lind - gren , chief clinical officer at Bancroft , a nonprofit whose mission is sup - porting those with a range of devel - I opmental disabilities and neurolog - ical needs . “ It’s critical for us to involve our families and support them in identifying what is it they Building a want their loved ones to be able to do . … Everybody has different priorities , and incorporating the family into those goals and their dreams for their Community loved ones is really critical . ” But even with those year - round efforts , the extra attention that an annual awareness campaign like All Year Long World Autism Month organically gen - erates does help chip away at the bar - riers to treatment , support , resources and services that might stand in prilmight mark the beginning of WHILE WORLD someone’s way . WorldAutism Month but for those AUTISMMONTH Dr . Lindgren notes that the non - Awhoselives have been touched by BRINGS INCREASED profit has partnered with the likes of autismspectrum disorder ( ASD ) , awareness AWARENESS EACH Cooper University Health Care , andadvocacy efforts aren’t limited to just one Autism New Jersey and the state APRIL , ADVOCATES month a year . Department of Health to host an April Those ongoing efforts range from focused educa - ANDALLIES ARE 14 “ whole - person , integrated health - tion that helps break down stubbornly lingering mis - DEDICATEDTO care conference , ” which is intended conceptions and stigmas to community - wide events CREATINGA MORE to overcome a hurdle that carries that bring neighbors together regardless of their neu - SUPPORTIVE , long - term consequences . rotypes and abilities . UNDERSTANDING “ Peoplewith autism have barriers “ We’re constantly doing things to celebrate the to [ medical ] access and have the need individual , ” says Michael Telep , director of marketing ANDINCLUSIVE for integrated treatment that really at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health New Jersey . WORLD FOR THEIR looks atthe whole person and not just “ We cover the entire state of New Jersey with so many LOVED ONES EVERY onesliver , ” she says . “ The conference programs , so we’re having small celebrations SINGLE DAY . is bringing together professionals and throughout the state all the time — we don’t have just physicians and health care providers one big event . ” by Madeleine Maccar tounderstand how we can start to rec - The scope of those events ranges from the small - ognize and break down these barriers scale in grand efforts : from township proclamations that declare a municipality’s dedica - to good health care . There’s barriers in tion to supporting its residents , neighbors and visitors with autism to educational out - the sensory , the understanding of reach ; from working with local minor - league baseball teams that host inclusive events healthc are professionals of the unique connecting players with needs of people with autism , commu - individuals on the spec - nication and advocacy for service , trum to coordinating which cause people with autism to with other organizations have less access or less high - quality in bringing the Annual health care . ” Autism Beach Bash to For Devereux , working with the Belmar every year . autism community means sup - Perhaps most impor - porting individuals from youth to tantly , though , is getting adulthood , from those who are high - the word out that people functioning and determinedly inde - with autism and their pendent to those who require 24 / 7 support networks have assistance , from those in their resi - not only access to but an dential services to those who need a awareness of all the daytime program . In other words , the options available to pro - nonprofit has to meet a range of vide them with the extra clients where they are , and not only support and individually identify their needs for today but also tailored assistance their and their caretakers ’ hopes for they — and their fami - tomorrow . lies — need . That’s why its children and adult “ We’re often a desti - SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 19 issue 12 SouthJerseyMagazine.com 30 |

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SJM_DEPT_Autism_0323 - FINAL - Reg2_Dept 3 / 28 / 23 4 : 32 PM Page 2 services cover such a wide swath of progress , ” says Telep . “ The biggest mis - going to be just one walk or one aware - needs that meet individuals where they conception is that people with autism ness initiative or one beach bash where are . The three - pronged approach to are who they are : Everyone is trying to suddenly everyone is treated the same treating adults with autism includes the grow every day , and they are , too . I think and feels included : I think it’s all those residential programs that roughly 280 the hardest thing for most people to get moving parts put together that , hope - individuals call home , day programs for over is thinking that just because fully , help change people’s minds and “ those who need something to do rather someone has a disability or has autism , their beliefs about autism . When we than just sit at home alone ” and are orga - that their current functioning level is change people’s perceptions and they nized by individuals ’ abilities , and a sup - what it is — and that’s just not true ! ” desire to be better , then people do better portive occupational program for those No matter how much good an orga - and society gets better , as well . ” interested in job coaching , skill training nization both wants and is positioned to “ Every person we touch , it does have and securing employment . For children do , though , Dr . Lindgren says that it’s an impact , ” affirms Dr . Lindgren . “ You and youths , services at Devereux include impossible for just one entity to make can help alter the perception of individ - psychological assessments , the interven - the impact it envisions alone , which is uals to help them be more accepting and tional approach of ABA ( or applied why community partnerships are crucial welcoming … There’s always more to do , behavior analysis ) therapy and in - home components in Bancroft’s mission . but every effort is valuable . ” programs . “ One organization cannot meet the Because while awareness is certainly And while community outreach is an needs of everyone with autism , but we an important first step , nurturing the effective element in combating persis - can form partnerships so , together , we advent of a more inclusive , compas - tent misconceptions , it’s proactively sup - can form a web of services , ” she sionate world is the goal . porting people with autism and helping observes . “ What you really want to do is create them thrive on their terms that makes Telep agrees that partnerships are an environment where everybody is for the most unignorable victories hugely beneficial to everyone . accepted and diversity is welcomed and against the odds . “ We have a lot of great organizations not seen as a challenge , ” she continues . “ Coalition groups and people that and community partners in New Jersey “ We work with museums , we work with have someone near and dear to them that throw phenomenal events , ” he says . other health care systems , we do also with autism know a lot about the abilities And while he adds that no singular work with law enforcement and EMS of these individuals , and we see some effort is a game - changer unto itself , the workers because we want people to amazing success stories where individ - cumulative effect is what matters . understand how neurodiversity presents uals are given the behavioral support “ It’s bigger than and beyond any one and to best still serve that person so they plan they need , and they’re able to event , ” Telep continues . “ There isn’t have a fantastic outcome . ” n SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 19 issue 12 SouthJerseyMagazine.com | 31

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