EMU's Autism Center Is Here To Help

Since 1993, there has been a dramatic 805 percent cumulative rise in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases among 6-22 year olds in the U.S. alone, whereas other disabilities have increased by only 31 percent, according to the Center of Disease Control. ASD, commonly referred to as autism, includes symptoms such as restricted interests and abnormal social or repetitive behavior.

Quick to react to this alarming development, EMU and St. Joseph Health Systems, with the help of many volunteers and generous donors, have worked tirelessly to create a center that will provide treatment, outpatient services and support systems for persons with autism and their families. The result is the Autism Collaborative Center that will offers program options for next summer and begin full services in the fall of 2009.

So far, significant funding has been received through a $828,000 anonymous cash and pledged gift and through a $350,000 pledge of cash and in-kind support over a period of five years by the Easter Seals of Michigan, an organization whose mission is the creation of solutions that change lives of children and adults with disabilities or other special needs and their families.

There are three main purposes of the Autism Collaborative, serving as cornerstones for the realization of the center's objectives, according to Pamela Lemerand, assistant professor of Occupational Therapy in the College of Health and Human Services, who spearheads the initiative. First, it will serve as a training facility for students from eight disciplines across three EMU colleges, including the College of Health and Human Services, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education. Furthermore, it will provide space and means for research into viable treatment options for people affected by ASD. Lastly, the center will fill an unmet need in Southeast Michigan for affordable care for individuals across a wide age rage and broad spectrum of autism.

Through the synergy of this interdisciplinary initiative, combining students and faculty in partnership with St. Joseph Mercy and Easter Seals, the collaborative hopes to provide a wrap-around center, offering quality service in a welcoming environment.

"We have heard from many families who have children with ASD, who oftentimes feel unwelcomed in restaurants and other public places, due to the unusual behavior of their children," said Lemerand. "The collaborative will offer therapeutic services as well as services for the family and the community."

Currently, the majority of money spent on autism research goes into the identification of causes of the disability. Through devoting research efforts on treatment options, on what works and what doesn't work, the collaborative hopes to fill a gap in autism research.

Once completed, the center will feature social as well as therapeutic rooms, such as a sensory motor room, a commercial kitchen, parent library, rooms to teach independent living skills, as well as space for the education of EMU students.

The benefits for students who will be able to gain real-world experience and build transferrable skills by helping families, who oftentimes find themselves outside the scope of traditional care facilities, will be vast.

"Students will be trained to become excellent human service providers," said Lemerand. "They will learn best practices in human services to support future clients, no matter what kind of health issue or disability those clients may have."