Information about Autism can be found everywhere, but sometimes it’s overwhelming and that’s one of the reasons why Hope Network’s Center for Autism has started monthly networking and educational events called Family Rounds.
Clinical Neuropsychologist and Director of Children's Services Dr. Mohan Krishnan says it’s helpful for families to share what they’ve learned with each other and develop relationships.
“There’s a lot of info but families often feel isolated,” he says.
The idea for these monthly Family Rounds came from two of the fathers involved with the Center. They approached Krishnan and a partnership soon developed. Hope Network had already been doing a monthly lecture series called Grand Rounds that was geared toward the professionals who work with people with Autism, but there wasn’t anything for the families.
“We want this to be a networking and knowledge hub to empower families,” Krishnan says.
The first Family Rounds event took place in January at the Hope Network Education Center on 36th Street and about 25 people attended. Krishnan expects more attendees at the next event on Feb. 27 when someone from Network 180 will talk about accessing public mental health services.
Future events will cover Indian Trails camp, legal issues, continuing education, housing options, social development, and more. A calendar with the monthly topics can be found online. A one-hour lecture will be followed by time for networking and refreshments and all lectures will be posted on YouTube afterward for parents who cannot make it. All events are free and open to the public.
Hope Network’s Center for Autism is now in its third year and treats around 200 adults and children in Grand Rapids per year. One of their focuses is to work with an underserved population of children who are typically not being diagnosed or treated because of a lack of insurance or other reasons.
Krishnan wants people to realize the financial value of early diagnosis and intervention. He says the average cost to the state without any intervention is around $3.5 million, and with intervention, that goes down to around $600,000. The added expenses without intervention are for services such as disability, healthcare, and special education.
A common treatment option called Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) involves high intensity one-on-one care. It usually takes 10-30 hours a week and can be expensive, but Krishnan says it produces shocking results.
“Kids can go from not talking to having an average I.Q.,” he says.
With early diagnosis and treatment, the cost to the state decreases but more importantly, people with Autism can benefit their communities in many ways. Krishnan says children with Autism disproportionately turn toward careers in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The Center for Autism wants to empower them so they are able to get these jobs someday and possibly make a positive impact.
“Our dream is to make a difference from needing group homes when they grow up to needing graduate schools,” says Krishnan.
The Family Rounds will create a central place where families can network, learn from each other, and gather information.
“We want people talking about Autism,” Krishnan says. “We don’t want people or family members to feel like they have to be silent anymore.”
To find out more about Family Rounds and the Hope Network Center for Autism, here are some links to get you started:
- Like Hope Network’s Center for Autism on
Facebook.
Source: Mohan Krishnan, PhD, Director of Children's Services and Clinical Neuropsychologist at Hope Network
Writer: Heidi Stukkie, Do Good Editor
Image provided by Hope Network.
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