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Emily Scott

On the Road with AFO

By Autism, News

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma is excited to announce a new statewide outreach and support strategy for 2023.

On the Road with AFO is an opportunity for the AFO team to share resources and support counties throughout the state. We look forward to meeting and highlighting entities in different counties for how they serve Oklahomans with autism and other disabilities. By creating meaningful relationships with local agencies, we aim to help accelerate resource connections and positively impact Oklahoma’s autism population.

Most importantly, AFO looks forward to meeting and learning from families and individuals across the lifespan to better provide needed resources and support in their area of the state.

How can you help?

Currently, AFO is looking for local or state organizations, businesses, schools, daycares, institutions, individuals, support groups, etc., that would be interested in meeting with us in your area of the state. As county Liaisons/Ambassadors, you would help our team learn of and highlight the supports and resources currently available within your community. We also aim to understand how our organization could best support the people and places we visit. We believe gathering information throughout the state can help give each county the voice it deserves.

Are you interested in having AFO visit your county and/or organization/business? We’d love to hear from you!

For more information, please contact Carley Marissa Dummitt at cdummitt@autismfoundationok.org

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Is Now Autism Certified To Enhance Services for the Community

By News, Press Release

For Immediate Release
Media Contact Emily Scott, Executive Director, Autism Foundation of Oklahoma
Phone: 405.237.8390 | Email: escott@autismfoundationok.org

Oklahoma City, Okla. (January 24, 2023) The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) has earned the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation, which is granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). The CAC credential requires staff to complete an autism-specific training and certification program through IBCCES to ensure the team’s ability to meet the everchanging needs of autistic individuals.

“Becoming an IBCCES Certified Autism Center™ means a great deal to our organization. It’s given us a firm foundation of useful knowledge in the field of ASD and increases our credibility in the community with the professional development courses we provide,” said Emily Scott, Executive Director, Autism Foundation of Oklahoma. “We’d like to thank our partners at the Oklahoma State Department of Health for their support in helping AFO obtain this certification.”

AFO currently offers public safety resources to autistic individuals, including Project: Safe Stop event that allows drivers and passengers to practice safe interactions with police. They also provide free self-identification driver and passenger visors and wallet cards and a Resource Coordinator on staff who answers phone calls and emails Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

“It is an honor to partner with the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma to enhance their commitment to the autistic community with new tools, resources, and training,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES Board Chairman. “Our certification program will help the team enhance their knowledge and specialized services to better support the clients they serve daily.”

For more than 20 years, IBCCES has been a leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for healthcare, education, public safety, travel, and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES programs include evidence-based content as well as the perspectives of autistic individuals, alongside other resources, ongoing support, and renewal requirements to ensure there is continued learning and a lasting
impact.

IBCCES also created CertifiedAutismCenter.com, as a free online resource for families that lists certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) requirements.

About Autism Foundation of Oklahoma
The role of the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) is to improve the lives of Oklahomans with autism and their families across the lifespan. AFO’s programs focus on Advocacy, Early Childhood, Justice System Reform, Public Health & Safety, and Workforce Development.

About IBCCES
Committed to providing The Global Standard For Training and Certification in The Field of Cognitive Disorders – IBCCES provides a series of certifications that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. These programs are recognized around the world as the leading benchmark for training and certification in the areas of autism and other cognitive disorders.

See more at https://ibcces.org/blog/2022/12/13/afo.

Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Offers Gift Giving Guide for the Holiday Season

By Autism, Holidays, News, Parenting, Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Autism Foundation of Oklahoma

November 22, 2022

Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Offers Gift Giving Guide for the Holiday Season

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) has partnered with local retailers to offer holiday gift suggestions for those with loved ones that have autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities.

From toddlers to teenagers, AFO’s first-ever gift-giving guide includes sensory-friendly and educational items available at Oklahoma City retailers The Learning Tree and Blue7. The guide also provides information about the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s Cowboy Kids Club. The museum recently became the first certified autism center in Oklahoma through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), a certification AFO also recently received.

Emily Hayes, Early Childhood Project Coordinator of the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma, comments, “Finding the perfect gift for loved ones can be challenging. Here at the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma, we want to help support and guide families to find gifts that can be both functional and fun. The items in our gift guide can help promote motor skills, sensory integration skills, social skills, language skills, and daily living skills while also being a fun, innovative item for the gift receiver.

The guide’s categories include sensory-friendly items, gifts to encourage movement, cognitive stimulation, and daily living support. Specialists specifically selected gifts found in this guide to promote unique skills. Depending upon age, gifts might emphasize sensory integration exploration, gross motor development, teaching cause and effect, hand-eye coordination, spatial reasoning, strengthening fine motor skills, tactile exploration and support of speech, color recognition, math, and language activities.

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About Autism Foundation of Oklahoma

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma’s mission is to improve the quality of life for Oklahomans with autism and their families. AFO’s programs provide education, advocacy, professional development, and individual and family support across the lifespan.

Media Contact

Emily Hayes, Project Coordinator

ehayes@autismfoundationok.org / (918)527-7722

PRINT THE GUIDE HERE

Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Awarded Grant to Develop Autism Training for Justice System Professionals

By News, Press Release

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) was awarded a grant by the Oklahoma Bar Foundation (OBF) to develop training, resources, and expert guidance for Oklahoma’s justice system professionals. AFO’s goal is to assist professionals in better recognizing, understanding, and helping citizens with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Oklahoma’s court system.

The U.S. Department of Justice reports that individuals with disabilities, including autism, are five times more likely to be incarcerated than those without disabilities. Although researchers agree that most individuals with ASD are law-abiding citizens who are more likely to be victims of crimes than to commit them, they are still seven times more likely to intersect with the criminal justice system than individuals without ASD. AFO recognizes that judicial professionals may struggle with how to best identify and interact with autistic clients or citizens in the courtroom.

“The court’s understanding of ASD can make an enormous difference in various juvenile, family, criminal, and other court cases. Legal professionals need access to ASD education, resources, and advocates with autism knowledge and experience to better service and protect this vulnerable population,” says AFO’s Executive Director, Emily Scott.

“The training funded by the OBF will enable lawyers and judges to better understand and interact with individuals on the autism spectrum who need legal representation and appear in court. It will positively impact both the quality of services rendered and case outcomes as these individuals experience our justice system,” says OBF’s Executive Director, Renee DeMoss.

Additionally, AFO is creating a free justice resource collection for their website that will include on-demand videos, social stories, and a network of advocates to assist the courts with understanding the communication, social, and behavioral characteristics of ASD.

The first five trainings will be held at Workflow Commons (916 NW 6th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73106) on the following dates:
o July 26; 10am-12pm
o August 23; 10am-12pm
o September 20; 10am-12pm
o October 25; 10am-12pm
o November 15; 10am-12pm

For registration information, contact AFO Project Coordinator Leah Harris at lharris@autismfoundationok.org.

About Autism Foundation of Oklahoma
The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma’s mission is to improve the quality of life for Oklahomans with autism and their families. AFO’s programs provide education, advocacy, professional development, and individual and family support for Oklahoma’s autism community. To learn more, visit www.autismfoundationok.org.

Media Contact
Leah Harris, Project Coordinator
lharris@autismfoundationok.org
1+(405) 237-8390

Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Receives a $100,000 grant from the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma

By News, Press Release

 

The Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma (MCFOK) has awarded $100,000 to the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) for its Early Childhood and Public Safety programs. This generous gift will help AFO provide autism education and resources to childcare providers, law enforcement professionals, and emergency first responders throughout Oklahoma.

“In the last two years, AFO staff and volunteers have developed autism education for numerous professionals, including child care workers, law enforcement agents, and emergency first responders. Thanks to this significant gift from MCFOK, AFO will now be able to obtain the resources we need to launch these trainings statewide.”

“Not all persons on the autism spectrum can effectively communicate with first responders,” said John Logan, Executive Director of MCFOK. “We hope this grant will provide first responders, educators, and childcare professionals with additional tools to assist them in communicating with and responding to the needs of the autism community.”

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma is a 501c3 nonprofit that aims to improve the lives of Oklahomans with autism and their families across the lifespan. AFO specializes in providing education, resources, and program support for early childhood development, workforce development, public safety, and criminal justice reform initiatives. For additional information, visit www.AutismFoundationOK.org.

Autism Foundation of Oklahoma to Host Sensory-Friendly Vaccine Clinics

By Healthcare, Press Release

 

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) has partnered with the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) to provide sensory-friendly vaccine clinics to Oklahoma residents with autism or other disabilities and their caregivers.  The COVID-19 vaccine will be available for children as young as five years old, as well as other adult and childhood vaccines upon request.

The following five clinics are scheduled for the summer of 2022:

June 23- Woodward County Health Department

June 28th- Oklahoma City-County Health Department

July 15th- Comanche County Health Department in Lawton  

July 22nd- FUNdamentals Therapy in Ardmore in partnership with the Carter County Health Department

July 28th- Crossover Health Services in partnership with the Tulsa County Health Department

Prior to each event, clinic staff will receive sensory kits and specialized training for autism and other disabilities sponsored by a grant awarded to AFO from OSDH. Patients will also receive gift bags containing resources and helpful items for families to use with their children when visiting other new and possibly stressful places in their communities.

“We look forward to hosting five statewide sensory-friendly vaccine clinics this summer and appreciate the support of the Oklahoma State Health Department. AFO’s clinics are designed to help individuals and family members feel more comfortable in a local health care setting that is both educated and equipped to accommodate special needs,” says AFO’s Health Equity Project Coordinator Chandee Kott.

Children that are a part of the CDC’s Vaccines For Children (VFC) program are also eligible to receive their back-to-school immunizations. To learn more about this initiative, visit autismfoundationok.org/covid-19-resources.

Image courtesy of CDC.gov.

Media Contact:
Chandee Kott, Health Equity Project Coordinator
Email: ckott@autismfoundationok.org,
Phone: 1+(210)287-7522

 

afo-workplace-development

Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Awarded Grant to Develop Autism Training for Employers

By Press Release

The Developmental Disabilities Council of Oklahoma (DDCO) has awarded the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) a grant to support its mission to increase employment opportunities for individuals with autism and other disabilities. AFO hopes to reach all four quadrants of the state of Oklahoma within the first three years of the project, effectively including and accommodating individuals with autism in recruitment, hiring, and employment retention.

AFO will develop, implement, and market a 4-part training series to raise awareness of neurodiversity and effective management practices for participating employers. The training will be certificate-based and include membership into a network of trained employers for future candidates to consider.

“Finding meaningful employment after high school is a major source of concern for families across the state. More than half of young adults with autism remain unemployed and unenrolled in higher education two years after high school, which is a lower rate than young adults in all other disability categories. By increasing employer knowledge of autism and other related disabilities, AFO seeks to decrease the number of neurodiverse adults who are unemployed or under-employed in our state,” says Emily Scott, AFO Executive Director.

“The Developmental Disabilities Council of Oklahoma believes in the vision of this project as it pushes us closer to our mission of advancing communities where everyone has the opportunity to live, learn, work, and play where they choose. Employment is one of the most significant ways to improve an individual’s quality of life. It enables individuals to contribute to society through meaningful connections and economic sufficiency. DDCO is proud to partner with AFO in this effort,” states Jen Randle, DDCO Executive Director.

Additionally, AFO will develop a plan and infrastructure to provide ongoing support to employers who complete the training series, including requests for workplace accommodations assistance, sensitivity training, and navigating unique employee situations.

NOTE: The public is being asked to help AFO with a needs-based assessment for this project. These surveys should take you no longer than 5-10 minutes (each) to complete and AFO sincerely appreciates your participation.

Survey for individuals, family members, and caregivers: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/employingtheneurodiverse 

Survey for employers: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LPXXMPB 

For questions or more information, contact Leah Harris, Project Coordinator, at LHarris@AutismFoundationOK.org.

autism-foundation-of-oklahoma-receives-support-from-the-masonic-charity-foundation-of-oklahoma

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Receives Support from the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma

By Press Release

The Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma (MCFOK) has generously awarded $25,000 to the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) to help educate and provide autism resources to law enforcement professionals. This significant gift will help AFO provide professional development opportunities, interactive community events, and sensory kits for first responders.

A recent study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders found that 1 in 5 young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will be stopped and questioned by police before the age 21. Young people with autism and a serious psychiatric condition are nine times more likely to have an encounter with law enforcement. Other common contact scenarios may involve elopement, abuse or neglect, and accusations of suspicious behavior.

“We are incredibly grateful to MCFOK for supporting our efforts to keep autistic Oklahomans safe in their communities,” said Emily Scott, Executive Director of AFO. “This gift will provide law enforcement agencies with critical information and resources to improve outcomes at the scene of an emergency or mental health crisis.”

“Not all persons in the autism spectrum can effectively communicate with first responders,” said John Logan, Executive Director. “We hope this grant will provide first responders with additional tools to assist them communicating with and responding to the needs of the autism community.”

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma is a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to improve the lives of Oklahomans with autism and their families across the lifespan. AFO specializes in providing education, resources, and program support for early childhood development, workforce development, public safety, and criminal justice reform initiatives.

afo-receives-grant-to-educate-childcare-workers

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Receives Grant to Educate Childcare Workers

By Press Release

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) recently received a $25,000 grant from Inasmuch Foundation to pilot a training program for childcare providers to support children with autism. Through collaborative partnership with Sunbeam Family Services, AFO will create an introductory training for childcare providers to better understand autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and connect families to local resources.

The role of a childcare provider is an important one for many families. However, 39% of parents of children with ASD report that childcare impacted their employment decisions. This is 7 times higher than that of families without children with ASD. In a recent Oklahoma needs assessment, it was found that 41% of parents of children with ASD depend on relatives for childcare and 25% of families reported that one parent had to cease employment in order to care for children.

“Awareness and identification are a key piece of improving access to early intervention services for children at risk for autism spectrum disorder. The signs of autism typically appear in early development and childcare providers can often be the first person in a child’s life to recognize key indicators”, said AFO Executive Director Emily Scott.

“We value the importance of community partnerships and this work with the Autism Foundation is an example of coming together to serve families of central Oklahoma,” said Sunbeam Chief Program Officer Paula Gates.

“Oklahoma children and families will significantly benefit from the Autism Foundation and Sunbeam Family Services’ collaborative training endeavor,” said Inasmuch Foundation Vice President of Programs Sarah Roberts. “Since early intervention can change a child’s developmental path and improve lifelong outcomes, this type of training is imperative for childcare providers in our state.”

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma is a statewide organization with a mission to improve the lives of Oklahomans with autism and their families. AFO’s programs areas address the lifespan, from early childhood development to workforce development and public safety initiatives. For additional information, visit www.AutismFoundationOK.org

Autism in Indian Country

By Healthcare

AFO Board member and DEI Officer Dr. Crystal Hernandez was recently asked to submit a public comment for the upcoming Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) in regard to Autism in Indian Country. It is imperative to have services and supports that are culturally relevant for our various Tribal Nations throughout the United States, including the many Tribes in Oklahoma. With this public comment, there are hopes of true inclusion in decisions, funding, conversations, and action.

My name is Dr. Crystal Hernandez, I am an autism mother and ally, Cherokee and Latina. I serve as a Tribal mentor parent, serving on support groups and panels, working with local and national organizations on Tribal inclusion projects and research. I see and hear the stories of grandparents and parents, communities, and individuals struggling to find suitable service and varied treatment for their Autistic loved ones. I see continued disparities in access to quality care within communities, underrepresentation, and cultural exclusion. We must do better.
It is a pivotal moment in our world, where Tribal Nations are not just being looked at, but rather are starting to be seen and included. But there is still much work to be done. Autism in Indian Country is overwhelmingly underrepresented in national and state data, due to non-inclusive methods of measurement and often distrust of the measuring systems.
We must focus on improving culturally relevant diagnostic tools and screening instruments and train in meaningful ways, those working within the field on cultural humility and responsiveness. There needs to be a focus on embedding appropriate culturally relevant screening practices in a variety of conventional and unconventional settings, such as health clinics, daycares, community centers, nutrition programs, head starts, and behavioral health care settings. A focus on community and extended family compositions in system build and design is desperately needed. We must change the narrative within communities and learn from those walking the journey. Representation matters in all the places where decisions are made, not just in theory, but in continued practice.
There is a great need to improve access to care in community settings, meeting the person where they are, removing barriers to treatment and support. We must look beyond gap analysis and instead focus on actionable items for a continued system overhaul. We need to allow culturally-rooted care to be viewed with the same fidelity and reimbursements that other mainstream treatments are. Giving honor to language, customs, beliefs, values, and practices is the only way forward.
The vast array of Tribal Nations throughout the United States is not here to be served, but rather is here to be part of building meaningful systems of service.
Thank you,
Crystal Hernandez, Psy.D., MBA

Learn more about the IACC at: https://iacc.hhs.gov/

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