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The 5 Q's: Wendy Sullivan recognizes Autism Awareness Month

Joplin Globe - 4/24/2022

Apr. 24—In this weekly feature, we put five questions before someone in the community. Today, we chat with Wendy Sullivan about Autism Awareness Month and Easterseals Midwest.

1. What is Easterseals Midwest and its mission?

Easterseals Midwest is the largest provider of disability services in the Midwest, serving more than 5,000 people annually across Missouri, Kansas and parts of Illinois. Our mission is to lead the way to 100% equity, inclusion and access for people with disabilities, families and communities.

2. Who does Easterseals Midwest serve?

Easterseals Midwest serves a variety of people throughout every part of their lives. From children first receiving a diagnosis to teens wanting to work on social skills or needing help finding a career, to adults striving to live as independently as possible. Easterseals offers services for people of any ability level at any point in their life.

3. Why is Autism Awareness Month important for Easterseals Midwest to recognize in April?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism currently affects 1 in 44 children in the United States. Whether we realize it or not, we all know someone affected by autism. Last year alone, we served more than 3,000 people with autism. That's why it is so important to help people learn more about autism and better understand it.

4. In what ways has Easterseals been celebrating Autism Awareness Month?

We celebrate autism acceptance and awareness all year long at Easterseals, but this month, we're hoping to raise awareness through social media and online. Many of our offices are celebrating in person with special programs and activities. If you'd like to see how we're raising awareness around autism and our services this month, you can visit autismnextstep.com.

5. What types of autism programs does Easterseals Midwest offer?

Our autism programs can be broken into three categories: family navigation, support groups and community integration.

Through family navigation, our trained staff members work to support families and create an individualized plan that will set their child up for success. In this area, we offer Parent Training, an intensive course to teach parents how to best support their child's unique needs. We also offer a variety of therapies and assessment services, including applied behavior analysis and occupational and music therapies.

We offer a variety of respite and support groups where we provide families with a chance to relax, connect with others who know what they are going through, and enjoy social activities. We offer these for parents, siblings and more.

In community inclusion, we offer pre-employment and employment services to help young adults and adults learn necessary workplace skills, gain real-world work experience, find a career they love, and support them in that position. We also offer community education, where we educate people out in the community about disabilities, including autism.

We have locations across Missouri, including St. Louis, Kansas City, St. Joseph, Pleasant Valley, Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Poplar Bluff and Springfield.

To learn more about Easterseals Midwest, visit www.easterseals.com/midwest, call 314-394-7100 or email info@esmw.org.

Wendy Sullivan is the CEO of Easterseals Midwest.

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