Autism Society of McLean County

The incidence of autism is increasing at an alarming rate. Only 10 years ago, it was estimated that autism affected one out of 10,000 children. In April of 2002, the United States Congress declared autism a national epidemic. In January of 2004, the CDC, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, estimated that one in 166 children are currently being diagnosed with autism.

The Autism Society of McLean County passed its 5th anniversary in April of 2007. What began as a small group of parents needing to make a difference in our community, has grown to over 200 members today.

With the increase in numbers, the demands for services and supports have also increased greatly. We strive to meet the demands by tapping into the strength of the community, and fundraising with the help of our many volunteers. This alone can be a difficult task given that we are an all volunteer organization made up mainly of parents who have children with autism.

Over the past five years we have been able to distribute free of charge over 3,500 copies of our resource guide to families and service providers, we publish a bi-monthly newsletter, along with networking statewide to stay current with new legislation, treatment options, educational laws, trainings, and other resources. We have been able to increase access into the community for our children by organizing family events and recreational opportunities for children and adults with autism.

Our goal is to continue to strengthen our families' access to and enjoyment of community programs, services and events. Having these opportunities is vital for the children to learn how to navigate the community which will help them as they become adults, and just as importantly; by the children being in the community, McLean County is learning about our children and adults who live with autism.

We're are continuously learning and are grateful for the support of many of our wonderful businesses and community leaders. With their support we will look forward to continued growth and successes.