JUDSON CENTER EXPANDS ITS CENTER-BASED AUTISM SERVICES TO FLINT AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES
Funding for startup of Genesee County clinic provided by Flint Kids Fund
Media Contact: Daphne Hughes, Hughes Creative; daphne@hughescreativellc.com; 248.417.4309; Kelly Kinnear; Judson Center; Kelly_Kinnear@JudsonCenter.org; 248.837.2030
Farmington Hills, MI – Judson Center, a trusted leader in autism services in Michigan, has expanded its life-changing Autism Connections program to families in the Flint area. The nonprofit human services agency has opened a new treatment center and diagnostic clinic to help meet the needs of children with autism in Genesee County.
The startup of the Flint center was made possible through a $100,000 grant awarded to Judson Center by the Flint Kids Fund of the Foundation for Flint. The facility will provide a continuum of services, including applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy, diagnostic evaluations, parental training, social skills workshops, and speech and occupational therapy.
“As we cope with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is also an extremely critical time for families impacted by autism to receive the services they desperately need,” said Judson Center President and CEO Lenora Hardy-Foster. “We began offering in-home ABA services in Genesee County last fall, and now our new Autism Connections center in Flint will allow us to reach even more families. Judson Center has a 15-year history of providing a variety of supportive programs in Genesee County, and we are extremely excited to add autism services to our list of offerings in that part of the state.”
The latest statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control show an increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism. Approximately 1 in 44 children have the neurodevelopment disorder, compared to 1 in 54 children in 2016.
“An autism diagnosis can be devastating to families, and it’s important they get treatment and support right away,” said Judson Center Chief Operating Officer Susan Salhaney. “Judson Center has been providing expert autism services since 2005, and we specialize in working with children of all ages. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and help them become more independent, successful adults.”
There are immediate openings available at the new Judson Center autism clinic in Flint, which is located at 4318 Miller Road, Suite A. The agency’s Autism Connections program is also offered at sites in Royal Oak, Farmington Hills, Ann Arbor and Warren.
For more information on Judson Center’s new Flint location and its Autism Connections program, call 866-5-JUDSON or visit www.judsoncenter.org.
About Judson Center
Judson Center, trusted by Michigan families for more than 98 years, is a non-profit human services agency providing expert, comprehensive services that strengthen children, adults and families impacted by abuse and neglect, autism, and developmental, behavioral and physical health challenges so they can achieve whole health, well-being, and maximum potential. Judson Center also offers integrated primary healthcare for all through Judson Center Health in Warren and is a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). Since opening its doors in 1924, Judson Center has grown to change the lives of nearly 12,000 children, adults, and families each year. Judson Center has offices in Genesee, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties. Headquarters are located at 30301 Northwestern Highway, Suite 100, Farmington Hills, MI 48334-3277. Learn more at www.judsoncenter.org.
About Foundation for Flint
The Foundation for Flint, a supporting organization of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, was established in 2016 to assist in Flint’s recovery from the water crisis. A 501(c)3 public charity, the Foundation for Flint raises and distributes resources to serve the long-term health and development needs of Flint children and their families. The Flint Kids Fund has distributed $7 million since its inception to safeguard the health of Flint children exposed to lead and support interventions that ensure they can lead healthy and productive lives.
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