Grant helps Autism Education Center provide support, employment

The Autism Education Center at Grand Valley State University received a grant for $24,200 from Autism Speaks, a national leading foundation set up to combat the effects of autism. The grant will help improve services for individuals with autism in the areas of education and young adult and adult services through the START Building Your Future Project.

“This is an important award since it helps our Autism Education Center collaborate nationally and allows us to create a better model of transition services in Michigan,” said Amy Matthews, director of Grand Valley’s Autism Education Center. “The project will expand a statewide collaborative effort to provide employment, educational and community learning opportunities for young adults with autism spectrum disorder.”

Matthews said the long-term goal of the project involves establishing a discovery portfolio platform for all individuals with ASD, starting early in their school career, that will support transitions throughout school and into adulthood. She said funding from Autism Speaks will also be used to expand technical assistance to additional sites.

For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/autismcenter or contact Amy Matthews at [email protected].