Video: Achieving Goals, Making Smiles.
Since 1997, SARRC has been helping people with autism achieve their goals. Help us achieve ours. One in 59 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder, making it the most prevalent childhood developmental disorder in the U.S. Through SARRC's effective services, a diagnosis that previously called for institutionalization, now gives people with autism and their […]
LibraryWorks Offers Opportunities for Teens, Like Oscar, to Make Connections
One day, as Emma Rodriguez was driving down 16th Street in Phoenix, she got lost. It turned out to be fortuitous. As she was trying to find where she needed to be, she spotted a sign that said “autism”—and immediately turned around and went in. Emma’s son, Oscar, has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the […]
Teen Participants Gain Support Through New Social Skills Program at SARRC
SARRC is welcoming teens grades 7 through 12 to the PEERS® program, an evidence-based, parent-assisted social skills program aimed at helping teens to make and keep friends. PEERS is a 14-week program that teaches skills ranging from how to enter and exit conversations to how to handle teasing, bullying and rejection. While teens are in […]
SARRC’s Employment Services, Partnerships Programs Help with Employment for All Ages
Four-days-a-week, from 7-11 a.m., 60-year-old, Michael can be found at work at The University of Arizona’s Downtown Phoenix campus. He navigates a bus and train to get there, and it’s a routine that he looks forward to—and enjoys. After being out of work for more than a year, he is grateful for the opportunity, as […]
SARRC, Autism Speaks Celebrate 13th Annual Autism Walk
On Sunday, Oct. 28, families from around Arizona came together to celebrate the 2018 Autism Speaks Walk in partnership with SARRC. The event drew nearly 15,000 participants comprising 530 walk teams who came together to celebrate autism awareness in our community. The 13th annual event raised more than $650,000 to support critical autism research and […]
SARRC, Great Hearts Academies Partner for Autism Screening Project
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 1 in 59 children has been identified with autism. Many children are not identified until after the age of 6, which is why Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) is collaborating with Great Hearts Academies on an autism screening initiative. SARRC and Great Hearts are […]
Research Shows Smartphone-Based Assessment Expedites Autism Diagnosis
Behavior Imaging®, a Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center partner, recently completed a National Institutes of Health-funded research study to compare current in-person autism assessment practices with the Naturalistic Observation Diagnostic Assessment™ (NODA), an evidence-supported autism diagnostic assessment that uses smartphone technology. The research showed that the average total time associated with obtaining an autism […]
Celebrating Diversity: A teen’s experience in CommunityWorks empowers her to raise autism awareness
Most people have many misconceptions about autism. Four years ago, I was no different than most people. Whenever I thought of autism, I would immediately think of either my best friend’s younger brother who was nearly nonverbal, or jokes I had heard pertaining to it. Thankfully, I had an opportunity to learn how wrong my […]
Overcoming Picky Eating for Kindergarten: One family’s story of introducing new foods
At age 4, Jackson Thorne was very specific about the foods he would eat. On his rotation were chicken nuggets, tostadas, beans and chips, and a specific pasta dish that his mom made. Plus, his food needed to be hot or he wouldn’t eat it. For his parents, Michele and Matthew, it was extremely stressful. […]
5 ‘Bite-Sized’ Tips for Mealtime Success
The team at SARRC put together five bite-sized tips for parents of children who face challenges during mealtimes. Our top five tips may help create a better bond and reduce stress surrounding breakfast, lunch or dinner. Provide choices. Whether it’s what chair to sit in, the color of the plate, the food they will eat, […]