News

Hi everyone! My name is Liliana Martinez. I am a Lead Behavior Therapist within the Comprehensive Behavior Program (CBP) at SARRC. I joined the SARRC team in 2020 after graduating from ASU.

Can you tell us a little about what your job entails?

Thanks to the Gila River Indian Community, we are offering full scholarship opportunities (up to $2,250) for some of our most popular parent training programs! This opportunity is offered to parents and caregivers with a child (up to 12 years old) who has been diagnosed with autism and lives in remote or rural areas of Arizona.

At Zander’s three-year check-up, his pediatrician expressed concerns about his language. So the family scheduled an appointment with their local school district to discuss an individualized education plan for preschool. 

That was the first time Zander’s mother, Meredith, had heard the term ASD. She started learning more about autism spectrum disorder, and a family member told her she needed a formal diagnosis. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new data from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM) reporting about 1 in 44 children were diagnosed with ASD.

These numbers, which were released in December 2021, suggest more U.S. children are being diagnosed with autism—up from 1 in 54 in March 2020.

Data are based on 11 ADDM Network sites including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin.

We are proud to announce that SARRC was named a "Best Places to Work" for 2021 by Phoenix Business Journal. 

This designation is awarded to organizations that promote cultures that encompass excellent morale, engagement and retention. Winners are determined exclusively on the basis of responses by employees. Notably, this award demonstrates our more than 200 employees’ dedication to our mission and the culture they’ve created at SARRC!

ABC15, in partnership with Sanderson Ford and Sanderson Lincoln, is proud to present the 21st Annual Operation Santa Claus Charity Drive. To help with our cause, please bring a new toy, children’s clothing item, packaged food item or a monetary donation to Sanderson Ford, Sanderson Lincoln, a UPS Store location nearest you or any Operation Santa Claus event.

Hi everyone! My name is Kyla Bernal-Christenson. I am a Senior Behavior Therapist within the Comprehensive Behavior Program (CBP) at SARRC. I joined the SARRC team as a research intern in 2017, then transitioned into CBP with a desire to put what I learned from research into action in 2018. 

What drew you to SARRC? Why did you want to work here?

When Sofia was 1, she wasn’t speaking. But being raised in a multilingual household, her parents thought maybe she was just a late talker or hearing too many different languages. But when Sofia started being picky with her food and becoming less social, they began seeking answers, turning to Arizona’s Early Intervention Program. 

There are many ways to give including donating money, dining at certain delicious restaurants, stock volunteering, and more. But there’s a new option at SARRC thanks to Joe Bradley and his family.

Joe and his wife, Heather, are fierce advocates for their 14-year-old son, Cooper, who was diagnosed with autism at age 5. 

Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) hosted its first YES Day for Autism, a fundraising and awareness campaign, culminating with a community event and celebration at Tempe Beach Park on Sunday, Oct. 24.