Armenian Autism Outreach Project is formed in California

Armenian Autism Outreach Project is formed in California

Armenian Autism Outreach ProgramGlendale (California, USA): The Armenian Autism Outreach Project (AAOP) consists of a group of dedicated, volunteer Armenian professionals devoted to informing and educating the Armenian community about the complex neurodevelopmental disorder known as Autism.

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Today, Autism is considered an epidemic with 1 in 150 children affected by it.? Armenian children, as all children in the world, are not immune to this disorder and more and more Armenian families are having children born with this disorder or have children in their families with this disorder.

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Having a child with Autism creates a multitude of challenges for families and all those whom the families may need to turn to for information, advice, services, treatment, or support.? While information about this disorder and the potential treatment options have been rapidly increasing over the past decade, the most critical issue continues to be Early Identification, followed by appropriate Early Intervention.? Since Autism is not diagnosed at birth, it falls on parents, early childhood educators, or pediatricians to recognize its symptoms and seek appropriate management.?

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The mission of AAOP is to raise awareness about Autism in the Armenian community; to inform parents and educators about what Autism is and how it is diagnosed; and to provide information to parents, teachers, administrators, and service providers about best practices in Autism treatment.

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AAOP, formed in August of 2006, has been an effort in the making for the past several years, through the desire and efforts for outreach by the Foothill Autism Alliance, Inc., (FAA), a parent-professional volunteer, non-profit entity that has been providing Autism informational programs in the Los Angeles area for the past nine years.

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AAOP is seeking the assistance from Armenians who, like you, are considered stakeholders — parents, educators, school administrators, or professional service providers– on the issue of outreach to those in the Armenian community affected by Autism.

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Please contact us at [email protected] to hear your thoughts and suggestions on how best to proceed towards accomplishing our mission to raise awareness and to disseminate information about Autism through culturally competent approaches. Your input is highly valuable to us and will guide us in our efforts.

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We thank you in advance for your valuable time and dedication to participate in this important endeavor.

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Sincerely,

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The Founding Members of AAOP:
Sonia Konialian Aller, Ph.D, CCC?????????????????????????????
Houry Sosikian, M.A.
Taline Ashekian, B.S.
Nora Chitilian-Kalachian, M.S., IMFT
Mariam Tsaturyan, Psy. D.

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Address:
Armenian Autism Outreach Project
c/o P.O. Box 10193 Glendale, CA 91209 ● 818-662-8847 ●?
[email protected] ?

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15 February 2007