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Dear Parents and Family Members, We are pleased to provide you with this information packet designed to address the needs of those family members who have recently learned of their loved one’s autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. We are keenly aware of the challenges this diagnosis presents to families – challenges that are emotional as well as practical. We are hopeful that the information contained in this packet will be of assistance in helping you deal with these challenges. We would like to draw your attention to several resources provided by Autism Speaks. The 100 Day Kit and the Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Tool Kit were designed to help families best utilize those first 100 days after receiving a diagnosis. You may also be interested in participating in the VCU-ACE’s online course “My Child was Just Identified with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Now What Do I Do?” Please contact us directly at any time to try and answer any additional questions you may have – not just at this early stage but throughout your child’s development. The autism landscape is very different than it was even a few short years ago. There is instant access to information today, and that is good news, but this can sometimes be overwhelming. As you consider treatment and intervention options, we hope that you will refer to the article we’ve included within this packet, The Road Less Traveled: Charting a Clear Course for Autism Treatment. We are here to help you sort out both the volume of information available as well as provide support to make sense of the sometimes conflicting information. We believe strongly that educated family members, learning from the experiences of other family members and in the end trusting their own instincts are the best resources for their loved ones. In partnership with the lead state agency for autism, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and on behalf of our Board of Directors, our Advisory Council and our staff, I pledge our support to you in your journey. We stand ready to help in any way we can. Sincerely,
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