Expanding Autism Services for Children and Families in Mississippi
Canopy Children’s Solutions (Canopy) has received a $1 million pledged gift from the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation to the Canopy Autism Program. Thanks to this gift, Canopy will dedicate the Gertrude C. Ford Training Center today, Tuesday, February 17, at 2:00 p.m. in their honor. The Gertrude C. Ford Training Center will provide training to parents and families with children on the Autism Spectrum. The center will also house training for professionals who provide services to children on with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
During the dedication, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann will speak on his personal connection with the Canopy Autism Program and the impact the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation donation will have for Mississippi families and children with ASD.
Meeting the Changing Needs of Mississippi’s Children
“For 103 years, Canopy Children’s Solutions has been on the cutting edge of addressing some of the most complex and vexing problems facing Mississippi’s children and families. Moreover, our efforts to advance the cause of Mississippi’s most vulnerable children have been successful because of partnerships with like‐ minded champions,” said John Damon, Ph.D., CEO of MCHS.
“We are immeasurably grateful to the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation for passionately supporting our vision to see children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) thrive through state‐of‐the‐art treatment that assures their families receive the best (evidence‐based) practices in the field. Their generous support will help us expand our continuum of autism services, including: autism classrooms at our CARES Schools in Jackson, Hattiesburg, and Gulfport; behavior consultation in the public schools; outpatient clinic services; early intervention program; and, training and support for families and professionals.”
Autism on the Rise in Mississippi
Over 13,000 Mississippians are affected by the steep rise in ASD. One in 68 children is diagnosed on the spectrum. Autism is the fastest‐growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. ASD is almost five times more common among boys than girls – with 1 in 42 boys identified.
Canopy Autism Services provides the following services to ensure the successful development of children on the autism spectrum.
- Clinical treatment
- School‐based behavior consultations
- Parent training
- Teacher training
- Early Intervention Programs
Are you interested in knowing more about Canopy’s services for Autism? Call 1-800-388-6247.