Nov 13, 2018, Hartford Courant: Autism School Launches $100,000 Fundraising Campaign https://www.courant.com/community/canton/hc-va-canton-focus-autism-fresh-start-school-fundraiser-1115-20181113-story.html The Fresh Start School at the FOCUS Center for Autism, in Canton, became accredited by the state two years ago. That meant the nonprofit, founded by Donna Swanson , could provide more and better support while working full time with students who have autism. But the need is growing and the nonprofit is asking the public for help. It has launched a $100,000 fundraising campaign that will allow it to maintain and expand the services while retaining and adding key staff members. "The school has been around now for two years," Swanson said. "But FOCUS has been here for 18 years. The need has increased. We're getting more students. The need is there to continue to support what we have. You can see we are busting at the seams." … But for now, they want to start with being able to continue to provide individualized services they they feel work for students with autism. The students who attend the Fresh Start School at FOCUS spend a full school day there. They aren't in attendance at their regional school for a number of reasons, Swanson said, adding that they are "complex." …
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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