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550 S. Wadsworth Blvd.
Suite 100
Lakewood, CO 80226
(720) 214-0794 office
(720) 274-2744 fax
(877) COLO-ASD toll free
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About ASC
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Who We Are & History |
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The mission of the Autism Society of Colorado (ASC) is to improve the lives of all affected by autism. Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD or autism) are complex neurological disorders that affect individuals in the areas of social interaction and communication, and are often accompanied by repetitive and/or profoundly challenging behaviors. The prevalence of autism is now, shockingly, one in 85 children in Colorado. The characteristic behaviors of ASD may or may not be apparent in infancy, but usually become obvious during early childhood (24 months to 6 years). Autism affects individuals worldwide without regard to racial, ethnic, or economic background.
ASC was founded in 1970 by parents fighting for the right of their children with autism to receive an education in the public schools and in 1975, ASC, together with other organizations, spearheaded passage at the state and national level of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. ASC began as a volunteer-driven organization providing information and services to families and providers. ASC’s current professional staff, together with its active Board of Directors and volunteers, continues to serve individuals and families impacted by ASD by providing advocacy, education, and support. ASC is the “go-to” agency for individuals touched by autism in Colorado. ASC continually strives to be a strong leader among all disability-focused nonprofits by providing state-of-the-art services, educational opportunities and policy initiatives that positively impact the lives of all individuals with disabilities living in Colorado.
ASC has been awarded numerous awards for our efforts over the years, including the prestigious 2010 Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Small Nonprofit of the Year Award. ASC has been recognized for our outstanding contributions to improving the lives of individuals with autism but, like many Colorado nonprofits operating in the current economic climate, is struggling to secure and maintain ongoing financial support for our programs. These programs provide individuals and families with the help and support that many say they are desperate to receive and cannot receive from other community sources.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 April 2012 14:21 |
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What We Do |
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ASC’s Programs:
- Community Connections –
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- Information & Referral - ASC responds to more than 150 inquiries for support monthly, hosts the www.autismcolorado.org website, publishes a newsletter for more than 2,500, produces timely email Action Alerts, and monitors the Autism-CO Listserv peer support.
Community Enrichment – a hallmark of the Autism Society of Colorado are the social events we offer for families (with child care provided) to ensure a sense of belonging to a caring community and a safe harbor environment of acceptance. Adults with autism spectrum disorders attend ASC Community events as well and feel admired and respected. The ASC Give Me a Break program provides respite grants to complement our respite provider training programs. We have poignant letters of thanks from many families who are very moved that ASC cares about them.
- Education – ASC performs public awareness outreach through more than 50 speaking engagements annually, as well as designs and produces autism provider trainings and workgroups, and instructional seminars for families, advocates, caregivers and individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
- Policy – ASC has spearheaded 13 laws resulting in more than $50 million in funding for supports and services in Colorado. In 2009, the Colorado legislature passed ASC’s 14th funding law, a health insurance mandate (HIMAT), generating more than $100 million annually for treatment for more than 9,000 Colorado families. ASC is one of the most respected disability nonprofits in statewide policy efforts, is a requested partner in policy development by the Colorado Departments of State, the Colorado legislature, and is a collaborative partner in the Colorado Autism Commission.
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Last Updated on Friday, 11 March 2011 15:59 |
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How We're Funded |
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Most of our funding comes from people like YOU!
We pride ourselves on the fact that 85% of your donation goes back into direct service to the autism community.
Click here to make a DONATION
Checks can be made out to "Autism Society of Colorado"
550 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Ste. 100
Lakewood, CO 80226 |
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Last Updated on Monday, 20 September 2010 15:26 |
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Board of Directors |
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Executive Committee:
- President: Kevin Custer
- Vice-President: John Sheldon
- Secretary: Alexandra Levin
- Treasurer: Jeffrey Nickless
- Past President: Michael Zeitlin
Directors:
- Kate Dran
- Michael Abramovitz
- Rob Rose
- Ed Steinberg
- Stephen Shapiro
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Last Updated on Monday, 01 April 2013 15:09 |
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Read more...
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Financial Information |
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Click the links below to download PDFs of ASC's financial documents:
2010 Annual Report
2010 Financials (990)
For more information, please contact our office at 720.214.0794, x10 or at gwen@autismcolorado.org.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
The Colorado Child Care Contribution Tax Credit has been deferred for 2011.
In 2009, the Colorado General Assembly extended the CCCTC to 2019, but directed Legislative Legal Council to suspend the tax credit in December each year if the State General Fund was not expected to grow by 6 percent in the subsequent year.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 April 2012 14:22 |
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About ASC
