The month of April is widely recognized as Autism Awareness Month. However, did you know there has been an increasing push for it to be Autism Acceptance Month? It was first organized in 2011 by Paula Durbin Westby. She advocated that there needs to be more than just information and facts about Autism Spectrum Disorder. Westby argued that having awareness is only half of the battle. It is one thing to be aware, but entirely different to accept it.
This month’s emphasis is on the celebration of the people with Autism and not just about numbers, facts and a diagnosis. Autism Acceptance Month is about being seen as family members, co-workers and friends.
Yes, the initial step was to get society to learn about Autism, but now this month of April is for the people who have Autism!
Elaina is a part of our MTC Occupational Therapy Department and received an education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, McHenry County College, and Husson University. She has a strong passion for working with both animals and children. Elaina has always wanted to incorporate both of these passions into her career and is incredibly excited to bring Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) to Mobile Therapy Centers!
Rocky is an Australian Mountain Doodle who loves to learn, play, and meet new people. Rocky joined our MTC team when he was just 8 weeks old and has been training to support the clients of MTC from day one. His kind and loving nature makes him the perfect match for Animal-Assisted Therapy, and Rocky can not wait to meet all his new friends through the MTC AAT program!