Autism Initiative will Provide 30,000 Pennsylvanians with Essential Information

HARRISBURG, Pa., June 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new statewide autism resource center will provide important autism information for an estimated 30,000 Pennsylvanians and their families living with autism.  

The statewide resource center will include a website, statewide toll-free number and community outreach specialists. The initiative was developed by the Autism Services, Education, Resources & Training (ASERT) Collaborative, funded through the Department of Public Welfare's Bureau of Autism Services.

"This collaborative effort continues Pennsylvania's national leadership in serving people with autism by providing better access to the most current information and guidance for finding help," Acting Secretary Beverly Mackereth said. "With one in 88 children now being diagnosed with autism, the center will provide essential information for families who are new to the diagnosis, as well as those individuals who need ongoing services across their lifespan."

Specifically, the ASERT Statewide Resource Center offers information about local, regional and statewide events, professional training, community resources, services, current research and other information relevant to the autism community.

The ASERT Statewide Resource Center can be accessed by calling 1-877-231-4244 or online at www.PAautism.org.

The ASERT Collaborative is a partnership of medical centers, centers of autism research and services, universities, community organizations, and other providers of services involved in the treatment and care of adults and children with autism. It serves as a national model of effective public-private partnerships that are able to provide support on a wide scale through the most efficient use of existing resources.

For more information about the resource center visit www.autisminpa.org or contact the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare's Bureau of Autism Services at 1-866-539-7689. 

Media contact: Carey Miller or Anne Bale at 717-425-7606.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare