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Autism Society of Greater Akron Provides more resources to area families living with disabilities
(Feb 5, 2020, Akron, OH) … The Autism Society of Greater Akron (ASGA) is proud to announce its membership in the newly launched Ohio Family Network (OFN), enhancing access to resources and support for local families and individuals living with disabilities. The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities created the OFN to connect people with disabilities and their families to information and resources within their communities. The OFN grant provides funding from fiscal year January 2020 – June 2021, and covers ASGA’s service areas of Summit, Stark, Medina, Portage and Wayne counties. ASGA’s Executive Director, Laurie Cramer, said “Having a child with a disability can be overwhelming and create feelings of isolation. At the Autism Society of Greater Akron, we often say, ‘Everything we’ve ever learned, we learned from other parents.’ We are excited that DODD is creating the Ohio Family Network as a way to connect individuals to each other and to resources, building healthier and more resilient families. We are stronger together and thank DODD for their vision and commitment to Ohio’s citizens with disabilities by developing the Ohio Family Network.” The OFN is structured to meet people where they are on their journey and is based on the needs of each community. ASGA developed its goals for the initiative based on years of serving local individuals and families. The OFN will provide the following supports:
In addition, ASGA will continue to provide its Autism Friendly Communities program to train local community partners on how to support and interact with people with developmental disabilities. OFN members in Northeast Ohio include ASGA (Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne counties) and Milestones Autism Resources (Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, and Lake). Other Network members include The Center for Disability Empowerment (Delaware, Franklin, Licking, and Union), Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio (Franklin, Marion, and Pickaway), and The Family Leadership Network (Butler, Clermont, and Hamilton). For more information about upcoming OFN initiatives, please visit autismakron.org
-- The Autism Society of Greater Akron (ASGA) is part of a nationwide network of affiliates that are part of the Autism Society of America, the nation’s largest and oldest grassroots autism organization. ASGA serves Summit, Stark, Wayne, Portage and Medina counties (OH) and works locally to achieve its mission --to improve the lives of all affected by autism. We do this by increasing public awareness about the day-to-day issues faced by people on the autism spectrum, advocating for appropriate services for individuals across the lifespan, and, providing educational opportunities and support for families and the professionals who serve them. About the Ohio Family Network The Ohio Family Network connects people with disabilities and their families to local information and resources within their communities. With a focus on the local level, the Ohio Family Network, or OFN, provides services such as tools and support resources to help grow people's leadership and social skills, as well as offers opportunities for families to make connections with others in their community.
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