ACT Today! Launches New Program to Help Individuals with Autism Facing Crisis Situations

ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!) has launched a new program called ACT Today! SOS to address the needs of individuals with autism who face emergency situations. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) December 12, 2012 - ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!), a national non-profit organization whose mission is to provide care and treatment to children with autism, announces the launch of ACT Today! SOS, a new program aimed to address the urgent needs of those impacted with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

"We understand some individuals on the autism spectrum are in immediate and personal danger or harm and are unable to wait up to 12 weeks for a response to their ACT Today! grant request," says Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson, ACT Today!'s executive director. "The ACT Today! SOS program is designed to provide immediate support for families based upon need and the program funds available."

To qualify for an ACT Today! SOS grant, applicants must have an immediate need for treatment or support and if treatment is not found, the applicant's physical safety is in jeopardy. ACT Today! SOS will fund effective treatments and services to treat ASD and will not fund living expenses, travel, utilities or clothing. Income level of the applicant's family must be below $45,000 per year and the applicant may not have received support from ACT Today! within the past 12 months.

There are currently three families on the ACT Today! SOS wait list.

The Maroni family of New Jersey has three children on the autism spectrum. The fence around their home was completely destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. The chances are now greater for the three children to run away, or "wander," a common trait with children with autism.

Criscent is a nine-year old boy diagnosed with autism and currently living in California with his aunt and uncle. He was beaten and tortured in his home country of Uganda. His aunt and uncle cannot afford to provide Criscent with treatment for his autism.

Elijah is a four-year old boy from Iowa. He suffers from severe autism and needs a padded safety bed to prevent concussions caused by seizures and head banging.

"We are sending out an SOS and asking the community to help us help these families and others like them who are in dire need," says Alspaugh-Jackson. "Starting this week, we will launch the ACT Today! SOS social media campaign, calling on the online community to make a donation, either by texting or on our website."

For more information about ACT Today! SOS and the requirements, visit www.act-today.org/SOS.

About ACT Today!:
ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!) is a 501(c)(3) national non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and providing treatment services and support to families of children with autism who cannot afford or access the necessary tools their children need to reach their full potential. For more information about ACT Today!, visit: www.act-today.org.

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