The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting all Americans. SafeMinds specifically recognizes the unique needs and challenges of the autism community during this unprecedented time. Our goal is to lessen the impact of COVID-19 on families by regularly monitoring and sharing resources that may help children and adults with autism cope with the uncertainty of the pandemic.
Nonprofit Organization Invests $4M into Early Identification Initiative During COVID
Act Early COVID-19 Response Teams from 43 States and Territories to Receive One-Year Grants In an effort to ensure that children with suspected developmental disabilities don’t fall through the cracks during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities has invested over $4M in their Act Early Network to help identify cases […]
New Study Reveals COVID-19 Restrictions Greatly Affected Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
Caregiver Survey Reported Losses of Educational and Healthcare Services Researchers from UCLA, Rutgers University and the National Institute of Mental Health recently released a study showing that individuals with developmental disabilities have experienced critical losses of educational and medical therapies since the coronavirus stay-at-home orders began last March. By using a survey in which 818 […]
Register for Autism Research Institute’s Newest Webinar
So much has changed with the COVID-19 pandemic, and its been especially hard on our children, friends, and clients on the spectrum who thrive on routine and predictability. Many have learned to self-regulate through physical outlets that have been limited or may no longer be available.
Coronavirus Economic Relief for People with Disabilities Becoming More Unlikely
As reported in June, the HEROES Act which aims to provide economic relief to the disability community was passed out of the House of Representatives. Sadly, as predicted, the related coronavirus relief legislation has stalled in the Senate.
COVID-19 Disproportionately Impacting Those With Developmental Disabilities
A letter published recently in the American Journal of Psychiatry on behalf of the directors of the nation’s 13 intellectual and developmental disabilities research centers — which are funded by the National Institutes of Health — is sounding the alarm about the devastating impact the pandemic has had on an already vulnerable population.
Disability Programs in Danger of Closing Due to COVID-19
Data collected in July by the American Network of Community Options and Resources or ANCOR showed that 77% of organizations serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have reported shutting down and discontinuing programs due to COVID-19. Unfortunately, 16% of those programs are never expected to reopen again.
