EAC Clinical Training & Community Outreach Programs
The Family Support Program Interdisciplinary Training Research	Demonstration of Treatment Innovations Medical Services Community Outreach

The Family Support Program:  The basic mission of the EAC is to help Georgia’s individuals with autism reach their highest potential.  Family support in the treatment process is the most crucial means of meeting this mission.  No one can match a parent’s dedication to their child, and a knowledgeable parent is a consistent and lifelong advocate for a child and an adult with autism.  When autism is diagnosed, families are helped to understand the range of possible outcomes and treatment options.  Importantly, parents and other family members are taught the specialized teaching strategies that enable them to contribute to their child’s learning at home and in their community.  When provided with information, training related to identification of family concerns and priorities, and ongoing support at the EAC, families no longer feel helpless and alienated, stress subsides, and the quality of life improves for all family members. More...

Interdisciplinary Training:  The EAC programs achieve greater statewide impact by offering on-site training at demonstration programs.  Each year, hundreds of professionals come from across the state to observe and get ideas for improving their own programs.  Training options for teachers and health care professionals are developed individually, based on needs and interests,  A range of options is available, from brief didactic presentations or workshops, to 12 month internships.  The demonstration programs serve as a formal training site for professionals in various disciplines, including psychiatry, psychology, education, social work, nursing, and pediatrics. More...

Medical Services:  Comprehensive diagnostic evaluations are offered to individuals of all ages, and detailed treatment recommendations are provided through discussion with families and written reports.  The EAC Psychiatrists also offer Psychiatric evaluation and monitoring of medication as well as consultation to community physicians. More...

Community Outreach:  EAC staff places high priority on interagency collaboration and on participation on statewide committees that may impact policy benefiting individuals with autism.  The Center’s reputation attracts the contribution of leading autism experts, and the EAC accomplishments receive prominent national attention.  With continued community collaboration, the EAC stands ready to help reach the goal of making Georgia the best place to life for individuals with autism and their families.

Research:  More than 15 years of grant-funded research efforts in social development and early intervention have contributed to sweeping changes in treatment approaches used by autism programs around the country.  The EAC is now well positioned to search for the cause and prevention of autism through research into the neurobiology of autism. More...

Demonstration of Treatment Innovations:  The EAC’s state-of-the-art programs for early intervention and school aged children provide live examples of the enormous treatment possibilities that have come from recent research.  The EAC is committed to developing similar standards of excellence in new programs for adolescents and adults with autism.

• Walden Early Childhood Center:  The EAC’s nationally acclaimed Walden Lab Schools provide early intervention in toddler, preschools and pre-kindergarten classrooms.  This continuum of highly specialized treatment help children with autism learn from the behavior of their typically developing classmates.  The Incidental Teaching procedures used at Walden have produced significant outcomes of nearly all children enrolled.  More than 95% of graduates with autism have been included in their neighborhood regular education kindergarten classrooms (with various levels of support) and more then 92% of children left the program with functional verbal language.  Walden serves as a model for programs across the United States. More...
• Monarch School Program:  This highly successful EAC program has made it possible for many students with autism to be included in general education classes in their neighborhood schools.  This program emphasizes participation of administration, professional support staff, and general and special yeducation teachers in order to optimize inclusion success for children with autism.  A strong foundation for social skills and peer involvement with the students with autism allows for new skill development as well as fosters the formation of numerous friendships among all of the students.  To date, as a result of the Inclusion Project, the EAC has established lasting collaborations with schools systems across many Georgia Counties. More...
• Adult Community Assistance:  Services for adolescents and adults with autism include support for inclusion in community settings through technical assistance to individuals and their families, employers, school systems, and other agencies. The EAC is also associated the “Best Buddies” program, a volunteer organization in which college students provide community outings and social interactions for young adults with autism. More...