This Autism Day, we at MHT thought about saluting some of the organizations that are working night and day towards getting better acceptance for Autistic individuals and also educating the world about this prevailing disorder. There are many others in the field who are working day and night towards the same goal. MHT Directory has many such organizations and child development centres mentioned.
- Action for Autism – Delhi
Action for Autism is a not for profit organization that pioneered the autism movement in South Asia and strives to access the rights of individuals with autism and their families. AFA is involved in lifespan activities including * early intervention, education, * assessments, * work and employment, * independent living, as well as * awareness, * advocacy and * research.
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2. CATCH – Bhubaneswar
Centre for Autism Therapy, Counselling and Help (CATCH) is a parent support group working in the field of Autism. Based at Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, CATCH is a purely voluntary initiative of the members of the group who firmly believe that lack of infrastructure and resources can not be an impediment and their own sustained ways for securing a better future for individuals with Autism.
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3. Communication DEALL – Several locations across India
The program grew out of concern for the increasing number of children identified with developmental language disorders/autism spectrum disorders and the near-total lack of early intervention/therapy facilities available in India. The early intervention program was developed by Dr Prathibha Karanth, a pioneer in the field of speech-language pathology in India with over 40 years of experience. It started in November 2000 with one unit in Bangalore and quickly spread to six units in three cities by June 2003. It has been serving thousands of children ever since.
4. SNM Rehabilitation Centre – Jaipur
SNM is a non-profit voluntary organization (a unit of Shri Narsingh Maharaj Punarwas and Sikshan Sansathan) started from August 2012, created solely with the purpose of helping the cause of mentally challenged, multiply disabled and autistic child. SNM offers an Individual Educational Program for every student, aimed at social and economic independence, which incorporates special education, therapeutic interventions and vocational training. Centre of SNM offers –Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech Therapy, life skills training, computer education, music and dance, weight management and physical fitness, sports and extracurricular activities, counselling, behaviour modification, diagnostics and assessment facilities & family counselling.
5. Ummeed – Mumbai & Delhi
The idea of Ummeed was born while Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy was working at Children’s Hospital in Boston as a Developmental Pediatrician. The resources available at the hospital and community there brought home to her the paucity of facilities available for children with developmental disabilities in India. She reflected on how best to provide the range of specialized services required for children with special needs. She maintains that identifying and treating disabilities in children makes for a healthier society at large in the long run. On November 5, 2001, with the help of her husband, Ashish Karamchandani, a partner of the Monitor Group, she founded Ummeed with an initial staff of three.
6. Tanay Foundation – Ahmedabad
Tanay Foundation was kick-started by Mrs Meenakshi with the ultimate goal to enhance the lives of children with autism. The School is dedicated to imparting world-class education & training to help these kids lead a more fruitful and happy life. By imparting best pre-vocational and vocational training to children, the School strives to help them lead a normal & fulfilling life.
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7. We CAN – Chennai
At WeCAN ProACT, they believe in keeping themselves in tune with the latest developments in the field of autism and Applied Behavior Analysis and Contextual Behavioral Science, bringing the best and the latest research to India for the benefit of our clients and their families.
8. Assam Autism Foundation – Assam
In response to the desperate pleas of an affected family, the seeds of AAF were sown innocuously in 1998. Dr Shabina Ahmed, MBBS, MD, a Consultant Developmental Pediatrician, started devoting about 10 hours weekly of her clinical practice on a behavioural modification program for one of her patients with autism. This service gradually grew with more children attending, who came on hearing of it or through referrals by colleagues; soon, a SPECIAL NEEDS section was started in a single room at Bhangagarh, Guwahati, in 1999.
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9. Prasanna Autism Centre – Pune
Using various special techniques like audio visual tools, picture communication, behavioural and social skills, Prasanna aims at bringing special education one step closer to autistic children.
10. Ananya – Hyderabad
With the mission to identify and evaluate, as early as possible, those infants and toddlers who have developmental delays and special needs and provide them therapeutic interventions to improve their development, Ananya works with diligence in the areas of Behaviour Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Early Intervention, Physiotherapy, Sensory Integration Therapy amongst many others.
Adapted from The Better India
