POWERGRAMS

7 CAN-do Attitude Aids Autism Awareness When their son, Mitchell, was diagnosed with autism at age 5, Robert Jennings and his wife, Donna, had no idea where to turn to find help for their child. The couple from Clanton soon learned they were not alone. Through the Autism Society of Alabama (ASA), the couple met other families who were walking the same path with their own children. "We realized we were learning more from other families and getting more helpful information than from our own research," said Robert, customer care associate, Customer Service Center- South. "As we got more involved with ASA, we began to see that a lot of parents don't know what services are available to them." That was seven years ago. Today, Robert and Donna are sharing their knowledge and experiences with parents whose children are affected by autism. The couple founded the Chilton Autism Network (CAN) in 2011 to provide educational, social and advocacy services to families touched by the disorder. The family-led support group was launched in partnership with ASA and is among 33 similar networks statewide. "When your child receives an autism diagnosis, you are pretty much on your own to find the answers to help your child," said Donna. "That is what makes the Autism Society and CAN invaluable because they point families in the right direction. Every child has different issues to deal with, so services vary greatly." Autism is a chronic brain disorder that affects communication and social and behavioral skills, according to ASA. Statistics have shown that one child in 68 is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than childhood cancer or juvenile diabetes. "We do not believe there is a cure and there has not even been a definite cause found, but there are scientifically backed treatments available that have been proven to alleviate some of the symptoms," Donna said. Through CAN, Donna and Robert are working hard to educate the public. In 2014, they were among the first in the state to rally their group to host a workshop for teachers at local schools and daycares to help them learn to recognize the symptoms of autism, and how to interact with children. The Jennings are now teaming with other families to coordinate first responder training for firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians. CAN is enlisting support from civic organizations and churches to fund a workshop, Robert said. "We want to make first responders more aware," Robert said. "First responders may misinterpret the actions of someone with autism, thinking they are being difficult. We want to help them understand so they will know how to respond when dealing with people with autism." CAN hosts family enrichment activities such as pizza nights and swimming pool parties, and takes part in ASA's annual awareness walk each spring. Robert and Donna, along with other CAN members, were instrumental in convincing car owners to purchase Autism Awareness license plates first offered in Alabama in 2014. "Networks like the one begun by Donna and Robert are literally the life force for the Autism Society," said Bama Hager, program director, Autism Society of Alabama. "We can't communicate effectively unless we have volunteers. Their group is the model for other small towns that want to start their own networks." In their efforts to help their son, the couple reached out to Southern Company. In 2013, they joined other families with autistic children in petitioning for an expansion of insurance coverage to include a treatment known as applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy. This treatment uses rewards to help children learn appropriate behavior, including communication, and academic and life skills. Over time, the reinforcement is reduced so children can learn without being constantly rewarded. Southern Company had already been considering the possibility of enhancing its health insurance to include ABA, which, without additional coverage, can cost families thousands of dollars annually. The company found that, based on scientific evidence, ABA is the most effective means of treating autism and that other large companies are including this treatment in their insurance coverage. Southern Company began offering coverage for ABA on July 1, 2013. Jennings family By Carla Davis

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