PEORIA, Ill. – One out of 58 children have autism. And to help those who have autism, two organizations have joined together to create The Autism Collective.
Easterseals Central Illinois and OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois are known for their care and commitment to serving children.
The Autism Collective will be a way to network a personalized plan to help those with autism and their families.
Dr. Divya Joshi with OSF Saint Francis Medical Center said together the two organizations have over 200 years of knowledge.
“Ultimately the goal is to leverage the expertise, and the compassion, and the knowledge that this community has,” Joshi said.
CEO and President of Easterseals Central Illinois, Steve Thompson, said collaboration is something often heard of, but not seen enough.
“In this instance, we are particularly excited to collaborate and to really bring the strength of two very, very mission driven organizations together on behalf of those living with autism,” Thompson said.
Thea Hartzler’s son, Lincoln, was diagnosed with autism in October 2017, but it was a long journey for them, not knowing the signs.
“If I would have known the signs, the traits, and the behaviors that I know today, the world my son lives in would have been impacted much earlier in his life,” Hartzler said. “You see, I didn’t understand that he sees the world much differently from you and I.”
One of the key aspects for The Autism Collective is to make sure that no one feels like they must take the autism journey alone, said Amanda Estes, Executive Director for The Autism Collective.
“That is why The Autism Collective is in the final stages of hiring a nurse coordinator and multiple family navigators to help guide families through the complex web of care compassionately and efficiently,” Estes said.
The Autism Collective will be partnering with Project Echo, to launch an ECHO Autism Hub in central Illinois. The hub uses video technology to help local health care professionals become more confident in diagnosing and helping children with autism.
“The goal is intervening early so that every child with autism has the chance to reach his or her full potential,” Estes said.
The Autism Collective will launch in 2020.
