Interviews being conducted concerning Autism Services in NJ

As a parent of a child on the spectrum, I'm interviewing other families for Autism NJ. I'm setting up interviews one on one in the central NJ area at hospitals, libraries, and if you're near a Whole Foods they'll give us free coffee! The interview takes about an hour, you don't have to answer any question you're not comfortable with, and your name won't be attached to your answers. The project overview is below. Please contact me OFF LIST if interested. Also, there are 150 interviewers statewide so if you're not in the central part of the state there are other folks available. We're doing the interviews in English and Spanish. Lauren Agoratus familyvoicesnj@aol.com

Project Overview and Purpose of this Interview: Autism New Jersey (formerly known as the Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community--COSAC) is a nonprofit agency providing information and advocacy, services, family and professional education and consultation. ANJ encourages responsible basic and applied research that may lessen the effects of, and potentially prevent, autism. ANJ is dedicated to ensuring that all people with autism receive appropriate, effective services to maximize their growth potential and to enhancing the general public's overall awareness of autism. We are grounded in science, strengthened by knowledge and devoted to creating a society of
compassion and inclusion for all those touched by autism spectrum disorders. As a result of Autism NJ’s most recent strategic planning effort, a very exciting initiative was identified: development of a “Blueprint for Lifetime Support Services for Families and Persons with Autism.” This Blueprint for Lifetime Support Services will be used as the foundation for ANJ’s advocacy work on behalf of the autism community. We are inviting you to play an important role in shaping the “Blueprint for Lifetime Support Services for Families and Persons with Autism.”

We need to hear directly from YOU -- families and persons with autism spectrum disorders and individuals with connections to the autism community (service providers, professionals, community organizations, advocates, etc.).

Our goal is conduct at least 1,000 face-to-face interviews with individuals who are most impacted by, or can most impact, autism services in New Jersey. We are interested in engaging the voices of all people within the autism community, especially those who typically have not been heard, who feel they are underserved or not served at all.