Starting with 2017, the APSCF network also includes the SOS Autism Public Association, an organization that struggles to overcome the barriers that this illness raises in the lives of those affected by autism. The SOS Autism Public Association is an apolitical, non-governmental and social protection organization for children with autism and their families, set up in May 2008 by a group of parents whose children have been diagnosed with this disease. SOS Autism contributes to the inclusion and acceptance of people with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in all spheres of social life and ensuring them with a decent living standard.
SOS Autism’s activities focus on: lobbying and advocacy, awareness-raising activities, training of aplicated behavioral analysis specialists, therapy based on behavioral analysis applied to people with ASD, social entrepreneurship.
In 2017, SOS Autism raised its team with 5 employees, now including 30 employees serving 400 direct beneficiaries and over 2000 indirect beneficiaries. In the same year, the association contributed substantially to the elaboration of the National Mental Health Program, approved by the Government in April, and to the inclusion of provisions for solving the problems of people with ASD.
Among the successes of SOS Autism in the field of social protection for children with autism and their families are:
• elaboration of a Methodological Guide: Educational inclusion of children with autistic spectrum disorders
• the course Modern Techniques of Intervention in Autism and Other Associated Disabilities Accredited by the Ministry of Education
• the compilation of the Framework Regulation containing quality standards for the centers for the organization and operation of behavioral therapy services for people with ASD
• medical licensing of SOS Autism Resource and Empowerment Center
• the development of 35 PECS books (the pictogram-based communication system)
• the opening of the Inclusive Kindergarten Little Prince – a form of social entrepreneurship that has been successful for half a year.
For 2018, SOS Autism proposes accreditation and validation of ABA therapy as a unique method of intervention, reimbursement of ABA therapy by CNAM and diversification of services for people with autism and their families.
For more details on SOS Autism activity, go to the Organization’s Activity Report for the years 2016-2017 and the association’s website: http://autismmoldova.md.