The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
A program to show parents of special needs children the types of support services available to them was held April 5 at the township Senior/Community Center in the Municipal Complex.
Sponsored by the township Parks and Recreation Department, the event featured representatives of hospitals, schools and companies that offer services to people on the autism spectrum, as well as other special-needs students.
Among those on hand for the second annual “Care, Share, Aware” program were speech therapists, occupational therapists, behavioral therapists and representatives from Specialized Children’s Hospital, said Mona Reilly, the township rec department’s therapeutic program coordinator.
“It’s for letting people know that people care, and to make them aware of all the opportunities, all the support, all the vendors that are out there for the families,” she said.
There were also crafts – including slime-making – the “Lizard Guys” and their reptiles, a face painter and a balloon artist.
Reilly said the township plans one more event – an autistic motivational speaker – for the end of April, which has been designated Autism Awareness Month.
The department also offers programs for special-needs adults and teens, and is planning on establishing programs for middle school and pre-school special-needs students, she said.
