Autism Alliance of Michigan receives $100,000 grant

DETROIT — On Dec. 4, The Skillman Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to The Autism Alliance of Michigan to support the organization’s efforts to address systemic barriers to high-quality, equitable opportunities in education for students with disabilities in Michigan.

“Michigan remains in the bottom ten states nationally for education with some of the lowest graduation rates in the country for students with disabilities,” Colleen Allen, president and CEO of The Autism Alliance of Michigan, said in a press release. “We must redesign our education system in Michigan to ensure high-quality, inclusive education for all students, including those with disabilities, that results in successful pathways to post-secondary education, employment, and independent living outcomes. We appreciate the partnership with The Skillman Foundation to support our systems change advocacy efforts.”

With support from The Skillman Foundation, The Autism Alliance of Michigan plans to further collective impact efforts to advance an equitable education agenda for children and youth with special education needs. They stated that they hope to serve as a community hub for families, partner organizations and state leaders in cultivating understanding of core barriers related to equity and access in the education system.

Programs run by The Autism Alliance of Michigan include their Immunization Initiative, with the goal of promoting health and wellness opportunities among the autistic community; the Watch Me Grow program, which trains educators and community leaders in recognizing and addressing developmental conditions; and The Michigan Parent, Advocate and Attorney Coalition, known as “MiPAAC” which is a newly formed statewide group focused on student-centered advocacy and educating families of children with special educational needs on specific topics relevant to their advocacy efforts.

“At the intersection of race and disability, AAoM catalyzes stakeholders to drive transparency efforts toward system-level transformation,” wrote Allen.