Senator Dorgan Visits Anne Carlsen Center for Children to Discuss Autism Treatment in ND

Senator Dorgan toured ACCC's new greenhouse. Work just finished on the project, which will provide students with an outdoor-like, learning environment all year long.

A partnership designed to bring more help and hope to individuals with autism, and their families, has attracted the attention of Senator Byron Dorgan. Dorgan spent some time Tuesday at Anne Carlsen Center for Children in Jamestown, N.D., getting an update on the Great Plains Autism Spectrum Disorders Treatment Program.

The program is the result of a collaboration between Anne Carlsen Center for Children and the North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities (NDCPD) at Minot State University. The goal is to provide training, research, diagnostic services, and treatment services to North Dakotans with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their families.

According to the NDCPD, the number of children with autism in North Dakota has grown five fold in just the past 10 years. According to its analysis, about one in 238 North Dakota school children has a diagnosis of autism.

“For those with developmental disabilities, there aren’t a lot of treatment options, especially in sparsely populated areas,” Dorgan explains. “In many cases, they don’t have the professionals to intervene. Technology helps us reach out and do some of these unique projects in North Dakota.”

Technology will play a major role in the Great Plains Autism Spectrum Disorders Treatment Program, linking families to professionals such as doctors, speech and language pathologists, therapists and behaviorists.

“With the help of cameras and the internet, experts will be able to see issues in real time,” explains Dr. Brent Askvig, the NDCPD Associate Director. “These professionals will be connected with the families in their homes and help those families develop a plan. They can offer advice and then actually see how families are carrying it out.”

Autism has been called the most rapidly growing disability condition in the United States. While the number of children with autism continues to grow, Anne Carlsen Center for Children has prepared to meet the needs.

“This organization has gone through a number of transformations,” explains Dan Howell, ACCC CEO. “Now we’re really honing in on autism. Seventy-five percent of the students here have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. As we look at our growth, we are assembling a great team that can treat, help diagnose and help resolve issues that parents and caregivers have. We’re really transforming how services can be delivered.”

“We want to be able to support families in their homes,” Askvig adds. “Families are trying to do this all on their own.”

Dorgan has already helped secure $400,000 in federal dollars for the Great Plains Autism Spectrum Disorders Treatment Program. He has vowed to help pursue additional federal funding for the project.

During his visit to the Center, Dorgan also had a chance to tour the new, state-of-the-art greenhouse and learn about the Center’s well-developed gardening program. He also enjoyed a musical performance put on by two ACCC students using assistive technology.

“Every time I visit here, I am inspired,” Dorgan says. “The young people are inspiring. The staff does a great job. They have a great passion for their work.”

Anne Carlsen Center for Children offers a rich tradition of residential, therapeutic and educational services. The Center embraces the values of compassion, holistic encouragement, acceptance, life-long learning, service above self, and teamwork. Individualized services include care for children and young adults with autism, medically fragile conditions, cerebral palsy, behavior disorders, and many other medical challenges.