Manassas, VA –Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has issued a Certificate of Recognition, proclaiming April 2012 Autism Awareness Month in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The certificate recognizes that in 2011 the Virginia Department of Education identified 11,703 children between the ages of three and 21 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
“The statistics are staggering,” says Andrew Clarke, Director of Didlake, Inc.’s Center for Autism Services. “Autism now affects one in 88 births, according to a recently released report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the next few years we will witness an influx of students graduating from school and requiring support services.”
The Center for Autism Services is Didlake’s answer to the needs of the growing population of adults with autism. Founded in May 2011, the three-year initiative will investigate those needs and the future direction of services for adults with autism.
About Didlake
Didlake, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Manassas, Virginia. It was founded in 1965 to create opportunities for people with disabilities through services that connect them to employment, education and the community. It provides contract business services for commercial and government customers and has won numerous awards for its facilities maintenance; packaging/ assembly; and administrative services. The organization operates throughout the Washington, D.C. metro area, in the Roanoke Valley and in Greater Hampton Roads. It serves more than 1,600 people with disabilities annually. Didlake, Inc. is licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia, accredited by CARF and proudly serves the nation through the AbilityOne program. Its partners include the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services, local Community Services Boards and United Way of the National Capital Area. For more information, visit www.didlake.org.
