Our Philosophy
At AutismLink, we feel you shouldn’t have to pay for information and you shouldn’t have to pay to get to know other families in your area who have children with autism. Since over 80% of American families have access to the internet, we put it on the web — for free.
What do we do? It’s simple — we provide a place on the internet that gathers information from ALL organizations and put it in one place. We offer you a way to meet and talk to other parents in your area, and we offer a network of parents of children with autism who can help guide you. We don’t compete with support organizations such as the local chapters of ASA, etc. We work with them to provide you with information.
About Us
AutismLink / Autism Center of Pittsburgh is recognized 501-C3, running 100% on donations, volunteerism, and our on-line store where we offer discounted items. In that respect, donations go directly to local families struggling with the effects of autism in your community. Yes, in the local community, directly impacting local families. It is uncommon to find anyone in today’s world who is unfamiliar with the severity of Autism Spectrum Disorders. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention ADDM Network, “About 1 in 66 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).” This statistic is not segregated to a specific group; Autism Spectrum Disorders are reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.
In our healthcare system it is very challenging to access specialized doctors trained in assessing and treating autism. The subsequent delay can be devastating. The Autism Center of Pittsburgh prioritizes no-wait evaluations and ongoing support. The Psychologists working through our offices can provide a diagnosis so that a parent can obtain services for their child in a timely manner. We can also refer to a licensed and credential counselor to provide ongoing support for the child and family. We also have psychiatric support for medication management.
The Autism Center of Pittsburgh offers guidance to parents of children with autism; we provide prompt referral to valuable resources, no-wait expert evaluation, counseling, service dogs, autism awareness seminars, workshops, respite outings, video-blog, music therapy, recreational activities, a 900 member on-line support group, an on-line store with therapeutic materials, the nation-wide resource network of AutismLink, and so much more.
The Center was founded 10 years ago, beginning with AutismLink, by Cindy Waeltermann, a parent of children with autism and, through the Autism Center of Pittsburgh, to this day, provides services to children and parents in all of Western and Central Pennsylvania. We continue to provide local support through the Autism Center of Pittsburgh, and nationwide support through our networking site at AutismLink.
AutismLink connects people with services through our nation-wide agency data-base. These links have been a God-send to thousands of parents across the country looking for specializes services for their child, and we’re so thankful we can be there, through your donations, to help.
Not only do we help parents on a day-to-day basis with information, resources, and referrals, we provide opportunities for inclusion for families of children with autism spectrum disorders. Moreover, because we are staffed by parents of children with autism, we know how it is — we live the life a parent of a child with autism; we know the challenges and feelings. Our phones are always ringing, and a parent is ready to help.
The Autism Center of Pittsburgh also desires to create enjoyable and lasting memories through special events and fundraisers for the children, their families, and their communities. In pursuit of this goal, we host events on a monthly and annual basis to provide children an opportunity to live a fun-filled life as any child should.
At AutismLink / Autism Center of Pittsburgh, our goal and mission is to provide more support, more opportunities for success, and further the genuine feeling hope for children and families struggling with an autism spectrum disorder. Please help us to continue achieving our mission through your generous donation.