Waterford Today

Oakland University issued the following announcement on Dec. 16.

The Joanne and Ted Lindsay Foundation Autism Outreach Services (commonly known as OUCARES) at Oakland University has been awarded a $39,800 grant by The Children’s Foundation and will use the funds to implement virtual reality technology to train people impacted by autism to better adapt to social situations and changes in routine, and learn improved self-regulation strategies.

“The pandemic has had detrimental impacts on the autism community’s access to social and mental health supports,” said Kristin Rohrbeck, director of OUCARES. “In response to this, OUCARES is so grateful to collaborate with The Children's Foundation to develop social skills and mental health programs for the autism community.”

To date, The Children’s Foundation has granted nearly $75 million to almost 140 community partners in Michigan and beyond. On December 8, 2021, The Foundation announced it has awarded 85 new grants totaling nearly $4 million in the first round of two 2022 grant cycles.

The grants fund projects in community benefit, research and educational pillars and include awards to nine new community partnerships, including Oakland University, The Hanley Foundation, M.A.D.E. Institute, New Day Foundation, Detroit Horse Power, Ronald McDonald House of NW Ohio, Michigan Humane, Ypsilanti Public Library, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

OUCARES will use the funds for a project, “Using Technology to Improve Mental and Social Wellness for Children with ASD,” which will use virtual reality technology to teach social skills, emotional regulation, and awareness to people with autism spectrum disorders with a goal of improving their overall mental health and wellbeing.

“Each grant cycle, the awards become more diverse and unique in their approach to improve the health and wellness of children and their families,” said Lawrence J. Burns, president and CEO of The Children’s Foundation. “We continue to broaden our collaborative efforts and expand our reach to break down barriers and provide resources to those in our communities that need it most.”

OUCARES strives to improve quality of life for individuals with ASD, their families, and the community by providing quality and comprehensive programming across the lifespan.

Original source can be found here.