Camden County, Georgia Named Newest Recipient for Project Lifesaver Equipment

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Autism Association (NAA) announced today that Camden County, Georgia is the newest grant recipient of Project Lifesaver/LoJack equipment funding through NAA's FOUND Program. FOUND was developed by NAA to counter the rise in wandering-related deaths among children with autism spectrum disorders.

The FOUND grant, awarded to the county's sheriff office, includes funds for the equipment and five wristbands for children with autism at high risk for wandering. Training dates are set for September 28 - 30.

Project Lifesaver is a nationwide tracking program designed to quickly locate and rescue missing persons with cognitive impairments and developmental disabilities. Counties are chosen by NAA based on need. Due to its 100% recovery rate, NAA hopes more counties will implement the Project Lifesaver Program.

FOUND relies heavily on donations. Donors have a choice to adopt an entire county or a partial county for any given amount by visiting www.nationalautism.org. Parents and caregivers can also find safety tips at www.nationalautismassociation.org/safetytoolkit.

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Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to Open Marcus Autism Center

PRNewswire/ -- Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Bernie and Billi Marcus announced today (July 1, 2008) that they are joining forces in the fight against autism. Children's will develop a new wholly owned subsidiary, Marcus Autism Center, which will offer services for children with autism.

Children's plans to collaborate with Emory University, Georgia Tech and other academic and community-based organizations who are already serving the needs of children with autism in Georgia. Together, there is an opportunity to leverage the extraordinary research, resources and capabilities already available in Georgia to help improve the lives of these children and their families.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder in the country -- 1 in 150 children nationally are diagnosed as having an autism spectrum disorder.

"We've got a real issue on our hands. My wife, Billi, and I recognize the important need for a center that will bring together educators, researchers, the medical community, and others," said Bernie Marcus, founder of The Marcus Institute. "Children's was the ideal partner for this endeavor, given its proven track record as a clinical provider and focus on caring for Georgia's kids."

In July 2008, Children's will begin offering services at the Marcus Autism Center, located on Briarcliff Road where the Marcus Institute currently operates. Services will include programs designed to diagnose, treat and provide support for children who have been diagnosed with, or exhibit signs of autism.

"We will build upon Bernie's and Billi's vision and will strive to add value to the fight against autism," said Children's Healthcare of Atlanta President and CEO Donna Hyland, noting that the incidence of autism is even greater in Georgia -- 1 in 136 children. "With this new endeavor, we will build upon the great work already taking place to help children with autism here in our state."

Children's will seek to utilize its resources in developing the Marcus Autism Center to continue diagnosing and treating Georgia's children with autism.

"We believe Children's must address autism in a meaningful way in order to support our continued pursuit to become a world-class pediatric health care system," said Douglas J. Hertz, Chairman of the Children's Board of Trustees. "This collaboration will be a great building-block toward us achieving one of our long-term strategies in caring for the children of Georgia."

Many autistic children also are diagnosed with other medical conditions and Children's aims to improve the coordination of care for these patients and their families.

"Developmental disorders like autism often cause families many unanswered questions," said Marcus. "The Marcus Autism Center is a big step toward the evolution of autism care here in Georgia that will hopefully begin answering these questions."