SARRC Supports Parents in Arizona
The Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center Located in Phoenix
The Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC), located in Phoenix, Arizona, has been supporting individuals with autism and their families for more than ten years. SARRC leads the way in providing the local autism community with a wide variety of services including information on research studies and clinical trials, vocational training and autism therapy options.
SARRC’s Clinical Services
The Clinical Services division of SARRC is under the direction of Daniel Openden, Ph.D., BCBA and includes the JumpStart program, a new parent orientation, toddler and preschool programs, habilitation and music and speech therapy.
In addition to the above-listed clinical services, SARRC also has the PARENT program which “Provides parents/caregivers with a basic understanding of how their children communicate and how to facilitate language development. Parents/caregivers learn and practice strategies for increasing and improving their child's communication and social interactions while decreasing their child's disruptive and/or self-stimulatory behaviors.”
Vocational and Life Skills Training
SARRC understands that autism does not end in childhood and has vocational and life skills training options available to teens and young adults. Knowing the importance of transition services for young adults with autism, SARRC has partnered with the Phoenix Zoo in creating the ZooWorks program. Through the partnership, young adults with autism increase their social skills by working at the zoo on landscaping projects, in general office work and through animal observation.
Another offering available is through the Opus West Vocational and Life Skills Academy. Catering to autistic children aged 13 and older, the academy focuses on “opportunities related to pre-vocational, vocational, life and leadership skills development.”
Education Services
SARRC’s comprehensive services include several educational support options. One of SARRC’s most successful programs is the FRIEND program. FRIEND is a “peer sensitivity training program”, much like a social skills group, that gives children on the autism spectrum the tools they need to socially interact with their typically-developing peers. Some metro-Phoenix area school districts are partnering with SARRC in order to implement the FRIEND program into their schools.
Contacting SARRC
The Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center Campus for Exceptional Children is located at 300 North 18th Street in Phoenix, Arizona. The organization can be reached by calling (602) 340-8717. SARRC can also be contacted via email at sarrc@autismcenter.org.
SARRC is a tremendous benefit for both individuals with an autism spectrum disorder as well as their families. Offering services that are useful along an individual’s lifespan, SARRC provides a valuable service to the residents of Phoenix, Arizona.
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