On October 16, 2011, Apex Process Consultants (Apex) employees put down the laptops and put on the running gear to run in the Detroit Free Press Marathon as a part of Team Autism, a group of marathon participants running and walking to raise awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and to raise funds for the Judson Center Autism Connections program. Judson Center runs an incredible program that provides a variety of services for individuals with autism — everything from a job networking club for adults, to cooking classes for teens, to a baseball league for younger children. Moreover, Autism Connections caters to the entire family, offering counseling and educational resources for parents and siblings of autistic children, training for caretakers and assisted living services for autistic adults.
In addition to Apex sponsoring Team Autism this year, four members of Apex and a couple of their family members ran the marathon. Five people ran in the as part of a relay team called “Apex for Autism,” while one hardy soul ran the full marathon (26.2 miles). Apex has an ongoing commitment to using processes and technology to work towards community improvement. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced this past winter that as many as 1 in 90 children born today are affected by ASD — a group of developmental disabilities defined by significant impairments in communication and social interaction.
Families facing those startling statistics often turn to Judson Center’s Autism Connections program. Since 1924, the Judson Center has been a trusted non-profit community resource that creates solutions to improve the lives of individuals and families in southeast Michigan. It provides more than 360,000 personalized support services each year, including comprehensive autism support resources, which often combine new technologies with therapeutic techniques to promote independence and maximize potential for children and adolescents with ASD. Located in seven counties in Michigan, the Autism Connections program finds novel and innovative ways to support individuals with autism. Autism Connections offers a wide range of educational, therapeutic and support services designed to assist individuals with autism, their families and their communities.
