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What
Is MAAP Services for Autism and Asperger Spectrum
MAAP Services for Autism and Asperger Spectrum is
a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information and
advice to families of More advanced individuals with Autism,
Asperger's syndrome, and Pervasive developmental disorder
(PDD). Through its quarterly newsletter, The MAAP,
the organization provides the opportunity for parents and professionals
to network with others in similar circumstances and to learn about
more advanced individuals within the autism spectrum.
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How
can MAAP Services for Autism and Asperger Spectrum?
MAAP Services for Autism and Asperger Spectrum supports
families of more advanced individuals within the autism spectrum
and the professionals who work with and for them by:
- Producing The MAAP,
a quarterly newsletter. The newsletter allows subscribers to exchange
information, learn about issues related to autism spectrum disorders,
and share with others who face similar challenges. The MAAP
has reached over 10,000 individuals and families in 45 countries.
- Distributing printed materials
relevant to more advanced individuals with autism, Asperger's
Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
- Responding to phone calls, letters
and e-mail from family members, professionals, and individuals
with autism who need advice or information.
- Presenting information at conferences,
workshops, and meetings of parent and community groups.
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A
Brief History of The MAAP
The MAAP was started in 1984 by
Susan Moreno.Susan had met with 24 other parents of more advanced
individuals with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, or pervasive developmental
disorder, at the 1982 annual conference of the Autism Society of America
(then known as the National Society for Autistic Children) in Omaha,
Nebraska. At that time, all 25 parents present agreed to share their
names, addresses, phone numbers and information about their challenged
loved ones with one another in hopes of corresponding about common
problems, advice, etc. Basically, no sort of that occurred for two
years. Then in June of 1984, Susan contacted all the parents on that
first list and asked if they would like to start sharing information
and concerns with one another through a newsletter.
All parents replied positively, and The
MAAP (then called “The Residual Autism Newsletter” in keeping
with terminology of that time) was born.
Susan volunteered to type, photocopy, and mail out the newsletter
at her own expense. She
continued to absorb all costs until 1987, when the mailing list had
grown to over 400 families.
At that time, she began charging enough to cover the costs
of printing and mailing The
MAAP. Now
The MAAP has reached nearly 10,000 families of more advanced individuals
with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder
(PDD/NOS) and hundreds of professionals.
The MAAP is sent
throughout the United States and 44 other countries.
The MAAP is now
incorporated as MAAP Services
for the Autism Spectrum It
is a non-profit (501-C-3) corporation.
The federal I.D. number for MAAP Services for the Autism
Spectrum is 35-1790246. The
MAAP is currently funded by the individual contributions of parents,
professionals, private foundations, and philanthropic organizations.
All donations are used for the purposes of producing and
mailing The MAAP (our quarterly newsletter) and informing parents,
professionals, and the general public about more advanced individuals
with any of the three “MAAP” diagnoses.
This encompasses part time help to answer the average of
70 letters/week and phone and office supply costs.
It is the policy of MAAP Services for the Autism
Spectrum to keep confidential all personally identifying information
given by parents about themselves and their challenged loved ones
unless specific consent is received from the individual parents
to release such information.
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