Finding therapy providers, the need for information/education, financial assistance and help with time restraints are the common challenges experienced by most special needs families. The following in is our attempt to help the autism/special needs community.

Therapy Providers/Services

Most all families struggle to find therapy providers and quality habilitation/respite services.

• Therapy Providers Search: This easy-to-use tool enables families to search for a variety of Arizona therapy providers from on our website.
• Provider and Habilitation/Respite Services Matching Program: A free online software application that will simplify the search and scheduling process of matching therapies/services desired with therapy/service providers (coming soon).

Information/Education

We all are trying to better educate ourselves and decipher that vast amount of information found on the Internet and other resources.

Information Center: Our goal is to simplify the information gathering and evaluating process. Our ever-expanding Information Center provides multiple perspectives to a variety of topics. Our approach is to provide multiple perspectives from leading authorities on autism related topics. This will provide our readers the opportunity to gather multiple viewpoints from a single location and form the best-educated decisions for their family’s needs.

Financial Assistance

Many families have made financial sacrifices in order to make sure their loved ones with autism receive the services needed for a better quality of life. In our current economic climate, finding means for supplemental and/or primary income is growing concern.

• Parent Partnering Program: Our collaboration with the Hope Group enables children with special needs to receive critical care from those who care the most, the parents. Parents are matched with other families needed care and receive compensation for working close to and in conjunction with their loved ones with special needs. Our Parent Partnering Program is a free service with no fees for training/certification and no experience is required.
• VitaMist "Give Back to the Community" Fundraiser Program: VitaMist’s effort to help families and organizations, especially those who live and work in the special needs community. The objectives of the fundraiser program:
1. Provide vitamins and minerals by means of VitaMist’s unique oral spray application at a reduced price everyone can afford
2. Provide year round financial support to the underfunded organizations that provide vital assistance to the community
3. Provide an income source for members

Time Challenges

We all have lengthy therapy schedules and have a limited amount of time and availability.

ARF Help Center: Our long-term goal to make a tremendous impact on the autism community. We are working towards opening our first facility in Arizona within the next few years. Our goal is to have multiple ARF Help Centers opened nationwide. The ARF Help Center will be an all-encompassing facility that will feature Therapy Rooms (single location for therapy services), Viewing Rooms, Information Center (computer access), Classrooms, Support Group Meeting Rooms and Fun Center/Theatre.

Additional Programs

• Computers For Autism:   The world of computer aided technology (Internet, software applications, etc.) is used to make a positive impact on the lives of those with ASD. This program provides free computers to schools and families that do not have the financial means to benefit from these technologies.
• Keep The Faith: A program to assist places of worship, regardless of denomination or religious beliefs, to deal with special need issues (coming soon).