Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
PROVIDENCE, RI — In an effort to improve outcomes for neurodiverse children – including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental disabilities, and behavioral challenges — and get these students the personalized assistance they need, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today joined students and staff at the Groden Center to celebrate a $100,000 earmark that Senator Reed secured to update the Groden Center’s technology infrastructure to allow for more customized treatment plans using data-based decision-making.
The new information technology acquisition and upgrades will help the Groden Center support students and families. Groden is partnering with Providence-based Envision Technology Advisors to build a new data-driven decision-making platform that will examine measurables which can be tracked through various organizational databases and present data to help educators and leadership make informed decisions, improve communication, and ensure every student’s needs are being met with effective, person-centered support and services.
“Dr. June Groden has been a pioneer for effective, caring, person-centered treatments and services for individuals on the autism spectrum. The Groden Center has become a network, supporting neurodiverse children, adults, and families through comprehensive services. It is able to achieve great outcomes by mobilizing experts in the field, incorporating the latest research into its practices, and involving and supporting clients and families,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, who included the funding in the fiscal year 2022 appropriations law. “A key component to expanding opportunities and delivering services is technology. That is why, I am pleased to deliver $100,000 to help the Groden Center upgrade its technology infrastructure. This funding will make it easier to design more customized treatment plans for clients and analyze data to support effective decision making. It is a smart investment in our people and our future.”
“We are so grateful to Senator Reed for his leadership in helping us secure this $100,000 earmark to support the young people we serve by allowing us to create a Business Intelligence platform. The Power of Business Intelligence will allow the Network to stay on the cutting edge of technology; analyze and report on clinical outcomes and most importantly, it will provide us another tool most to support the children in our care every year,” said Groden’s CEO Michael Pearis.
During the visit, Pearis and Dr. Groden led Senator Reed on a classroom tour to meet with students and staff.
The Groden Center, part of the Groden Network, provides programs and services to assist children and youth (ages 5 to 22) with ASD and a range of developmental disabilities and behavioral challenges. It was founded in 1976 by Doctors June and Jerry Groden who saw an unmet need for services and treatments for people on the autism spectrum.
ASD is an umbrella term that refers to a group of complex neuro-developmental disorders characterized by difficulties with communication and social interactions, alongside restricted, repetitive behavior patterns.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately one in 44 children have ASD in the United States.