Autism Alliance Of Michigan

Pillar 2 consists of aaom's statewide educational initiaves which have addressed the chronic systemic barriers to quality, inclusive educational opportunities for students with disabilities since 2020. Major advocacy initiatives include special education finance reform, inclusive learning environments, and improved accountabiity across all levels of michigan's education system. The objective of aaom's educational initiatives is to improve academic and post secondary outcomes for students with disabilities by empowering parents to better advocate for their child while also leading efforts to improve the educational experiences of this population. Ultimately, improved graduation rates, reduced seclusion and restraint, and greater readiness for employment and community living are outcomes we hope to achieve over multiple years.the primary forum for advancing educational initiatives in the mi parent, advocates, and attorneys (mipaac) grassroots coalition. In 2024, 400 total members joined this effort. Advocacy wins included passage of the dyslexia bills and aaom's legislative allocation to develop a special education finance model to equitably and adequately fund services and supports for students with disabilities

Aaom's pillar 3 initiatives are aimed at adult living challenges and include programs to connect job seekers to employment, provide job readiness resources and community living skills to this segment of the population. Aaom has also launched programmatic and advocacy efforts to reduce the significant barriers of housing and long term care needs for individual with autism. Improved quality of life into adulthood is the objective of pillar 3 initiatives - access to quality housing options, benefit management, community and social opportunities for those across the spectrum of needs is the primary goal of our work in this area.aaom has partnered with yoldbe/milife - the job connection platform/app being powered by ai technology and aaom employment specialists. 50 candidates have benefited from this program. 10 employer education/consultation services were provided to increase disability hiring in small to large michigan companies. Strategic planning commenced in fall of 2024 to expand the adult living pillar to address needs addressed above.

Aaom has multiple, diverse community outreach and training activities to increase autism awareness and acceptance, inclusion and general support of persons with autism in michigan. These include; first responder training, autism 101, professional series to increase identification of early signs of autism, employer trainings, and parent educational advocacy activities.