05-17-2006, 03:17 PM
*Joint release...
**
Autism Speaks and GRASP to Exchange "Articles of Understanding"
*-- Two Leading Autism Organizations Will Post Articles Online in an Effort
to Foster a Respectful and Productive Dialogue About Their Differing
Viewpoints --
(May 17, 2006) -- Autism Speaks <http://www.autism speaks.org/> and
GRASP<http://www.gra sp.org/>(the Global Regional Aspergers
Partnership) will pen articles for each
other's web sites in an effort to create a substantive and mutually
respectful dialogue about why they differ on using the word "cure" in
relation to autism, the two organizations announced today. The articles,
which will be written by Autism Speaks Senior Vice President Alison Tepper
Singer and GRASP Executive Director Michael John Carley, will appear online
later this spring and present the organizations' differing viewpoints on
this specific issue. Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to
increasing awareness of autism and raising money to fund autism research,
uses the term "cure" in its discussions about autism spectrum disorders
while GRASP, the largest organization of adults diagnosed along the autism
spectrum, does not.
*About GRASP
*GRASP, the Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership, is an
educational and advocacy organization run by and for adult individuals on
the autism spectrum. As per their bylaws, 50% of their Board of Directors,
100% of their Advisory Board, and the Executive Director must be diagnosed
along the spectrum with either Asperger Syndrome, PDD, or Autism. Begun in
2003, GRASP planned on expanding nationally by its 7th year, but due to the
immense need for shared experience did so by its second year. GRASP already
has 12 regional networks stretching from Iowa and Virginia to CT, with many
more planned; performing outreach, advocacy, and intervention through the
peer-run support networks it runs. It is the largest incorporated
organization in the world comprised of adults on the autism spectrum. To
learn more about GRASP, visit http://www.gra sp.org.
*About Autism Speaks
*Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of the growing autism
epidemic and to raising money to fund scientists who are searching for a
cure. It was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright. Bob
Wright is Vice Chairman and Executive Officer, General Electric, and
Chairman and CEO, NBC Universal. Autism Speaks and the National Alliance
for Autism Research (NAAR) recently combined operations, bringing together
two of the leading organizations dedicated to accelerating and funding
biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for
autism spectrum disorders; to increasing awareness of the nation's fastest
growing developmental disorder; and to advocating for the needs of affected
families. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit
http://www.autism speaks.org
--------
Michael John Carley
Executive Director
GRASP
The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership, Inc.
135 East 15th Street
New York, NY 10003
646.242.4003
mjcarley@grasp.org
http://www.gras p.org
**
Autism Speaks and GRASP to Exchange "Articles of Understanding"
*-- Two Leading Autism Organizations Will Post Articles Online in an Effort
to Foster a Respectful and Productive Dialogue About Their Differing
Viewpoints --
(May 17, 2006) -- Autism Speaks <http://www.autism speaks.org/> and
GRASP<http://www.gra sp.org/>(the Global Regional Aspergers
Partnership) will pen articles for each
other's web sites in an effort to create a substantive and mutually
respectful dialogue about why they differ on using the word "cure" in
relation to autism, the two organizations announced today. The articles,
which will be written by Autism Speaks Senior Vice President Alison Tepper
Singer and GRASP Executive Director Michael John Carley, will appear online
later this spring and present the organizations' differing viewpoints on
this specific issue. Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to
increasing awareness of autism and raising money to fund autism research,
uses the term "cure" in its discussions about autism spectrum disorders
while GRASP, the largest organization of adults diagnosed along the autism
spectrum, does not.
*About GRASP
*GRASP, the Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership, is an
educational and advocacy organization run by and for adult individuals on
the autism spectrum. As per their bylaws, 50% of their Board of Directors,
100% of their Advisory Board, and the Executive Director must be diagnosed
along the spectrum with either Asperger Syndrome, PDD, or Autism. Begun in
2003, GRASP planned on expanding nationally by its 7th year, but due to the
immense need for shared experience did so by its second year. GRASP already
has 12 regional networks stretching from Iowa and Virginia to CT, with many
more planned; performing outreach, advocacy, and intervention through the
peer-run support networks it runs. It is the largest incorporated
organization in the world comprised of adults on the autism spectrum. To
learn more about GRASP, visit http://www.gra sp.org.
*About Autism Speaks
*Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of the growing autism
epidemic and to raising money to fund scientists who are searching for a
cure. It was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright. Bob
Wright is Vice Chairman and Executive Officer, General Electric, and
Chairman and CEO, NBC Universal. Autism Speaks and the National Alliance
for Autism Research (NAAR) recently combined operations, bringing together
two of the leading organizations dedicated to accelerating and funding
biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for
autism spectrum disorders; to increasing awareness of the nation's fastest
growing developmental disorder; and to advocating for the needs of affected
families. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit
http://www.autism speaks.org
--------
Michael John Carley
Executive Director
GRASP
The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership, Inc.
135 East 15th Street
New York, NY 10003
646.242.4003
mjcarley@grasp.org
http://www.gras p.org