Testimonials

President Kathleen Owens, PhD

When the idea to create Gwynedd-Mercy College’s Autism Institute was first introduced to me, I thought that it would make an ideal addition to our School of Education for several reasons. First and foremost, the Institute serves as a valuable resource for our aspiring teachers, providing practical, hands-on learning in partnership with our on-campus preschool, The Valie Genuardi Hobbit House. It not only serves our College community, but also benefits our surrounding community. In keeping with the Mercy values our College was founded on, this Institute is an educational resource for area teachers and administrators, along with families of children on the autism spectrum. Encompassing what our College is all about, the Institute aligns us with the educational demands of our modern society while providing needed services for all. The nation-wide growth of children on the autism spectrum is a critical issue that our College will address in the years to come as our Institute expands with the programs that it will offer.

Dennis O’Brien, Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Gwynedd-Mercy College’s Autism Institute represents the kind of educational initiative that I support for the many Pennsylvanians who are caring for children on the autism spectrum. Through my position as honorary chairman of the Pennsylvania Autism Task Force, I advocate funding for autism research, opportunities and treatments. The Autism Institute, which understands as I do that early diagnosis and intervention can make all the difference in improving autistic symptoms, is addressing this national issue at the local level. Its workshops and activities benefit our entire community providing accessible information to those who need it most – the students (and future teachers) of Gwynedd-Mercy College, local educators and families of autistic children. I am proud that such a unique program exists in Montgomery County. The formation of the Autism Institute also comes on the heels of a very important bill signed by former Governor Ed Rendell. House Bill 1150, also referred to as the autism insurance reform bill, ends the categorical exclusion of autism services by private health insurance companies and provides coverage for autism services up to $36,000 per year for individuals under the age of 21, addressing the billions of dollars spent annually for children on the autism spectrum. Great strides are being made to provide needed funding and services for this issue and the College’s Autism Institute will undoubtedly contribute to these efforts