Pennsylvania county receives $20,000 to create Autism Information Resource Center

From The Times Tribune in Scranton, Pa.:

Lackawanna County Commissioners approved a plan to use a $20,000 state grant to create an eight-county "clearinghouse" for resources related to autism.

The state Department of Community and Economic Development has agreed to front a one-time grant to help build the infrastructure for the Autism Information Resource Center, said county Director of Human Services Teresa Osborne. The eight counties' Mental Health/Mental Retardation programs will help create it.

"The families (of autistic children) felt there really was a need for a clearinghouse such as this," Ms. Osborne said.

She said the county does not intend to create another layer of administration - it will mean hiring a person to staff the resource center - but to make it easier for people to access programs in Northeast Pennsylvania.

The counties participating are Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming.