CGI America

This week I had the opportunity to attend the Clinton Global Initiative America conference as a volunteer. The Clinton Global Initiative is a non-partisan organization that promotes commitments to action that measurably improve America and the world. In fact, A Global Voice for Autism is a Clinton Global Initiative Commitment that I made for the CGI University conference this past April. Hearing speeches by former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and a dialogue between former President Bill Clinton and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was inspiring to say the least, but the number of high-level professionals who dedicated their weekends to making commitments concerning Early Childhood Education was especially inspiring.

Because this was a conference about American advancement, the individuals that were present primarily represented local, statewide and national organizations. However, one point  is universally agreed upon: parental involvement in early education is crucial.

Whether a child is involved in a Head Start program or ABA therapy, the commitment of the parents to their success plays a large role in the ability of the child to succeed. Hilary spent the early part of her career working at the Children’s Defense Fund where she advocated for special needs children who were denied access to special education. In situations where schooling is not an option for special needs children (as is the case in Jenin), parental engagement becomes even more important for a child’s success. Before a child reaches the age of 5, 700 new neural connections are formed every minute. These connections lay the foundation for behavior and learning. Activities such as reading to children and engaging with them socially enable a child’s healthy development. Autism is never a parent’s fault but by engaging with their children, parents help their child maximize their ability to succeed.

Just like the Clinton Foundation, we believe that partnerships are key to making progress whether working domestically or abroad. For this reason, our intervention services focus on teaching parents how to work with and to advocate for their children. In addition to information about autism and training in ABA, parents will be taught about nutrition (a post about our nutritionist Jan Katzen will be coming soon!), taking their children into the community and about the potential of individuals with autism. We hope that the parents in our program and in the Jenin community will no longer feel helpless and that they will realize the amazing things of which their children are capable and will understand that their involvement makes a significant difference in their child’s success and quality of life.

To watch Hilary Clinton’s full speech about early childhood development click HERE.