First Coast Cultural Center received a grant from the Autism License Plate Fund and the Autism Services Grants Council to support programs that serve individuals with autism and related disabilities.
Candice Sirak, senior music therapist and SCMT manager at FCCC, said the grant enables them to provide structured, data-informed music therapy services to elementary students with special needs, particularly those in Title-I schools, including students living in St. Johns County.
Sound Connections Music Therapy, an FCCC outreach program, works with more than 300 St. Johns County students per week.
“SCMT supports students with autism and related disabilities by providing no-cost therapeutic interventions within the school setting,” she said in a news release.
Sirak described the sessions as engaging, accessible and grounded in measurable outcomes with continuous progress monitoring.
“We apply clinically validated techniques to target individualized goals across communication, language, academic readiness and social-emotional functioning,” she said.
According to the release, in 2019, the Florida Legislature authorized the “Support Autism Services” specialty autism license plate.
The Autism Services Grants Council was also created to oversee grants used to fund service programs for individuals with autism and related disabilities and their families.
Funds raised by the council are generated by the sale of the Florida “Support Autism Programs” specialty license plates. Since then, nearly 15,000 Florida “Support Autism Programs” specialty license plates have been sold.
In September, the council awarded approximately $160,000 from the sales of the specialty license plates to nonprofit organizations that provide vital services to Floridians with autism and related disabilities.
“Florida’s nonprofit organizations are working tirelessly to increase access to programs and resources aimed at improving the lives of children and adults with autism and their families,” said Jennifer Stewart, chair of the Autism Services Grants Council in Florida. “Funding from every purchase or renewal of a Florida autism license plate makes it possible to reach even more people, opening doors, fostering inclusion and making a real difference in people’s lives.”
The release noted that the Autism License Plate Fund and the Autism Services Grant Council are administered by Arc Broward, a nationally accredited, Florida, non-profit, Section 501(c)(3) exempt organization. Grantees are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations providing services to individuals with autism and related disabilities in Florida and are registered as a charitable organization with the State of Florida.
For more information, visit autismlicenseplate.com/grants, call 954-746-9400, or contact info@autismlicenseplate.com.
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: First Coast Cultural Center in St. Johns County receives grant from Autism License Plate Fund
Reporting by Lucia Viti, St. Augustine Record / St. Augustine Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
