When Paije Lopez’s sons were all diagnosed with autism, she quickly realized how few resources were available and just how many gaps needed to be filled.
“Once you get the autism diagnosis, you kind of have to rely on yourself to figure out what to do next. Unfortunately, the waiting list for resources is extremely long. We wanted to figure out how to help our children while we waited for other resources to become available,” says Lopez.
Determined to help her sons and other families just like her’s, Lopez founded the ATA-Lopez Foundation. The organization offers services to families to help them navigate the journey to an autism diagnosis, as well as educating them on what to expect and what to do post-diagnosis.
“There is some grief that comes with the diagnosis, so we help parents with processing the diagnosis, [including] IEP preparation, support and advocacy, guidance for helping parents find therapy resources, mom meet ups, and inclusive playdates,” she explains.
At a recent playdate, the organization hosted nearly 300 children and their families. Mom meets are also a great success and a much-needed resource for moms navigating the experience.
Currently, the organization has been heavily focusing on IEP education. Lopez shares, “In order to get an IEP, you have to have some sort of a medical diagnosis that affects children developmentally. For my first child, I fought for three years, involved a lawyer in the process, and had no idea how to navigate the process. The support that you can receive for an IEP is crucial for a child’s learning environment, speech, OT, adapted P.E. classes, and other accommodations for the classroom setting. When you first begin this journey, you don’t know your rights as a parent, and it can feel overwhelming and pressuring. This preparation gives them the confidence to help their kids receive an IEP. Also, I will personally go with the parents to the IEP meetings.”
With the support the organization provides, Lopez has seen parents’ confidence soar in IEP meetings. They’re more prepared and able to advocate for their child more effectively. Playdates are also a welcome support.
“There are so many families that have come to our playdates and are in tears afterwards [because they] receive such loving support from the community. They aren’t judged in this environment, and it’s an incredible thing to witness. A lot of our families are grateful to have this,” says Lopez.
While families may reach out to the organization for many different reasons, regardless of the reason, Lopez has made it her mission to be able to provide these services to families free of charge.
“My main goal was to never charge a family in need, even as an LLC. It’s a difficult process for parents to deal with, and we didn’t want to place that extra financial burden on them,” she shares.
Many families often fall through the cracks or don’t end up receiving the support they need. Through the ATA-Lopez Foundation, families aren’t getting left behind. For more information, visit them on Facebook at ATA-Lopez Foundation and follow them on Instagram @the_ata_lopez_foundation.
