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SCRANTON — Beginning the fulfillment of a promise made last September to those dealing with autism, a new Autism Collaborative Centers of Excellence (ACCE) Executive Hub opened Thursday on the University of Scranton campus.
The project is being spearheaded by the AllOne Foundation, formed as part of the merger of Blue Cross of NEPA into Highmark Health. the ACCE initiative is getting support from six other foundations with health-care related missions and regional agencies and institutions including the University of Scranton.
“AllOne Foundation had a vision to develop a sustainable framework to address existing service gaps in care for those with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder),” AllOne Board Chair John Moses said during a ceremony outside the hub’s new Mulberry Street location. “Through the execution of this initiative and the research data we will be collecting, we are seeking to create a national model for scientifically-sound innovation for providing ASD care.”
Attorney Moses repeated a boast he made when the ACCE initiative was announced in Wilkes-Barre last year. Combined, the foundations are “able to make the largest private philanthropic investment in a single health issue in Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania.”
The Jesuit University of Scranton will served as the hub of five centers in the 13 county area formerly served by Blue Cross of NEPA, including Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming. the other centers will include Misericordia University, the Friendship House, Wyoming Valley Children’s Association and Geisinger Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute.
The goal of the initiative is to develop a comprehensive approach to identifying and treated ASD, and build a coordinated regional care and support system.