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Tallahassee, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health is proud to highlight important resources and encourage statewide awareness of autism during National Autism Month this April. Bright Expectations is Florida’s site dedicated to helping our residents with unique abilities find the support, resources, and inspiration they and their families need to break barriers, defy expectations, and achieve the brightest futures they can imagine.

“Every child is unique, and every family’s needs are different,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary Dr. Celeste Philip. “This National Autism Month, it is important for families affected by autism to know that there are resources available to assist persons with unique abilities and help them succeed. This site will provide you with stories, information and resources to help you as you start this journey.”

Autism Spectrum Disorder can interfere with a child’s rate and pattern of development. Individuals with autism may have difficulties in the areas of communication, social skills and behavior. There is no single identifiable cause, and there is no known cure, but certain interventions may greatly help affected skill areas. While many have speculated, studies have shown that important disease preventing immunizations do not contribute to autism.

Bright Expectations is the department’s website to provide resources and information on several developmental disabilities for pregnant women, health care providers, parents and families. This website is a portal to provide information on evaluation and intervention services, support programs for families, resources for health care providers, and serve as a clearinghouse of information on developmental disabilities.  

Visit the Bright Expectation’s website to learn more.

To learn more about Florida’s resources for individuals with autism, visit Bright Expectation’s Autism Resources page.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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