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El Centro proclaims April Autism Acceptance Month; nonprofit expands mobile evaluations
Summary
Council proclaimed April as Autism Acceptance Month and heard from James Gonzalez and Gloria Bambila about a mobile evaluation unit providing Spanish-language autism assessments; staff and volunteers have conducted 13 evaluations with a backlog of about 60 families.
The City of El Centro proclaimed April as Autism Acceptance Month and April 2 as World Autism Acceptance Day during the March 16 council meeting.
James Gonzalez and Gloria Bambila—volunteer organizers with Autism Support of Imperial County—described a countywide mobile evaluation unit that provides Spanish‑language autism evaluations and other services. Gonzalez said the mobile unit has performed 13 evaluations so far and diagnosed six individuals in El Centro through partnerships with local clinics and schools. Bambila, a parent and longtime volunteer, described the importance of early diagnosis and intervention and urged continued community and council support for expanding services.
Gonzalez and Bambila emphasized long waitlists and the limited availability of Spanish-language diagnostic services in Imperial County; Gonzalez said there is a backlog of roughly 60 families awaiting evaluations and that volunteers and visiting clinicians are currently covering the need. The speakers invited council and community members to an April 11 autism fair and 5K (Agar Park) and asked for support for outreach and volunteer staffing.
The council read and approved a proclamation recognizing autism acceptance and thanked the volunteers for their service.
Follow-up: the nonprofit said it is pursuing grants and partnerships to expand the unit’s capacity and to hire or fund more clinicians for ongoing evaluations.
