presents
to benefit Tampa Bay area
children on the autistic spectrum
Come dressed to impress in your finest denim and bling and join us for some sensational music by THE TAMPA DJ Jimmy Cazin, incredible food, outstanding drinks, amazing live and silent auctions, and to help raise money and spread the word for Tampa Bay Area families in need during Autism Awareness Month. Bling and Jeans dress is strongly encouraged!
Celebrity MCs
Corey Dylan from AM Tampa Bay 970 WFLA
and
John Thomas from ABC Action News
In 2012 we raised over $20,000 and gave out our first grants to Tampa Bay area families. Our goal for this year is to raise $50,000 for more needy families in the Tampa Bay community. These are some of the costs that families with children on the autistic spectrum face every day:
- The majority of pediatric diagnosticians who are able to initially diagnose autism do not take insurance. The minimum cost for the first visit is $300, not counting the follow-up visit.
- The recommended amount of basic therapies is 2 hours a week (speech and occupational therapy) with an annual cost of $15,600.
- A child who also needs PT (physical therapy) incurs a cost of $23,400 a year.
- When a child starts out with Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy, a minimum of 10 hours per week is recommended. The standard rate for an ABA paraprofessional is $50 an hour. A licensed Board Certified Behavior Analyst typically charges $100 an hour.
- Yearly costs for ABA therapies can exceed $24,000 not including program updates and any other outside services such as help with Individual Education Plans or consultation meetings.
