April, Autism Awareness Month: Guides and Training Programs by CAMHI

World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day observed every year on April 2nd, encouraging United Nations member states, including Greece, to take action to raise awareness about autism worldwide. It was established by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly (A/RES/62/139) on November 1, 2007, and approved on December 18, 2007.

Not only this day but the entire month of April is considered Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month.

The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative, aiming to contribute to familiarizing the public with the key aspects of the complex world of individuals with autism, presents a mini-guide that answers the most common questions one might have about this subject.

The guide was written by Professor Katerina Papanikolaou, Child Psychiatrist at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA), Director of the University Child Psychiatry Clinic at “Aghia Sophia” General Hospital, founder of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Special Clinic at the same hospital, and Head of the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative’s Hub Center in Athens.

Additionally, CAMHI contributes to raising awareness among teachers about autism through the Basic Training Program, which is aimed at teachers in public primary and secondary education and includes topics related to developmental disorders. Updated information on Autism Spectrum Disorder for healthcare professionals can be found here. CAMHI has already included autism awareness in its Training Program for Healthcare Professionals.

All the Guides and training programs of the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative are implemented in collaboration with the Child Mind Institute, with exclusive support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) under the Global Health Initiative of SNF.