SILVER SPRING, Md., March 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Little Leaves Behavioral Services, a leading provider of center-based behavioral health services for children, today announced Amie Perl, senior vice president of operations, received the 2021 Provider Advocate of the Year Award at the Autism Law Summit which took place in Columbia, South Carolina. The award recognizes providers who tirelessly contribute to the never-ending fight for individuals with autism to gain access to the services they deserve.
The Autism Law Summit is an annual gathering of parent advocates, autism service providers, lawyers, individuals with autism, lobbyists, and legislators from across the United States who are interested in the politics and policy of autism spectrum disorders. Now in its 15th year, the Summit creates space for interactive, high-level, expert-facilitated conversations on improving health insurance, Medicaid, and adult services for people with autism.
“People diagnosed with autism deserve advocates in their corner who are bright, articulate and empathetic. Amie Perl is a perfect example of someone who possesses these qualities,” said Judith Ursitti, vice president of community affairs for The Council of Autism Service Providers, who presented Perl with the award. “Amie’s perseverance in ensuring that families have access to evidence-based care has made a remarkable difference over the past decade. The Autism Law Summit is proud to honor her as our Provider Advocate of the Year for 2021.”
Perl joined Little Leaves in 2010. During her time with the organization, she’s developed a passion for helping families and providers navigate the challenges of insurance coverage for applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She has been engaged in advocacy efforts at the state and national levels.
“The Autism Law Summit community is an incredibly inspirational, passionate, intelligent, and driven group of people and I am honored to receive this award,” said Perl. “When I joined the field, the Law Summit community taught me everything I know about insurance coverage for autism, and allowed me to bring that knowledge back to Little Leaves to effectively support our clients. Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of sharing my knowledge and expertise with others, while also supporting advocacy efforts.”
Perl graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in applied mathematics from Harvard University and holds a MBA from Harvard Business School. She resides with her family in Washington, D.C.
“Amie is dedicated to helping children with social, communication, and behavioral challenges grow and succeed so they can participate as fully as possible in their families and communities,” said Marina Major, president Little Leaves. “On behalf of everyone at Little Leaves, I congratulate her on this outstanding achievement and continued success.”
Little Leaves Behavioral Services offers high-quality evidence-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for young children with an autism spectrum disorder. The program is run in a preschool-like setting to help improve a child’s school-readiness skills, as well as build their independence. They currently operate 11 centers across Maryland, Virginia, and Florida, with three new centers coming soon to support more families in additional communities. Little Leaves Behavioral Services is accredited by the Behavioral Health Centers of Excellence®. ABA is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Academies of Science and the Surgeon General.
About Little Leaves Behavioral Services
Little Leaves, a division of FullBloom, is a center-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program for young children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder run in a preschool-like setting. It is designed for children up to age 6 who have been recommended for intensive ABA services. Each client works one-on-one with a trained behavior technician on individualized goals with a focus on social communication, social interactions, and school readiness skills. The company operates centers in Maryland, Virginia, and Florida. Little Leaves is accredited by the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence. www.littleleaves.org