Autismo Burgos

Extended name: Autismo Burgos
Country: Spain
Website: http://www.autismoburgos.es/
Reference person: María Merino Martínez
Email of the reference person: autismoburgos@autismoburgos.org

Autismo Burgos is a parental Nonprofit Association of social initiative founded in 1984, member of Autism Europe, Autismo España, Federación de Autismo Castilla y León. Its main objective is to promote the well-being and improve the quality of life of people with autism and their families by creating, developing and/or optimizing the required services in order to meet their specific needs.

About Autismo Burgos

Autismo Burgos develops a permanent collaboration with public and private institutions (education, social and health care fields). Furthermore, it works closely with other associations on the social field and promotes professional development and training in disability and autism areas.

The Association attends 294 users and their families; 110 professionals work in it.

Services provided include:

Assessments of special and specific needs for people with autism
Special Education School for children with autism
High Functioning Service
Family support
Day Centre for Adults
Leisure time Service
Residential Service to improve independent life and family support
Design and Development of special software
Diagnostic Assessment and Guidance
Early intervention service

Its Quality policy is focused on people, professionalization, Innovation attitude, Transparency, Scientific evidence based, Community based, and Lifelong learning education. Its approach consists of promoting personal skills and of wealth-producing participation in the bosom of the community. They consider that the education applied to all the areas of the life of the individual is the best tool to contribute to the achievement of the above mentioned goals.

Staff

María Merino Martínez

Role: Director of the Comprehensive Psychosocial Support program for people with autism
Country: Spain
Mail: psicologia@autismoburgos.org

María Merino is director of the Comprehensive Psychosocial Support program for people with autism (APITEA) at Autismo Burgos. Management of the BBMIRADAS program, interested in the development of comprehensive intervention programs in functional skills and life skills in people with autism, as part of that objective has promoted the development of pioneering programs such as the TECNOARTEA talent promotion program, the First Lego League or its Phd thesis about life skills in adolescents. Coordinator of research and awareness projects, she currently directs the work table on women and ASD of the Spanish Association of Autism Professionals. She has also published several free guides and participated in popular publications, scientific, the compilation All about asperger and awareness stories. She has been a speaker at the World Autism congress. She has collaborated with training and stays in countries such as the Czech Republic, Argentina or Chile.

Beatriz Hortigüela Martínez

Role: Psychologist
Country: Spain
Mail: beatriz.hortiguela@autismoburgos.org

Beatriz is psychologist from the University of Salamanca (Spain) and also of the University of Padova (Italy). She joined Autismo Burgos in 2017 and she currently works in APITEA (Comprehensive psychosocial care for people with autism) developing different actions such as Social Skills Training (SST), Academic Support and teaching autonomy as a Personal Assistant for the development of autonomy and independence in people with autism. Besides, for 4 years she has also gived more than 300 hours of gender issue, and she carried on an experimental study about gender discrimination at the University of Burgos.