FIRST PLACE AZ APPLICATION GRIC 2017.PDF

Last updated: 02/20/2017
General information
Organization First Place–AZ
Contact First name Denise
Contact Last name Resnik
Contact e-mail denise@firstplaceaz.org
Contact phone number 602-733-6525
Address
Street 717 E. Maryland Ave., Ste. 110
City Phoenix
State AZ
ZIP Code 85014
From what tribe is the organization requesting the grant?
Gila River Indian Community
Total grant amount request
75,000
The Gila River Indian Community offers multi-year awards. If your organization is
requesting a multi-year grant for this project or program from the Gila River Indian
Community, enter the amount to be requested each year.
Amount
Year 1 (Gila River Indian Community Grants Only) 75,000
Year 2 (Gila River Indian Community Grants Only)
Year 3 (Gila River Indian Community Grants Only)
Year 4 (Gila River Indian Community Grants Only)
Year 5 (Gila River Indian Community Grants Only)
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Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2017
Cover Sheet
Municipality Information
1. Date of Application: 2/28/2017 (NOTE: Click or use up/down arrow keys to move among fields)
2. Name of City, Town or County: Phoenix
3. Mayor (City or Town) or Board of Supervisor’s Chairman (County): Denny Barney, Chairman
4. Mailing Address: 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor
5. City: Phoenix State: Arizona Zip Code: 85003
6. Acknowledgement of Submission by Authorized Municipality Representative:
Typed Name/Title: Melody Henderson, Administrative Coordinator Signature:
Applicant Information
7. Department/Organization Name: First Place–AZ
8. Is this a 501c non-profit Organization? No Yes If yes, attach IRS Determination Letter
9. Application Contact Person: Denise D. Resnik Title: Founder, President & CEO
10. Phone Number: 602-733-6525
11. Mailing Address: 717 E. Maryland Ave., Suite 110
12. City: Phoenix State: Arizona Zip Code: 85014
13. Email Address: denise@firstplaceaz.org Website Address: firstplaceaz.org
Project Information
14. Project Name: Lifelong Networking for Communities of Support, or LLNCS (pronounced “LINKS”)
15. Purpose of Grant: To fund the start-up of the LLNCS program, a coaching forum for parents of adults
with autism and different abilities that empowers them to take important steps toward establishing
current/future plans and building a supportive community network for their adult children.
16. Priority Funding Area Economic Development
17. Annual amount requested $75,000
18. Number of years that funding is Year 1
requested
19. Total amount requested (annual $75,000
amount x number of years)
20. Has your organization received past No
funding from GRIC? If yes, list each year
and amount
21. Geographic area served Phoenix Metropolitan Area
For Office Use Only:
Data Entry Receipt Evaluation
Outcome  Approval Recommended/Amount $  Denial

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2017
Narrative
Please structure your proposal to provide the following information in the order indicated. Provide the narrative
in paragraph form in the text field provided. Please be thorough but strive for brevity.
1. Briefly describe the organization’s history, mission and goals.
First Place® AZ is a nonprofit organization established in 2012 that aspires to set new
standards for supportive community development, integrating adults with autism and other special
abilities into the fabric of society through housing, employment, healthcare, lifelong education,
supportive systems and culture. Our goal is to ensure that housing and community options are as
bountiful for individuals with autism and other disabilities as they are for everyone else.
Led by market principles, First Place is creating replicable residential and post-secondary education
models that promote collaboration among the private, public and nonprofit sectors to serve as catalysts
for advancing public policy focused on housing solutions for special populations. Such advances
support local economic development and create opportunities for long-term employment and
independent or, more accurately, interdependent living for members of this population.
Our work captured the attention of PBS NewsHour through two nationally broadcast segments,
featuring Greater Phoenix as the world’s “most autism-friendly city.” We are now leveraging the
investment of 20 years in community development by the Southwest Autism Research & Resource
Center (SARRC) and First Place AZ by addressing the needs of a neuro-diverse population of adults
with different abilities that is transitioning to independent living.
Set in the heart of downtown, our first property, First Place–Phoenix, broke ground in December 2016
and is set for completion in spring of 2018. This unique development offers three primary components:
1) The First Place Apartments will provide access to various services and amenities—with all the
benefits of community-connected, independent living—by a broad range of differently abled adults; 2)
The First Place Transition Academy will offer courses and skills-based training, including career
development, to help residents find employment and live more independently; and 3) The First Place
National Leadership Institute will conduct additional research and provide support, serving as a hub for
learning and facilitating replication.
2. If the applying organization is non-municipal or a non-profit 501c, please describe your relationship with
Arizona municipalities including past and present support, whether it be through partnerships,
collaborations, in-kind contributions, grants, tax-based funding or other. Describe the supporting

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2017
municipality’s role in this project. If the applying organization is a municipality governmental sub-
division please enter the text “Not applicable.”
First Place has received the following government funding:
• Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority (IDA): $335,000 community investment grant for
the First Place Leadership Institute’s Center for Training, Education and Employment
• Phoenix IDA: $250,000 community investment grant for the First Place Transition Academy
expansion
• Arizona Department of Housing: $2.6 million grant in 2014 for the development of the Foundation for
Senior Living property at 29 Palms in Phoenix, which currently includes the First Place Transition
Academy beta site and will serve as home for future second-year students. 29 Palms co-locates
seniors with students with autism at an affordable-housing property.
3. Describe the proposed project and planned goals and activities.
First Place will be a first “home away from home” for many adults with autism and other special
needs. Their parents have been their lifelong lifelines of constant support. These individuals face
limited-to-nonexistent options for independent lives in their communities without access to jobs, people,
places and activities.
First Place is seeking seed funding to develop the LLNCS program, spearheaded by a group of parents
of adults with autism and other special abilities, with a mission to connect, or “link,” and coach families
with action-oriented outcomes, paving the way to more independent living for these adults and peace of
mind for their families. This grassroots program begins by serving First Place residents, students and
prospective families with the goal of broadening support to include other special needs families
throughout Arizona.
As members of LLNCS, parents can advocate for their children by:
• Building a supportive community
• Providing guidance in a collaborative environment
• Determining the right questions to ask to meet their adult children’s needs
• Sharing valuable information, including learning/networking opportunities
• Engaging and encouraging participants to contribute their time and talents
• Connecting through personal relationships and new friendships
Seed funding from the Gila River Indian Community will enable the development of a stronger and
more resilient community. LLNCS is organized around a “peace of mind portfolio” incorporating these
four areas:
1. Financial strategies to help ensure sustained, independent living
2. Health and wellness planning to encourage self-reliance in managing individual healthcare needs
3. Legal checklists for families to include wills, advanced directives and long-term care and support

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2017
4. The creation of a supportive network starting with the needs and personal preferences of the
individual, with the goal of cultivating and building community connections
The focus of this grant request is area #4, community building, as LLNCS helps families navigate the
maze of organizations and services needed to build a short- and long-term ecosystem for their adult
children. A formal program plan and pilot will be tested involving the families, students and residents of
First Place before it is made available to individuals beyond those associated with First Place who are
facing similar circumstances.
Major Goals:
• Educate families about the types of services and support options available
• Provide access to vital information and expertise
• Provide peer support and coaching
• Guide families during the transition journey through the action-oriented LLNCS program, fostering
collaboration and welcoming ideas for lasting benefits to both residents and the community at large
LLNCS will provide a forum for parents of adults with autism and different abilities to connect and share
various skills, backgrounds and experiences, as well as provide guidance in building safe, supportive
communities for their adult children, whose independence and self-reliance have been a long-term
goal—if not a dream. LLNCS offers the opportunity for collaboration in a setting that builds trust,
confidence and peace of mind among parents experiencing similar challenges as they determine and
take those crucial next steps on behalf of their adult children.
For many people with autism and other special abilities, social interaction and communication can be a
challenge and even an obstacle to independent living. Consequently, many affected individuals tend to
be technologically competent and dependent. Content curated through seed funding for LLNCS will
have even greater impact with the future development a navigational app for portable devices like
smartphones and tablets. This app will enhance successful mobility throughout the community, allowing
the user to make his or her own choices for activities, restaurants, entertainment, job pursuits and
wellness. Such choices promote confidence and self-sufficiency, critical components of independent
living.
Replicability and transferability will also enable greater numbers of other special populations to benefit
from access to this type of technology tool; and family members can also support those whose
disabilities stand in the way of using it themselves, facilitating ongoing efforts to engage the community.
4. Describe how the proposed project satisfies one or more of the priority funding areas identified by the
Gila River Indian Community.
LLNCS provides the type of support—organization, coordination, implementation—that enables
adults with autism and other special abilities to participate in those parts of life that define
independence: community engagement as active consumers and valued productive employees and/or
volunteers. Parents and other dedicated volunteer members will receive training to guide other parents
who can in turn guide their adult children toward the goal of independence and interdependence.

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
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A key element of the LLNCS program is the Community Life Manager (CLM), the link between
residential life at First Place and the broader community that creates a lasting sense of connection. The
CLM’s role addresses the creation of a supportive community network noted in item #4 above, which
involves community building and its positive effect on economic development. The CLM is also
resourceful and mindful of “big and small” issues that can create a smile or heal a heart.
The Community Life Manager:
• Works with families as their adult children transition for the very first time to independent lives at
First Place
• Serves as liaison between First Place and the community at large
• Works closely with the LLNCS Parent/Volunteer Coordinator, who interfaces directly with volunteers
• Oversees all facets that bring people together—inside and outside of First Place—through regular,
enriching activities and gatherings
• Focuses on creating and perpetuating a culture of cooperation inside First Place while leveraging
the assets of an engaged community that leads by example and helps residents live more fulfilling
lives
The CLM will enable First Place to connect residents and their interests to local businesses that cater to
those interests and perpetuate a supportive culture of kindness, understanding and acceptance.
Consequently, local businesses can benefit from proximity to First Place’s ready source of consumers
and potential employees. And as residents and students become more acquainted with and connected
to community places and faces, the outcome is more accessible on-ramps to job opportunities for this
qualified yet chronically underserved/underemployed population.
5. Identify the needs/problems to be addressed, target population and number of people to be served by
the project.
Once the decision is made to take that daunting next step to First Place or another place away
from the family home, parents themselves face a whole new set of challenges: how to ensure their
adult children will thrive in a safe, supportive environment—and how to find supportive parental
resources to ensure a successful transition for the entire family. These challenges are overwhelming for
individuals and families when they try to address them alone. We recognize strength in numbers and
the need for innovative solutions when considering current data and these lifelong challenges:
• Autism is the largest disability group among adults in the U.S.
• The incidence of autism today is 1 in 68 compared with 1 in 2,500 20 years ago.
• The unemployment rate among adults with autism is 86%.
• 500,000 children with austism are entering adulthood this decade.
• The lifetime incremental cost per individual in this population: $2.4 million
Parents have a plethora of duties—including checklists, schedules and timelines—as they guide their
adult children toward various goals and milestones. These demands can be overwhelming. Who

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2017
supports these parents whose lives are dedicated to supporting their special needs children? And what
about the crushing burden on aging parents in the future?
The momentous decision to facilitate their adult children’s move out of the family home and into a
“home of their own” can seem unimaginable, if not impossible. But with funding for programmatic
support from partners like Gila River Indian Community, First Place–Phoenix will indeed make this
possible, leading by example for a greater number of parents, families and communities beyond First
Place.
The target population served by LLNCS is adults ages 18 and older with autism and other special
abilities. The program will involve approximately 75 families during the pilot and initial start-up, with
significant growth potential through collaboration with other nonprofit and public-sector partners for
exponential impact beyond First Place.
6. Define the project as a new or continuing program.
LLNCS is a new program for First Place.
7. Provide a brief timeline including start and finish dates. Indicate if the timeline is flexible.
Early 2017 – Formalize pilot; engage families and individuals; design database for community
network
Late 2017 – Launch pilot
Early 2018 – Evaluate results and fine-tune as needed; incorporate as part of First Place
orientation
Late 2018 – Create app for easy access to supportive community and test with residents and
students
This timeline is flexible.
8. Identify other organizations, partners or funders participating in the project and their roles.
First Place’s LLNCS program will leverage funding and in-kind, volunteer family support by
collaborating with other Valley organizations, including UnitedHealthcare’s myConnections technology
platform, St. Joseph’s Hospital & Medical Center/Barrow Neurological Institute, Maricopa Community
Colleges District and the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC). First Place will
also collaborate with the Autism Housing Network and Coalition for Community Choice, national
organizations that share First Place’s vision for empowering special populations with more home and
community options.

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2017
9. Would you be able to implement the proposed plan if your organization received partial funding for this
project?
Yes. With partial funding, First Place would move forward with engaging its CLM and continue
seeking funding from other public, private and nonprofit sources to meet the goal of establishing the
vital community development component of LLNCS.
10. Describe your plan for project sustainability beyond the grant period. If this is a program/project
previously funded by the Gila River Indian Community describe efforts made towards the previously
described sustainability plan.
Following the creation of the community development component of LLNCS, First Place will
work with all participants—parents coaches, members, residents and students— to create a platform
for determining ways to share support and benefits with greater numbers of partipants. Over time,
others will join LLNCS and continue to add ever-growing, creative ways to access and enjoy places in
the community that match a wide range of interests and abilities.
LLNCS will find ways to continually refresh and renew programs as new parents benefitting from the
program remain to serve as coaches themselves, building further capacity for a broader reach to serve
more individuals from more diverse backgrounds.
Future plans also include broadening and replicating LLNCS to include other special needs families
throughout Arizona, offering them the peace of mind that their adult children will have a place in the
world as active, contributing members of their communities.
11. Describe your plan to document progress and results.
Evaluation of program progress and success will be measured through ongoing assessments
conducted at First Place. This includes monitoring each individual’s level of ability in the home and the
community at large, as well as changes in social functioning and independent-living skills.
Parent and volunteer members of LLNCS will have various skills and backgrounds to leverage funding,
including coaching and supporting families with resource materials and personal-planning guidance.
Parent coaches seek to help their own adult children, not to mention themselves, while helping and
guiding other parents and families in similar situations.

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Grant Cycle 2017
12. Indicate any application to and/or awards made by a tribe other than the Gila River Indian Community
for state shared revenues for this and any other project for the past five (5) years. If this information is
included in a separate attachment, please indicate that here.
In 2016, First Place–AZ received a 12% gaming grant from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian
Community in the amount of $120,000 to fund the purchase of appliances (refrigerators, stoves/ovens,
microwaves, washers, dryers) for the First Place Apartments and for the First Place teaching kitchens.
This investment will support hundreds of people with different abilities to build their skills and provide
opportunities for greater independence.

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2017
Project Budget
Budget Period: Year 1
For each budget item listed here please provide a narrative description on the following Project Budget Detail
page.
Proposed Budget Expense Amount Amount In Kind Total Budget
(list each budget item) requested from requested or contributions
GRIC secured from
other funders
1. Community Life Manager $55,000 $0 $0 $55,000
2. LLNCS Parent/Volunteer $20,000 $0 $0 $20,000
Coordinator
3. Parent & Business Volunteers $0 $0 $TBD $0
4. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
5. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
6. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
7. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
8. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
9. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
10. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
11. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
12. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
13. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
14. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
15. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
16. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
17. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
Total Budget $0 $0 $0 $75,000

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2017
Project Budget Detail
Please provide a narrative description for each of the project budget items listed on the previous page. Include
the dollar figure and how it was derived.
1. Community Life Manager – Full-time position serving as cultivation quarterback with businesses,
restaurants, recreational locations and health/wellness providers that support inviduals with different abilities.
Excellent organizational, interpersonal communication and orchestration skills required. Full-time salaried
position: $55,000
2. LLNCS Parent/Volunteer Coordinator – Part-time position staffed by a highly organizations person who is
sensitive to the special needs of our special families and has excellent organizational, communications and
technology skills. Part-time salaried position: $20,000
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Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
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Other explanation: Click here to enter text.

First Place®AZ: Breaking New Ground
Year-End 2016 Report
First Place: Opening Doors to Independence: First Place AZ is an independent nonprofit
positioned for transformational impact on how society approaches housing and community
development for individuals with different abilities. Supported by the evaluation of 100+
residential programs across the U.S., and focus groups involving 100 family members and
individuals with special needs, the first property (First Place-Phoenix) broke ground December
6, 2016.
Led by market principles, First Place promotes collaboration among the private, public and
nonprofit sectors and a sustainable, replicable model. First Place also serves as a catalyst
toward advancing public policy focused on housing solutions for special populations.
First Place represents a new residential prototype for adults with autism and other special
abilities, backed by 16 years of research led by the Southwest Autism Research & Resource
Center (SARRC, www.autismcenter.org), the ASU Stardust Center for Affordable Homes, the
Urban Land Institute and some of the most respected real estate concerns in the
U.S. www.FirstPlaceAZ.org Together, we are dreaming big:
Vision: Ensuring that housing and community options are as bountiful for adults with
autism and other special needs as they are for everyone else.
Mission: First Place sets the standard for developing communities that integrate
adults with autism and other ‘special abilities’ into the fabric of society through
housing, employment, healthcare, lifelong education, supportive systems and culture.
First Place and SARRC were the main subjects of two PBS NewsHour segments this summer,
recognizing Phoenix as the ‘Most Autism Friendly City in the World.’ More than one million
people learned about our work thanks to this national coverage, featuring our supportive

community. The two episodes, “Giving adults with autism the skills to build independent lives”
and “How Phoenix became the most autism-friendly city in the world,” cover collaborative
efforts in Greater Phoenix, opening more doors to individuals with autism and other special
abilities.
Mixed-Use Development: Three Major Components - First Place owns 1.4 acres of land in
the heart of Phoenix, within walking distance to light rail and public transit, and surrounded by
supportive neighbors. The site has been strategically located near the campus of Dignity Health
- St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center (SJHMC) and Barrow Neurological Institute
(BNI). Components include:
(1) the First Place Apartments, 56, studio, one-, two- and four-bedroom units
(supportive housing for residents, including 10 ASU doctoral/post-doc student
fellows and Teach For America alumni)
(2) the First Place Transition Academy, a two-year tuition based residential program
for young adults with autism, modeled after Taft’s Transition to Independent
Living Program which has saved the State of Calif. hundreds of millions of dollars
(3) the First Place Leadership Institute, representing a faculty of luminaries from
across the country, focused on pressing concerns that open doors to more
housing and independent living options for individuals with special needs. Five
centers facilitate the critical work and impact of First Place: Centers for Training,
Education & Employment (Maricopa IDA); Real Estate & Community
Development; Applied Research (Colonel Harland Sanders); Expression
(Mulzet); and Public Policy.
Healthy & More Independent Living - First Place is focused on developing new residential
models that maximize independence, community integration, personal enrichment and
quality of life by supporting adults with special needs to live more
independently. Concurrently, First Place is building on-ramps with community partners to
increase capacity for more individuals to experience the same through employment,
health/wellness, continuing education, and home and transportation options.
Significant Progress:
• Real Estate Design & Development Plans Underway: Completed architectural plans,
informed by two national design charrettes. Development/construction team led by RSP
Architects, Hardison Downey Construction and the First Place AZ board.
Groundbreaking, December 6, 2016; completion, Spring 2018.
• First Place Transition Academy Demonstrating Results: The Academy will be housed
in two locations: 29 Palms where we have already enrolled two cohorts of students in a
beta site property developed by the Foundation for Senior Living (FSL) and First Place-
Phoenix, currently under construction. Secured $2.6M grant from the AZ Dept. of Housing
for the beta site initiative. The program is fully operational and enrollment is at capacity
(16) less than two years after its launch, demonstrating benefits of a multi-generational
community. All participant are enrolled in the First Place/SARRC life and vocational skills
curriculum now offered at Gateway Community College. Each has paid internships or are
volunteering. Upon completion of First Place-Phoenix, the Academy will accommodate 32
people; first year students at First Place-Phoenix; second year students at 29 Palms.
• $21.3M (Phase I) Capital Campaign Advancing: Secured conventional loan
demonstrating private sector principles and bridge loan to monetize select multi-year

pledges, enabling First Place-Phoenix to proceed with construction. Comprehensive capital
campaign includes start up, operational and fellowship funds. Benefits from New Markets
Tax Credits are also part of the future plan and are being advanced in collaboration with
Dudley Ventures. Pursuing leadership gifts at this time. $8.0 million raised from charitable
investors, to date, including: AZ Community Foundation; Blue Cross Blue Shield of AZ;
Board of Visitors; Breslow Family Foundation; Cox Communications; Colonel Harland
Sanders Foundation; David E. Reese Family Fund; Dreiseszun Family Foundation; Steve
& Ardie Evans Family Foundation; Ingebritson Family Foundation; Kemper & Ethel Marley
Foundation; Maricopa County IDA; Lowenstein Family Foundation; Nina Mason Pulliam
Charitable Trust; Pakis Family Foundation; Phoenix IDA; Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian
Community; Susan Drescher-Mulzet & Mark Mulzet; Sprouts Neighborhood Foundation
and Stardust Foundation. Significant in-kind support from the AZ Restaurant Association,
Cox Communications, Del Sol Furniture, Goodmans Interior Structures, Hardison Downey
Construction, Pearson & Co., Ryan Company, Valley Automobile Dealers Association,
among others.
• Impacting Greater Phoenix Systematically & Geometrically: First Place AZ is
programmatically focused on employment and job creation for First Place-Phoenix
residents and students, and other special learners, as well as those needed to support
them from across our county, state and nation. Through the First Place National
Leadership Institute, direct support service providers will be trained, building on
community connections with Maricopa Community College District, ASU, Barrow/Dignity
Health and a variety of businesses, creating new employment opportunities for
people/enterprises that serve this rapidly growing segment of our population. Each of the
Leadership Institute’s centers are progressing:
o Center for Real Estate & Community Development: Hosted groups in Phoenix from
MA, PA, NJ, NY, FL, WA, DC, Canada and more, each interested in near term
replication opportunities, the charge of the Institute. Also working locally with the
FSL and other affordable housing developers on creating new properties, similar to
our beta site, opening doors to more housing options.
o Colonel Harland Sanders Center for Applied Research: Underway on an NIH grant
in collaboration with SARRC, focused on transitioning adults and independent living
concerns through data collected from the First Place Transition Academy. Engaged
in meetings and active discussions with ASU, Rutgers and AJ Drexel about
research and data collection opportunities that well position First Place and its
collaborating partners for grants and social impact bonds.
o Maricopa IDA Center for Education, Training & Employment: First Place is
underway on producing curriculum for 33 semester length courses for First Place
Transition Academy students, focused on life skills development, career readiness
and interpersonal skills. Courses are now being taught at Gateway Community
College and will be available to other special learners at Gateway fall 2017. First
Place is also developing a 360 Health & Wellness Curriculum. Through our
collaboration with Autism Speaks and the Autistic Global Initiative, First Place is
also promoting an online curriculum to train direct support service providers. The
lack of trained direct service providers is a major impediment to creating more
housing options.
o Mulzet Center for Expression: Promoted awareness of the issue through social and
traditional media, locally and nationally, including a two-part PBS NewsHour series

viewed by millions, national Catholic Health Association and numerous general and
autism-specific media outlets. Hosted focus groups for autism film being produced
by Lucy Hawking, Williams’ mother and daughter of Dr. Stephen Hawking. Created
a designated fund for the support of an autism documentary, based on the NYT-
best seller, “In A Different Key—The Story of Autism.”
o Center for Public Policy: In response to a request from Congress, the U.S.
Government Accountability Office hosted two panels in D.C. focused on the
challenges of transitioning adolescents and adults with autism. Four First Place
leaders served on these panels and the GAO conducted a site visit in Phoenix.
Two also served on the AZ ASD Advisory Committee, reporting to Gov. Ducey.
• Brain Power Making an Enormous Impact: 80 local and national collaborating
organizations, including Urban Land Institute, SJHMC/BNI, Teach For America, ASU:
o Empowering individuals with special needs to achieve greater
independence/interdependence and standard of living maximizing the value of early
and special education, and preventing the longitudinal trends of this population
'sliding backwards' after high school.
o Advancing a national model now underway in Greater Phoenix that systematically
and geometrically addresses one of our country's most pressing issues for 1:68
children being diagnosed with autism today and who will become adults with
autism. Through autism and its pressing demands, lead advancements for other
individuals with disabilities transitioning to adulthood by engaging the public, private
and charitable sectors and facilitating replication across North America.
o Addressing looming question for parents: "Who will care for my child when I'm
no longer able to do so?"
Media Clips & Films:
• Select Groundbreaking Coverage:
o AZ Family - First Place AZ breaks ground on new apartments for special
needs (3-minute and 30-minute segments) http://bit.ly/2hm98sx
o AZCentral - Breaking ground: Work begins on First Place complex in Phoenix for
adults with autism http://bit.ly/2hm97sX
o AZRE - $15M First Place-Phoenix breaks ground http://bit.ly/2gRIsmS
o First Place Facebook - Groundbreaking Photo Gallery http://bit.ly/2hmipF1
• Our Housing/Community Interests and Desired Impact:
http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2015/09/04/autism-adults-care/71666198/
• About Greater Phoenix Community: http://differentbrains.com/world-possibilities-autism-
everywhere/
• We Love Autistic Children, Until They Grow Up:
http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2016/02/19/autism-adults/80528874/
• Let It Roll - New Options, More Choices for Adults with Autism: http://differentbrains.com/let-
it-roll-new-options-more-choices-for-adults-with-autism/
• About the Community Making SMILE's Possible: http://differentbrains.com/a-community-
smiles/

• New Programs Let Adults with Autism Find Meaningful Work:
https://spectrumnews.org/opinion/columnists/new-programs-let-adults-with-autism-find-
meaningful-work/
• Young Adults with Autism Flounder in Face of Service Gaps:
https://spectrumnews.org/opinion/columnists/young-adults-with-autism-flounder-in-
face-of-service-gaps/
• Opening of First Place Transition Academy One Year Ago: Adults with Autism Move into
First Place Beta Site
• PBS NewsHour Series, “A Place In The World:” “Giving adults with autism the skills to
build independent lives” and “How Phoenix became the most autism-friendly city in the
world.”
• PBS Horizon AZ: http://www.azpbs.org/arizonahorizon/play.php?vidId=9394
• Catholic Health World Report: https://www.chausa.org/publications/catholic-health-
world/archives/issues/october-15-2016/dignity-backed-nonprofit-helps-adults-with-
autism-gain-independence
• First Place Films:
o First Place Overview - https://youtu.be/3_7CGMOTsEc
o First Place Video - Dylan's Day - https://youtu.be/GNxDWFjcxKg