History
The Lowcountry Autism Foundation, Inc. was founded as an all-volunteer organization on August 17, 2007, by a local group of dedicated clinicians, families, and volunteers. The Foundation, the vision of Tami Lawrence and Tripp Ritchie, aims to provide direct financial, service, and advocacy support to individuals and families living with autism in the four southernmost counties of South Carolina.
Under the watchful eye and guidance of Hilton Head attorney Terry Finger, LAF, Inc. has firmly established itself in the community as a valued 501(c)3 non-profit corporation.
LAF, Inc. supports and promotes evidence-based treatment and intervention strategies commonly utilized in mainstream practice. The Foundation aims to promote optimal developmental outcomes in children with ASD through an emphasis on the importance of earliest possible screening, diagnostics, and intervention for youth ages zero to six.
Using its unique multi-disciplinary diagnostic team structure, LAF, Inc. is able to reduce the assessment waiting period for local families from more than six months to a period of less than five weeks, allowing both the children and families access to much-needed and time sensitive autism services. LAF, Inc. the sole provider of English-Spanish bilingual autism assessments in the coastal region.
The Lowcountry Autism Foundation provides financial assistance for intervention services based upon need, whether financial, cultural, or situational; funded services generally encompass the full spectrum of standard health care requirements, therapies, and associated equipment. All of the Foundation’s activities and autism services are provided to families free of charge.