December 1, 2021
Press releases
On December 3, 2021, Caritas Czech Republic and Ilia State University’s Child Development Institute held a summarizing conference for the Czech Development Agency-Funded project – Expansion and Improvement of Services for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Georgia.
The project aimed at providing quality and affordable services for people with ASD, as well as the professional strengthening of specialists working in the field. The event was attended by Petra Mojžíšová – Czech Development Agency's Program Manager for Georgia, Jan Blinka – Caritas Czech Republic’s Head of Mission and Professor Giga Zedania – Rector of Ilia State University.
At the conference, Rusudan Chkhubianishvili, Caritas Czech Republic’s Project Manager introduced the audience to the results achieved within the project in 2015-2021. Then, Nino Tsintsadze, Head of the Child Development Institute, spoke about the importance of the six-year partnership with Caritas Czech Republic, including the steps taken to support the field of autism in Georgia as well as the improvement of the quality and diversity of ASD services.
One of the most important parts of the conference was the presentation of the preliminary results of the research – "Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Clinical Peculiarities and Risk Factors in Georgia" conducted within the project. In this regard, Maya Gabunia, Chair of the Georgian Academy of Childhood Disability spoke about the main tendencies revealed during the research. Afterward, Gvantsa Chvamania, current chairman of the Georgian Association of Behavior Analysts, presented a report on applied behavior analysis and explained the audience the importance of the association's legislative initiative, which, in the case of approval, would regulate the activities of behavior analysts.
At the end of the event, Tinatin Chincharauli – Professor of Ilia State University, Head of ABA direction of Child Development Institute, handed over certificates to the graduates of the Ilia State University’s international certified course in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
Caritas Czech Republic’s (CCR) project aimed at providing quality and affordable services for people with ASD, as well as the professional strengthening of specialists working in the field. Thanks to the financial support from the Czech Development Agency (CzechAid), CCR carried out activities with a total budget of up to 255 000 Euros, in close cooperation with Ilia State University's Child Development Institute and the Georgian Academy of Childhood Disability. The project was elaborated together with the Ministry of Health of Georgia, considering the priorities of the Government of Georgia in the mentioned sector.
The results achieved within the project:
- Hundreds of rural doctors were trained to identify the risk of ASD in children throughout the whole Georgia.
- Caritas Czech Republic procured and delivered the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS 2) for diagnosing ASD, to five regions of Georgia. ASD specialists have also been trained on how to use the mentioned tool.
- With the support from Caritas Czech Republic, Ilia State University's Child Development Institute trained specialists from the regions in the use of ABLLS-R and EFL, tools necessary for the full implementation of ABA therapy.
- 15 specialists were funded to undergo a 7-module course to become certified supervisors of ABA.
- Two alternative approaches of autism intervention DENVER (Early Start Denver Model) and SCERTS were introduced in 2020 and international experts provided trainings to specialists from Tbilisi and regions.
- Three pilot kindergartens in Zugdidi, Telavi and Tbilisi were introduced to the preschool inclusive education model. Special specialists, as well as kindergarten teachers, were trained accordingly.
- The costing model of autism services was introduced to municipal governments of the regions. Through CCR advocacy efforts, the municipal governments of Ozurgeti and Akhaltsikhe have started financing children with ASD since 2020.
- In 2018, the Ministry approved the national protocol – Identification, Diagnosis and Management of Autism Spectrum Disorder, which is a guide for health and autism specialists working in the field.
- In 2020, the Ministry of Health of Georgia approved the National Autism Service Standards elaborated by the multidisciplinary working group established under the project. This standard is necessary to ensure the quality of services in the field.
- The Association of Behavior Analysts developed and submitted to Parliament of Georgia a legislative initiative that will lead to the regulation of the activities of behavior analysts in
More about the project: https://bit.ly/3CL21Xn
