Sunday, May 13, 2007 — The Stanly County-Japan connection has become even greater.

After years of hosting tour groups of Japanese medical, educational and business professionals, Albemarle’s GHA, Inc. has went to Japan.

Dawn Allen, executive director of the autism care organization, and Janet Banks, director of professional and auxiliary services, visited the Land of the Rising Sun at the request of Dr. Okada, president of Kawasaki University, and Dr. Masami Sasaki, professor at the university. During their weeklong trip, Allen and Banks presented information on GHA in Okayama and Yokohama to 500 doctors, nurses, social workers and mental health professionals.

“They are wanting to educate professionals and parents in their country on the TEACCH philosophy and the structure used by GHA to serve people with autism,” Allen said.

The TEACCH Autism Program is a division of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Psychiatry. Its mission is to provide individuals with autism a means to be as independent as possible, providing exceptional services throughout the state to individuals with autism, their families and caregivers.

“They want to set up similar operations in their country,” Allen said.

Kawasaki University paid the expenses for Allen and Banks to visit Japan and present a two-day conference in Okayama and a one-day conference in Yokohama.

“The entire conference focused on GHA, its business practices and services offered,” Allen said.

As the number of children born with autism increases each year, Japan is seeking guidance from GHA more and more, with an invitation already extended for Allen to make return trips.

“We did not get to tour any of their facilities this time,” she said.

“They want us to tour some of their programs when we return next year. We want to help individuals with autism, their families and professionals put together programs that will meet the needs of all people with autism.”

One in 150 births will result in a child born with autism, according to records from the Autism Society of America. More than one million Americans have autism and the rate is rising, making it the fastest growing developmental disability.

Autism affects every race, ethnicity, social or educational level. It it is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls.

Characteristics of autism include a resistance to change and insistence on sameness; a difficulty in expressing needs, often using gestures or pointing instead of words; repeating words or phrases instead of a normal language; laughing and/or crying for no reason; preference to be alone; little or no eye contact; no real fears of danger; and several more.

While the trip was mostly business, the GHA duo did have the opportunity to tour a historical garden and castle in Okayama and many ancient temples in Kamakura as well as sample some of the foods and customs of Japan.

“They were so polite and appreciative of any information and help that we offered to them. The Japanese people are very respectful of visitors. They treated us like royalty,” Allen said.

At some of the finest restaurants Japan has to offer, lots of raw fish and rice noodles were common menu items.

The North Carolina two-some were amazed at the cleanliness of the cities, where litter is a rarity. The residents believe in recycling, with recycling containers present at train stations, airports and street corners.

“They walk, ride bicycles and ride the subways,” she said.

“In the city of Yokohama, there are three million people, but you would think there were only 15,000 people based on the number of cars.”

Some residents knew a little English, but very few were fluent in English, so the two from GHA always had an interpreter present.

“I plan on learning some Japanese before I return next year,” Allen said.