Transborder expert receives $680K in grant funds to improve autism services in Imperial County

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Ana Dueñas is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst from San Diego State University, who studies autism service disparities in Latinx migrant communities. 

Ana recently received a federal grant of $680,000 that will supercharge her work in Imperial County to improve the access to and quality of, services for transborder families of autistic children. 

She has also worked closely with James Gonzalez, president of Austim Support of Imperial County, to provide parent education and support to transborder Latinx families of autistic children in Imperial Valley. 

Ana began her career as a social worker for families of autistic children.

As a transborder professional, her fluency in Spanish made her particularly in demand and she carried a caseload of more than 100 families, primarily in the border community of San Ysidro. 

She is excited to begin working with transborder families in the Imperial Valley.