Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Meritorious Service Decorations - Civil Division
Meritorious Service Medal
Awarded on: 2020-11-20
Invested on: 2023-12-07
April Billard, M.S.M.
Joan Bell Chaisson, M.S.M.
Channel-Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador
April Billard and Joan Chaisson started Autism Involves Me (AIM), a local support group and resource centre for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). By engaging local businesses and service providers, the pair has helped members of this marginalized population integrate more fully into the community. AIM also offers education and practical assistance, which have changed public misconceptions and attitudes towards ASD.