April is National Autism Awareness Month and we’re kicking it off by highlighting the Autism Society of America.
Founded in 1965 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, the mission of the Autism Society of America is to “create connections, empowering everyone in the Autism community with the resources needed to live fully.”
Let’s start with the basics. As they explain on their website, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) “is a complex, lifelong developmental condition that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation.” In the United States there are approximately 5.4 million Autistic adults, and one in 36 children is diagnosed with ASD. You can explore this page to learn more.
The work the Autism Society does "connects people to the resources they need through education, advocacy, resources, and community programming.” Their website has an extensive list of resources organized by topics such as communication, housing, employment and public policy. By partnering with 70 local and state affiliates, they are able to support Autistic individuals with services designed for their communities. You can contact this helpline to learn about, and be connected to, resources and services in your area.
The public policy team advocates for legislation that improves quality of life. In 2023 the Autism Society supported 40 federal and 30 state bills and 2,702 people sent letters congress through the Autism Society’s Action Center.
Currently, they are in the midst of an education campaign called Autism Is, designed to amplify the voices and lived experiences of Autistic individuals and acknowledge that everyone’s experience is unique and valid. You can learn more by watching this short campaign video, reading stories of people with autism or sharing your own story at this link.
In 2023, the Autism Society network served half a million people with 97,900 people contacting Autism Society helplines, 19,000 people attended conferences, and 393,000 people attending over 10,000 Autism Society events.
If you’d like to help the Autism Society of America achieve their vision of “a world where everyone in the Autism community is connected to the support they need, when they need it” there are several things you can do. Visit the action center to support current campaigns, contact your legislators or track legislation. Shop for merch, make a donation and amplify their work on social media. Follow the Autism Society on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment