April is Autism Acceptance Month, during which advocates and organizations within the autism community have transformed the ways in which we all consider and discuss autism over the past ten years. Acceptance is active, going further than the traditional messages of awareness to embrace those within our community who have autism, to celebrate their talents and ensure that opportunities exist for them to reach their potential.
According to the Autism Society:
“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. The Autism experience is different for everyone. It is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is often referred to as a ‘spectrum condition’ that affects people differently and to varying degrees.”
It is for this reason that the Autism Society is hosting its #CelebrateDifferences campaign for Autism Acceptance Month for the fourth year. Every individual with autism has their own talents, backgrounds, interests and needs, and accepting autism means accepting the uniqueness of everyone with autism.
The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) serves more than 46,000 people with developmental disabilities and their families throughout Arizona each year, including individuals with autism. DDD is dedicated to providing supports and services to members to meet their unique needs, and help them meet their individualized goals.
Through DDD services, individuals with autism can thrive within their communities. However, individuals with autism can thrive at DES as well, as we work to hire more neurodiverse individuals within our own ranks, through our partnership with the Precisionists, Inc. The Precisionists, Inc. is a company that pairs neurodiverse workers with compatible employment opportunities. Serving a population that has historically been 75-80% underemployed or unemployed, TPI is committed to helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live more independently, a mission that overlaps with our own.
Autism acceptance requires action from everyone. I thank you for your partnership in ensuring all individuals are accepted and provided the same opportunities as everyone else within our thriving community.
Michael Wisehart