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Autism Acceptance Month: The Importance of Lived Experience Perspectives
During National Autism Acceptance Month, NIMH and the NIMH Office of National Autism Coordination celebrate the important contributions of autistic people and reaffirm their support for the acceptance, inclusion, and full participation of autistic people in all aspects of community life. In this blog, they highlight NIMH’s unique role in federal autism coordination efforts and reflect on how the lived experiences of autistic people and their families have shaped federal autism research, services, and policy.
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Presidential Proclamation, 2024
President Joe Biden recently released his annual Presidential Proclamation for World Autism Acceptance Day. His message includes improvements to the healthcare system to enhance access and education around the healthcare needs of autistic people, along with training programs for caregivers and direct service professionals to bolster the direct care workforce. Additionally, he discusses breaking down barriers to making employment and education more inclusive for autistic people.
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Secretary-General’s message on World Autism Awareness Day
UN Secretary General António Guterres recognizes both the contributions of autistic people as well as the barriers they face. He states that governments around the world must invest in stronger community support systems, inclusive education and training programs, and accessible technology-based solutions to enable persons with autism to enjoy the same rights as others.
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NIMH/ONAC Special Event for Autism Awareness Month - Sound Tracks: An Artistic Journey to Belonging
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the Office of National Autism Coordination (ONAC) are pleased to host the 11th Annual Autism Acceptance Month Special Event, Sound Tracks: An Artistic Journey to Belonging on April 16, 2024; 2:00 p.m. ET. This hybrid event will feature autistic photographer Blair Bunting, autistic violinist Laura Nadine, and neurodivergent filmmaker John Schaffer. The event will include a showing of the film Sound Tracks, directed by Mr. Schaffer and featuring Mr. Bunting and Ms. Nadine, as well as Q&A with the artists and remarks from Denise Resnik of First Place AZ, the non-profit organization that sponsored the film.
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Autism Acceptance Month Partner Toolkit
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created this toolkit to raise autism awareness to promote autism acceptance, celebrate neurodiversity and individual differences, and continue to advance inclusivity and connectedness throughout the community. This toolkit includes social media messages, information about CDC’s efforts to collect and track data, and ways you can support children and youth on the autism spectrum.
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April 2024 IACC Meeting
The April IACC Full Committee meeting will be held on April 17, 2024. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss business, agency updates, and issues related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research and services activities. The Committee will recognize World Autism Awareness Day and National Autism Acceptance Month, with a focus on global autism efforts. The meeting will be hybrid and open to the public.
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January 2024 IACC Meeting
The January IACC meeting featured a panel presentation on interactions between autistic individuals and the law enforcement and justice systems, and a presentation from the Federal Interagency Workgroup on Autism (FIWA) on disability initiatives being implemented at federal agencies. The meeting also included remarks from the newly appointed NIH director, Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, who is a member of the IACC and a mother of an adult son on the autism spectrum.
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INSAR 2024 Annual Meeting
The 2024 International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) will be held in Melbourne, Australia on Wednesday, May 15 - Saturday, May 18, 2024. This conference will feature presentations and posters from autism researchers around the world.
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ASF Annual Day of Learning
Autism Science Foundation hosted their 11th Annual Day of Learning in New York City on April 4, 2024. Presentations focused on needs and advances in clinical research on autism.
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Statement on the departure of National Institute of Mental Health Director Dr. Joshua Gordon
Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., director of NIMH and Chair of IACC, will depart from NIMH on June 14, 2024. He will return to Columbia University, New York City, as Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Psychiatrist-in-Chief of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital campus at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Gordon will also serve as director of the New York State Psychiatric Institute.
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HHS Announces a Multi-Pronged Effort to Strengthen Direct Care Workforce
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Community Living (ACL), announced several new initiatives and resources from ACL’s Direct Care Workforce (DCW) Strategies Center to address the dire shortage of professionals who provide the services many older adults and people with disabilities need to live in the community. These include two technical assistance opportunities to help states strengthen their systems for recruiting, retaining, and developing direct care workers; a national hub to connect states, stakeholders and communities to best practices and other resources related to the direct care workforce; and a webinar series for states and stakeholders focused on a range of direct care workforce topics.
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