April is Autism Acceptance Month, and the team at Autism Tennessee (AutismTN), whose mission is to enrich the lives of individuals on the autism spectrum, their families and their community through education, advocacy, and support, stopped to answer some questions for The Compass.
Check out this Q&A with Executive Director, Babs Tierno:
What are your goals for the organization?
The ultimate goal is to maximize independence for people who have an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Every person on the spectrum has something to offer, and it is our job to provide the community with new and creative ways to engage and relate. AutismTN does that by providing high-quality education resources; raising autism awareness and acceptance in the community; and assisting caregivers and adults on the spectrum with immediate needs through the HELPline.
How do you serve the community to achieve this goal?
Autism Tennessee maintains a HELPline to assist families as they navigate their journey with autism. When people “call” (either via phone, text, chat, email, or in-person visit) looking for answers, resources, and hope, we offer the compassionate shoulder and resource referral that families need. When you call the HELPLine, you will speak with a parent of a child with autism or a Speech-Language Pathologist. They help caregivers find the right resources and supports – such as neurologists, therapists, daycares, summer camps, support groups, etc.
In addition to the HELPline, we have education programming that includes monthly workshops, usually geared toward caregivers, on a variety of topics relevant to autism, teen & adult social skills groups, and quarterly “Spectrum Chats,” which are discussions about topics specifically related to adults on the spectrum.
Last, and my personal favorite thing we do is celebrate. We host opportunities for adults and families to get together in meaningful ways that build community and normalize the autism experience. When the pandemic hit, we didn’t pause programming, we simply got creative and found ways to move it all online. We have:
- Family Fun Events: monthly events where families come together to participate in activities
- Game Day: the first Saturday of each month for a good old-fashioned board game party.
- CONNECT: second Tuesday of each month for an adults-only hangout
- Bingo Night: held every other month
- Girls’ Night In: a quarterly night of virtual fun that holds space for girls on the spectrum who are usually outnumbered in our other groups
What new initiatives or approaches are you most excited about?
This may come as a surprise to you, but it shouldn’t, many teens and adults on the autism spectrum critically approach social and cultural norms in a way neurotypicals do not. Research shows more than half of adults and teens on the autism spectrum question their gender identity, sexual orientation, and/or gender expression.
Once AutismTN read the research and heard the need for support from the adults on the spectrum in our community, we knew we needed to act. We launched a group called SIIA (Sexual Identity Inclusion Alliance) to create a safe place for a vulnerable population of adults on the autism spectrum to have meaningful conversations about their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. AutismTN values diversity and inclusion in all that we do, so this is a very fulfilling project for the board and staff.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I’d like to encourage readers to normalize autism and create acceptance by sharing on social media. You can share our content or, even better, your own story about autism.
Also, AutismTN has several ways for readers to get involved in our work. If you are interested in volunteering, joining our board, or simply making a donation, head to our website www.autismtn.org and choose “Get Involved” or “Ways to Give” to learn more! We also have a raffle going on throughout the month of April.
Lastly, we change lives when we shift from awareness to acceptance. We hope you’ll join our efforts as we celebrate this month.