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Resource Library Our Resource Library provides a compilation of helpful resources aimed at helping parents and caregivers navigate the world of autism in San Antonio. Here, you can find a variety of useful materials such as educational materials, support groups, and counseling services, as well as links to other relevant organizations, all tailored to the needs of the autism community in San Antonio. While we've gathered these resources for you, ACN does not directly or indirectly endorse any product or service that will be provided by these organizations. Categories ADULT & TRANSITION AGE SERVICES Here you will find a curated collection of day programs and vocational programs in Central Texas ADVOCACY Advocating for Progress: Resources and Support for Advocates and Activists in the Autism Community AUTISM DIAGNOSIS Navigating the Diagnostic Journey: Support and Information for Families Seeking an Autism Diagnosis CAMPS & RECREATION Fun, Friendship, and Growth: Summer Camps and Recreation Programs for Autistic Individuals CASE MANAGEMENT & FAMILY SERVICES Comprehensive Care and Support: Case Management and Family Services for Autistic Individuals CHILDCARE Quality Care and Support: Resources and Information for Childcare Providers Serving Autistic Children COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE Building Strong Communities: Resources and Community-Based Assistance for Autistic Individuals EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION Early Intervention for Positive Outcomes: Resources and Support for Early Childhood Intervention in Autism EDUCATION Empowering Students with Autism: Resources and Support for Inclusive and Accessible Education FUNDING & MEDICAID WAIVERS Accessing Autism Services: Resources and Support for Funding and Medicaid Waivers MEDICAL Comprehensive Care and Support: Resources and Info for Medical Services for Autistic Individuals MONEY MANAGEMENT & ESTATE PLANNING Securing Your Future: Money Management and Estate Planning for Families of Autistic Individuals NUTRITION PROGRAMS Accessing Nutritional Services: Strategies and Tools for Families of Autistic Individuals PARENT EDUCATION Collaborating with Professionals: A Guide to Parent Education and Support in Autism RESIDENTIAL SERVICES Supporting Independent Living: Strategies and Tools for Accessing and Navigating Residential Services RESPITE SERVICES Taking Care of Caregivers: Resources and Support for Respite Services for Families of Autistic Individuals STATE & FEDERAL SUPPORT Accessing Government Support: Resources & Support for State and Federal Assistance for Autistic Individuals SUPPORT GROUPS Connecting with Others: Resources and Support for Support Groups for Families and Autistic Individuals THERAPY RESOURCES Therapy resources for traditional Occupational & Speech therapy across South Texas TRANSPORTATION Promoting Independence: A Guide to Transportation and Support for Autistic Individuals

In the news. Get the latest in autism news here. Apr 20, 2024 Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's support of autism acceptance reached global audience His inclusive message about the need not to treat autistic people as the "other" touched those with the disability and their advocates. Read More Apr 2, 2024 SAPD cadets learn how to respond to incidents involving people with autism San Antonio nonprofits have teamed up to create a training program to help San Antonio police cadets better understand autism spectrum disorders. Read More Feb 4, 2024 LOCAL Closer Look: Autism Community Network Felipe Aguilar talks with Adrienne Gaither, Director of Caregiver Empowerment and Occupational Therapist, Autism Community Network (ACN) in San Antonio. Read More Dec 20, 2023 Sound and vision: How San Antonio is building inclusivity in arts and culture Sensory-friendly events are primarily designed to accommodate those with autism spectrum disorder who might have difficulties adjusting behaviors to social situations or communicating their needs effectively. Read More Aug 28, 2023 'Emergent and transactional': How Jonathan Green is Rethinking Autism and Interventions Jonathan Green is professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and an honorary consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist. He is also a long-practicing clinician. In this interview, he discusses the genesis of his recent article, “Debate: Neurodiversity, autism and healthcare,” and how it has been received by colleagues and the neurodiversity self-advocate community. There have been two commentaries published in response to Green’s article, with a third still in production. Read More Mar 27, 2023 Pediatric Autism Communication Therapy Improved Long-Term Child Outcomes Pediatric Autism Communication Therapy is currently the only scientifically evidenced early social communication intervention to demonstrate long-term improved child social communication outcomes into middle childhood. Read More Jun 18, 2022 We Should Tell Children They Are Autistic As Soon As Possible Many parents in our community feel they don’t know the “right” way or time to tell autistic children about their autism. For this reason, we are grateful for a recent study showing that “it is probably best to tell people they are autistic as soon as possible.” We talked with Bella Kofner, an author on the study who is also autistic, about what the study reveals; the personal experience of being told about one’s own autism; why it is crucial for autism research to include autistic direction; and some takeaways for both parents and/or autistic people themselves. Read More

Who we are. At Autism Community Network, we are passionate about empowering families and caregivers to be the principal advocates, caregivers, and champions in their children’s lives. Our mission is to provide support, education and resources to those affected by autism. We strive to make a difference in the lives of autistic individuals and their families by providing educational resources, support groups, and community events. Our goal is to ensure that those affected by autism get the support and resources they need to lead a successful life. Our organization. Autism Community Network (ACN) was established as a 501(c)(3) in 2008 by a consortium of health care funders concerned about the lack of child development services available to children suspected of having autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This initiative was led by Palmer Moe, former executive manager of the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation. ACN addresses the diagnostic, therapeutic, educational, and recreational needs of families impacted by autism living in South Texas. Our mission. Our mission is to maximize the potential of children with autism by providing early diagnosis for those with limited access and educating and empowering the community to support them. Elephant-sized values. You may have noticed our larger-than-life mascot. As an autism nonprofit dedicated to forming relationships and nurturing the wellness of the autism ecosystem, we thought of nothing more fitting than the elephant. Elephants live in tightly bonded herds, also known as “packs” or “parades.” The herd, led by the oldest and largest matriarch, can consist of up to 100 individual elephants. Known for their high intellect and ability to store memories, elephants have been observed to display signs of emotions such as playfulness, joy, anger, and grief. These beautiful giants communicate through subsonic rumbles, which travel through the earth under their feet more quickly than through the air above them. Interestingly, elephants receive the rumbling messages through the skin on their feet and trunks, indicating highly attuned sensory systems. When a baby calf is born, the entire herd helps to raise and protect their young. ACN believes our commitment to holistic community support mirrors this natural phenomenon, and we are happy to take cues from our mammalian friends! Read More Team Our team. Tiffany Fresher Chief Executive Officer Read More Adrienne Gaither, OTR, CSIPT, C/NDT Chief Programs Officer & Occupational Therapist Read More Teresa Camacho Medical Billing Manager Read More Gabriel Gonzalez, OTD, OTR/L Bilingual Occupational Therapist Read More Jarrod Purkeypile, MA CCC-SLP Speech Language Pathologist Read More Angela Sanchez-Concha Caregiver Coordinator Read More Carrie Alvarado, PhD, OTR Chief Operating Officer Read More Cortney John, MA Chief Development & Outreach Officer Read More Casey Garza, MPA Community Engagement Coordinator Read More Cathy Kersey Accounting Manager Read More Arjai Ramos Front Desk Coordinator Read More Anna Paola Smith, LCSW Licensed Clinical Social Worker Read More Alma Patricia del Angel, MD Chief Medical Officer & Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician Read More Vanessa Amaya Referral Coordinator Read More Noelia Cheatham Billing Specialist Read More Lisa Martinez-Jimenez Board Certified Behavior Analyst Read More Nicolle Reyna, MS CCC-SLP Speech Language Pathologist Read More Reach out. Each family's journey with autism is AUsomely unique. Let our staff walk beside you on your pathway. Start Now Our board of directors. OFFICERS Joshua Behnke - President Behnke Legal Consulting, PLLC Denise Garcia - Vice President Texas Partners Bank Matthew Occhipinti - Treasurer Northwestern Mutual Greg Hanson, DO, FAAP - Secretary Southwest Children's Cente r MEMBERS Wendy Faldet HEB Beth Jones Assistant Superintendent - SAISD Manny Nsien President and CEO of Superior Living Foundation Ursula Pari Former KSAT 12 News Anchor & CEO of San Antonio Polo Club Michael Thompson Merrill Lynch Kristen Williams, PhD Executive Director of Disability Services - SAISD, Retired Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice Advisory Committee. We're excited to introduce our Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice Advisory Committee. This committee, including neurodiverse individuals of all stripes, serves to provide our board and our staff with ongoing guidance and support from a position of lived experience to assure our consistent alignment with strengths-based and neurodiversity-affirming practice.

Autism Community Network Annual Fall Summit Toward Neuroharmony: Welcome to the Autism Renaissance Keynote Speaker: Elizabeth Torres, PhD Plenary Speaker: Rosemary White, OTR/L Friday, October 2, 2026 ACN 2026 Summit Conference Day Location: Tobin Center for the Performing Arts: 100 Auditorium Cir, San Antonio, TX 78205 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM Saturday, October 3, 2026 Clinical Intensive Training Day Location: Autism Community Network: 535 Bandera Rd. San Antonio, TX 78228 8:15 AM - 4:30 PM Click here to learn more about Clinical Intensive Keynote: Elizabeth Torres, PhD Clinical Scholar, Neurodiversity Ally, and Head of the Rutger's University Sensory-Motor Integration Lab Please find more information on Dr. Torres and ACN Summit 2026, Toward Neuroharmony below. To register for the event, click below. REGISTER Agenda 7:30 - 8:15 AM Registration, Breakfast, and Resource Fair 8:15 - 9:45 AM Keynote Address 10:00 - 11:15 AM Morning Breakout Sessions Caregiver, Educator, and Clinician Tracks 11:30 - 12:30 PM Lunch & Learn: Experts by Experience Panel 12:45 - 1:30 PM Second Keynote Address 1:40 - 2:40 PM Plenary Address 2:45 - 4:00 PM The Every Voice Matters Panel 4:00 - 4:30 PM Closing Ceremony Summit Sessions. KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Autism: The Movement Sensing Perspective Time Presenter/Facilitator 8:15-9:45 AM Elizabeth Torres, PhD Objectives & Disclosures Caregiver Track: AM Breakout Session Listening Differently: How to Honor Your Autistic Child’s Brilliance, Autonomy, and Voice Time Presenter/Facilitator 10:00-11:15 AM Tiffany Hammond Objectives & Disclosures Educator Track: AM Breakout Session: Brains, Behavior, and Belonging Time Presenter/Facilitator 10:00-11:15 AM Rebecca Engle, MEd Objectives & Disclosures Clinician Track: AM Breakout Session: The Movement Sensing Perspective UNPACKED Time Presenter/Facilitator 10:00-11:15 AM Rosemary White, OTR/L Objectives & Disclosures Expertise by Experience: Amplifying Autistic Voices Panel Time Presenter/Facilitator Lunch & Learn - 11:30 AM-12:30 PM TBD Objectives & Disclosures Second Keynote Address: Autism Autonomy: In Search of our Human Dignity Time Presenter/Facilitator 12:45-1:30 PM Elizabeth Torres, PhD Objectives & Disclosures Plenary Address: Supporting Individual Differences While Promoting Relationships through DIR®/Floortime Time Presenter/Facilitator 1:40 - 2:40 PM Rosemary White, OTR/L Objectives & Disclosures The "Every Voice Matters" Panel Time Presenter/Facilitator 2:45-4:00 PM Dr. Carrie Alvarado, PhD, OTR Objectives & Disclosures Clinical Intensive Day -Additional Day of training for Professionals only 10/3/2026- At Autism Community Network Time Presenter/Facilitator 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Dr. Elizabeth Torres and Rosemary White, OTR/L Objectives & Disclosures PENDING APPROVAL Autism Community Network is a registered CPE provider for the Texas Education Agency. PENDING APPROVAL ASHA CE Provider approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products, or clinical procedures PENDING APPROVAL This program is designed to meet BHEC continuing education requirements for Texas behavioral health professionals. Fees. Availability based on venue capacity. Packages are sold on a first come first served basis. Early Bird Registration (June 12-August 3) $125 Regular Registration (August 4 - September 30) $150 Late Registration (October 1-2) $175 Caregivers / Adult Autists Scholarships Available $100 Group Rate/Students Email Carrie@acn-sa.org Conference and Clinical Intensive Bundle (10/2 & 10/3) - $200 Clinical Intensive Day only (10/3) - $125 ACN Clinical Intensive Day - 10/3/2026 Learn more about our Clinical Intensive Day Polices & Procedures. Accommodations Search Find the full policy here. We strive to create a conference experience that is accessible to all. Our goal is to identify and address any barriers that may prevent full participation, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other relevant legislation. Refunds Search Find the full policy here. We understand that circumstances may change, and you may need to cancel your registration for our conference. Our refund policy is designed to be fair and transparent, ensuring that attendees can plan with confidence. Complaint Policy Search Find the full policy here. We are dedicated to maintaining a high standard of service and support. We encourage attendees to provide feedback and report any concerns or complaints. All complaints will be treated with respect and confidentiality. Sponsors Sponsorship Opportunities Search For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please email Cortney@acn-sa.org For more information on becoming a vendor/exhibitor, please email Carrie@acn-sa.org Star Additional Information. For questions related to credentialing information and receiving CEUs, scholarships, or any other information not included on this page or the registration website, please reach out to Carrie@acn-sa.org .

< Back Engage Gifted and 2e Learners by Embracing Their Tendencies Julie Skolnick Mar 18, 2021 I recently found an old report card. Maybe I should say ancient — it was from the second grade! It would have been funny — the clear statements of my abilities juxtaposed with my distractibility — except that the teacher focused on changing my behavior rather than igniting my intellect. This is the song often sung about gifted and twice-exceptional (2e) learners. Twice exceptional refers to people identified as gifted with a concurrent learning difference or disability. I know all too well the tendency for grownups to feel as though they must wait for behavior to “get under control” before they can challenge or enrich learners. I know this from the countless client individualized education plans, teacher emails, and neuropsychological reports I’ve read, as well as from conversations and consultations with hundreds of parent clients. The first-quarter comments in second grade for me were juxtaposed like this: Julie reads above grade level. Julie needs to challenge her energies and spend more time concentrating on her studies. There are no suggestions to fan the flames of my reading passion or engage my “energies” to develop talent or provide a challenge. The sheer lack of elaboration on my strength is fascinating to me. It felt like it was an “obviously Julie is smart” moment, “we don’t have to address that — it’s the behavior that is the problem.” What a beautiful way to encapsulate the gifted and 2e learner’s experience — where strengths are ignored or overlooked to focus on deficits and behavior. When struggles are magnified and prioritized over strengths, we plant seeds of doubt about the very thing that defines the gifted child’s essence. The following critique turns gifted characteristics on their head, as though having unique and strong opinions about topics is a bad thing. She distracts others. Can be very out-spoken and strong willed. She has the ability to do better. (sic) I actually laughed out loud at that one. Guess what, second-grade teacher? I haven’t changed! The purpose of this article is to share why it’s so important to celebrate and encourage gifted tendencies rather than squelch our gifted and 2e kids’ essence because they are difficult to harness. Can you imagine if I took my teacher’s advice and stopped pushing back or challenging ideas? I certainly would not have become a lawyer, let alone have created a business to challenge and reframe gifted and 2e parenting and education. What I do all day long is push back against systems and teach advocacy to positively reframe and lift up the 2e person’s experience. So often adults try to meld children into someone convenient for them and their adult situation. I’m certain it would have been easier for my second-grade teacher had I conformed . But I ask myself, why would a teacher — who is there to teach — ever want someone to sit and face forward? That child is not learning; that child is ingesting. Gifted and 2e kids, they don’t do that. They devour, and as they chew on ideas, they need to share, push back, and look at the information from multiple angles. This is what is known as critical thinking. This is how learning happens. Ancient rabbis perfected the art of argument. They took one book, the Torah, and they grappled with it from all angles. The more questions and pushback, the better. There is no knowing — until there is debate, critique, conversation, and even quarreling. This should be the paradigm for teaching. It’s how learning sticks. I’m sure teachers are wondering, “But how do you control a class like that?” Gifted and 2e learners are great problem-solvers. Ask them! At the beginning of class, set up the rules. Let them know how you want the class to run and ask them what needs to happen (or not happen) to keep the class under control and relevant. Ask what happens when someone departs from the rules. The same thing goes for gifted and 2e kids in the home. Rather than shutting them down, or shutting them up, lay down rules. Recognize the greatness that is their critical thinking, their questioning, their refusal to take someone at their word. Then give them perspective. Let them know how it feels when they never do anything you ask without a fight. Put it back on them and ask, “How can we make this better for both of us?” Let them solve your problem. Often teachers and parents communicate black-and-white expectations to children whom they wish were more flexible. They set up behavior plans, charts, incentives, and gimmicks to get kids to do what they want — when what gifted and 2e kids deserve is respect for their “energy” and intellect. When teachers and parents take the time to applaud gifted and 2e kids’ natural tendencies, to explain the broader viewpoint of how certain intense behaviors affect others, they gain the learner’s trust. This, in turn, opens up discussion for how to make situations better for all parties. The alternative, critiquing, expecting the worst and ignoring underlying reasons for behaviors, serves to induce anxiety, underachievement, and school- or task-refusal. As a student, because I had a high drive and motivation to please, I ended up partially adapting to my second-grade teacher’s rules. In fact, the final comments on my report card that year demonstrated that I could grin and bear it, doing meaningless and rote work. I’m happy to say, however, that I maintained my gifted gumption. Julie has made tremendous strides in completing her daily assignments. She does however need to channel her energies. Has a tendency to be very outspoken. (sic) Had she asked, I’m sure I would have described better ways to show my knowledge based on my learning. In a similar vein, a client’s 7-year-old son came home from school one day and shared that they were discussing how cars were made. They watched a movie and learned the steps of the assembly line. Throwing his hands up in frustration, this child asked, “Wouldn’t it be more interesting if the teacher asked us to think about what steps it takes to make cars, and in what order and then allowed us to share our thoughts instead of just telling us?” Just taking the time to hear the learner’s thoughts allows them to express their true self and thereby increases resilience when they have something difficult to face. Previous Next

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Autism: The Movement Sensing Perspective Time 8:15-9:45 AM Presenter/Facilitator Elizabeth Torres, PhD Back to Course List < Back About the Clinical Intensive Day Elizabeth Torres, PhD will present research from Autism: The Movement Sensing Perspective , introducing a data‑driven framework that reframes autism through measurable physiological and nervous system activity. The talk highlights a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that replaces subjective descriptions with objective movement and sensory metrics to support personalized phenotyping. Torres will discuss how this perspective advances tailored interventions, enables longitudinal tracking, and empowers autistic individuals and their families. Objectives Participants will analyze the movement sensing perspective presented by Elizabeth Torres, PhD, to explain how physiological and nervous system data can reframe autism beyond subjective descriptions. Participants will evaluate the role of interdisciplinary, data-driven approaches in developing personalized phenotyping and improving the accuracy of autism assessment. Participants will create individualized intervention strategies that incorporate objective movement and sensory metrics to support longitudinal tracking and empower autistic individuals and their families. Dr. Elizabeth B. Torres is a tenured Full Professor in the Psychology Department at Rutgers University and the former Director of the New Jersey Autism Center of Excellence (2018–2023). A pioneer in computational neuroscience, she has redefined autism research by focusing on sensory-motor and neuromotor differences rather than behavioral deficits. As Director of the Sensory-Motor Integration Lab (SMIL), she uses mobile health wearables and data algorithms to develop personalized digital biomarkers for real-time tracking of nervous system dynamics. Her work seeks to uncover the neurological basis of autism to support precision medicine and tailored therapies. Author of Autism: The Movement Sensing Perspective , Dr. Torres holds multiple biomedical patents and earned her Ph.D. in Cognitive Science from UC San Diego, followed by post-doctoral research at Caltech.

Support ACN. Support Autism Community Network and help us achieve our mission of empowering families to create big futures. Your donations will go a long way in helping us make a difference in the lives of those who are affected by autism. We are a nonprofit, and as such, need your help providing families with the resources they need to succeed. Your support will enable us to expand our reach and make a greater impact in the lives of these families. Together, we can make a difference and help these families create meaningful outcomes. Thank you for your generous support! Capital Campaign Building tomorrow together, your donation is our foundation. Read More Donate Every donation makes a difference. Read More Legacy Giving Secure the future; leave a lasting legacy through giving. Read More Volunteer Volunteer today, and transform tomorrow! Read More Wishlist Empowering families, one gift at a time. Explore our wish list! Read More You are among good company. 9 8 12 9 1/19

< Back Pediatric Autism Communication Therapy Improved Long-Term Child Outcomes Catherine Aldred Mar 27, 2023 Despite Autism being an enduring condition affecting 2% of people globally, evidenced intervention to improve the developmental impairments is limited. Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT) is currently the only scientifically evidenced early social communication intervention to demonstrate long-term improved child social communication outcomes into middle childhood. The PACT intervention has shown long-term improvement of autism core symptoms within randomised clinical trials (RCTs). PACT relatively low-intensity approach is referenced in UK national guidance for the new autism care pathway from pre- to post-diagnosis and education support. The evidence base Within the NICE recommendations for intervention and support for autistic development in early childhood, only two interventions met the evidential criteria set by NICE for inclusion.PACT was one of these (the other was JASPER). These two therapies were described as “social communication interventions” and their evidence was the basis for the NICE recommendation to services to consider social communication intervention for autism intervention. Both these therapies work with parents or teachers, and have evidence to improve autistic children’s social engagement, adaptation, communication, and in the case of PACT, autism symptoms. No other therapies were considered to have evidence of effectiveness. Recent independent reviews (e.g. Sandbank et al 2020) have reached similar conclusions. These findings should therefore guide evidenced commissioning of services in autism. How does Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy work? Parents or caregivers are guided through the six steps of PACT by a certified professional using video feedback techniques delivered in 12 alienate week sessions for six months and monthly maintenance sessions for a further six months. Caregivers send a video of a 10-minute interaction or play with their child to the therapist before each video feedback session. PACT builds on existing skills by sharing and analysing the best video clips identifying new strategies and techniques, summarised in an individual written programme for 30-minute daily practice between sessions. How is PACT different from other interventions? PACT has some unique distinguishing differences from other parent-mediated interventions. Firstly, it is the only intervention to use effective video- feedback methods with parents and caregivers and to use them within a modern developmental science-based model to optimise the social communication environment for the neurodivergent child. Secondly, PACT is the only intervention that has shown long-term sustained effectiveness in high-quality clinical trials in improving child autism outcomes for six years after the end of intervention. The Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy Trial An RCT of PACT delivered pre-school demonstrated significant endpoint effects to reduce symptom severity on ADOS Calibrated Severity Score (CSS) and ADOS-2 total algorithm score (Pickles et al. 2016; Carruthers et al. 2021). At follow-up, six years after the endpoint, treatment effects on child symptoms, adaptive outcomes, and child initiations with a parent were significantly sustained (Pickles et al. 2016). Furthermore, a mechanism study of the long-term impact identifies the ‘active processes’ by which interventions achieve their effects and provides insights into causal processes in development. PACT Trial Methods: Of 152 children randomised to receive PACT or treatment as usual between 2-5 years of age, 121 (79.6%) were followed 5-6 years after the endpoint at a mean age of 10.5 years. Assessors, blind to the intervention group, measured Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale Combined Severity Score (ADOS CSS) for child symptoms and Teacher Vineland (TVABS) for adaptive behaviour in school. PACT Trial Results: The treatment effect on child dyadic initiation with the caregiver (Dyadic Communication Measure for Autism, DCMA) was sustained through the follow-up period. Increased child initiation at the treatment midpoint mediated the majority (73%) of the treatment effect on follow-up ADOS CSS. A combination of midpoint child initiations and the direct effect of treatment also mediated the near- significant effect on follow-up TVABS. PACT Implementation The scalability of early evidence-based intervention is a global health priority. A not-for-profit social enterprise IMPACT CIC (Interaction Methods for Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy), established in 2017, disseminates PACT through a cascading ‘train the trainer’ model and implementation trials. Implementation trials test the feasibility, cultural acceptability and equal easy access to PACT in different contexts, including middle and low- economic settings. PACT video feedback methods are ideally adapted to online videoconference implementation. Pilot testing of online PACT has proved acceptable, feasible and accessible to families; further large-scale trials are in progress. Conclusions: Early social communication intervention can improve child social engagement with long-term generalised outcome effects on developmental. One thousand professionals have received PACT training, cascading PACT in twenty-six countries with six international implementation trials. Implications for autism services PACT is universally acceptable and feasible for implementation in different countries and cultures, enhancing autism care pathways from early identification and pre-diagnostic to post-diagnostic and education support. PACT training is available for professionals with appropriate training and qualifications and a minimum of two years of experience in autism. Please visit the website www.pacttraining.co.uk for more information on PACT training. Previous Next

Caregiver Track: AM Breakout Session Listening Differently: How to Honor Your Autistic Child’s Brilliance, Autonomy, and Voice Time 10:00-11:15 AM Presenter/Facilitator Tiffany Hammond Back to Course List < Back About the Clinical Intensive Day In this heartfelt and empowering talk, Tiffany Hammond—autistic writer, disability advocate, and mother of two sons on the spectrum—speaks directly to caregivers and parents navigating life on the spectrum. Drawing from her lived experience parenting one speaking and one nonspeaking child, Hammond invites families to rethink what communication, success, and connection really look like. Through storytelling, honesty, and humor, she shares how moving beyond compliance-based parenting and deficit-focused systems opened new ways of understanding her children’s autonomy, needs, and brilliance. Hammond encourages caregivers to trust their instincts, honor all forms of communication, and resist narratives that center fixing rather than supporting autistic children. Parents will leave with renewed permission to slow down, listen differently, and embrace creative, relationship-centered approaches to advocacy—at home, in schools, and within medical and social systems. Above all, this talk offers solidarity: a reminder that caregivers are not alone, that the journey is rarely linear, and that joy, connection, and belonging are possible even in the messy middle. Objectives Participants will analyze how deficit-based and compliance-focused parenting models influence perceptions of communication, success, and autonomy in autistic children. Participants will evaluate alternative, relationship-centered approaches to caregiving that honor diverse forms of communication and prioritize connection over conformity. Participants will apply strategies that support advocacy across home, school, and medical settings by fostering trust, embracing neurodiversity, and promoting individualized, strengths-based support. Tiffany Hammond — an autistic mother, writer, and advocate -- tells stories that center the messy, beautiful, hard, and deeply human parts of being neurodivergent, Black, and raising autistic children in a world that often forgets to listen. Tiffany is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and disability advocate. Her work centers the voices of autistic people and celebrates all forms of communication. She is the author of A Day with No Words and the upcoming picture book How Do You Spell Belong (2027). Tiffany is also the voice behind Fidgets and Fries, where she shares stories of advocacy, identity, and raising her two sons with autism. She has a master's degree in Developmental Psychology. Through books, essays, and public speaking, Tiffany works to challenge how the world sees disability — and how we see ourselves within it. Whether she's writing a picture book, unpacking the politics of masking, or simply sitting with the hard truths of parenting, everything she does is rooted in love, honesty, and liberation.

< Back Noelia Cheatham Billing Specialist Noelia Cheatham joins our team as a Billing Specialist with twenty three years of work experience with an Early Childhood Intervention Program (ECI). Her work background also includes working as a Special Education Teacher’s aide, interpreter and Peer Counselor for the Women Infants and Children Program (WIC). At WIC she taught health related classes in English and Spanish. Noelia is very involved with an orphanage in Mexico, Casa Hogar. She organizes drives for school supplies, school uniforms, and bi-yearly summer festivals for the children. She has two grown children and her hobbies are crafting, gardening and baking. Noelia is excited about new opportunities with ACN and helping to serve the community. noelia.cheatham@acn-sa.org (210) 435-1000 ext. 5008