Autism Council of Utah
by MEGAN BARTHOLOMEW
The Autism Council of Utah (ACU) was founded in 2005 not by physicians or experts, or even businessmen, but by concerned parents of children impacted by a diagnosis of Autism spectrum disorder. Autism is, in the words of a parent from the council, “a brain disorder that primarily affects communication, social skills and behaviors.” Symptoms can range from slight avoidance of eye contact to nonverbal autism. Autism affects every person differently.
ACU’s main goal is to provide greater access to resources and information for people of all ages affected by autism, whether in their own lives or that of a loved one. Members aim to foster collaboration, communication and learning among families, agencies, and anyone looking to become educated on Autism.
Rather than promoting their own programming, the ACU’s main focus is supporting and improving other organizations that provide resources for people with autism in Utah. The dedicated parents of children with autism work closely with professionals and agencies around the state including Autism Speaks, U of U Health, National Autism Association and Council, and many others, to educate the people of Utah on how to help members of the community with autism.
Some of the educational missions ACU takes on are huge feats. They have presented before the Utah legislature, pediatric conferences, and even as a part of the Governor’s Commission for Early Childhood Development. ACU breaks their way into these arenas in order to get the autistic community into the spotlight.
Just as critical as helping families understand how to interact with people afflicted by autism is educating the public on similar interactions. For example, law enforcement officers are one aspect of the community that ACU targets. Because of the social difficulties associated with autism, individuals on the spectrum can be at a much higher risk in dangerous situations. If law enforcement officers don’t understand how to talk to and help an individual with autism, it is very possible that they could escalate the situation and overwhelm the individual, thereby causing more harm than good. Luckily, ACU has a solution: they have worked with other autism organizations to create training DVDs for police officers to show them how they can best serve Utah’s autistic community.
ACU believes that autism must be approached from a variety of angles. Just as the condition affects individuals in a variety of ways, treatments and support must have a tailored. In order to supplement as many organizations as possible, ACU has implemented a variety of fundraising operations and volunteer work in Utah. One such operation is the custom autism awareness license plates (the ones with the red puzzle pieces) that you see around the state. To donate to the autism education of Utah, and to educate yourself, visit their site at autismcouncilofutah.org.