Pathfinders for Autism

Why Donate to Pathfinders for Autism?

The Pathfinders for Autism Resource Center helps families navigate the often confusing and complex array of services, treatment, and programs available to them. Our staff receives calls from parents who have just received a diagnosis;caregivers of adults with autism in need of support services;individuals with autism who are seeking services for themselves;and professionals working with clients with autism.

The Pathfinders for Autism website is a critical link to the thousands of families and professionals we serve throughout Maryland. The site offers a searchable, online database of more than 2,200 providers along with informative articles and a calendar of autism-specific events.

This training provides first responders with “scenario-based” instruction with practical application in the field. Pathfinders provides a balance of factual information, experiential exercises, and practical tips and strategies, along with personal stories that both entertain and provoke thoughtful consideration. Our curriculum focuses on functional ability (rather than specific diagnosis) that incorporates the most prominent developmental disabilities first responders may encounter. The program addresses how to identify disabilities and their characteristics and make modifications and accommodations. We also help first responders identify behaviors which could easily be mistaken as belligerence or acts of aggression. We have different curricula specific for each audience: Patrol Officers, Corrections Officers, Fire/EMS, Investigators/Detectives, Interrogators, Hostage Negotiators, Child Advocacy Centers, SROs, Parole & Probation Officers, Dispatchers, and State’s Attorneys/Public Defenders.

Pathfinders for Autism hosts free recreational events at local attractions, such as the National Aquarium and Minor League Baseball games. This provides an opportunity for the entire family to experience a “typical” outing with others who are sensitive to their situation, without some of the common barriers many families experience on a daily basis. Pathfinders provides informative fact sheets to the venue to share with their staff and will provide sensitivity training to ensure the staff are fully prepared so that the visit goes as smoothly as possible. 

Pathfinders for Autism sponsors workshops around the state featuring experts in the field presenting on a variety of relevant topics such as: vocational rehabilitation, behavioral interventions, special education, financial planning, dietary interventions, sensory processing, and more.