Awards and Honors

2011: CSAAC’s Founder Jane Ford Salzano was selected for Honorable Mention by the 2011 Maryland Governor’s Service Awards Committee for her advocacy work on behalf of those with autism and CSAAC.

2010: CSAAC received an award for being ranked #37 in The Gazette of Politics and Business "Exceptional" 53 Awards

2007: CSAAC Executive Director, Ian Paregol elected to serve on MACS Board of Directors.

2005: CSAAC is awarded accreditation by The Council on Quality and Leadership in support for people with disabilities.  

2003: CSAAC participated in federal research, headed by Dr. Vincent Ho of the design group CYKE, and supported by the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH). This research will lead to a user friendly, one-stop online resource for autism.  

2003: CSAAC Executive Director, Patricia Juhrs was quoted in Newsweek in an article entitled, “Boys, Girls and Autism, What New Science Tells Us About How Our Brain Works.”  

2003: The book, The Ride Together, A Brother and Sister’s Memoir of Autism in the Family, is released by authors Paul & Judy Karasik based on their brother, who is an individual served by CSAAC.  

2002: CSAAC is invited to participate in an international study on supported employment. 

2002: CSAAC acquired the Brookville Campus as the third campus for the Community School of Maryland.  

2002: CSAAC awarded Accreditation with Distinction by The Council on Quality and Leadership in Supports for People with Disabilities.   

2002: CSAAC President, Alfred E. McEwen (Lt. Col. USAF, Retired), received the Maryland Association of Community Services' Volunteer Award. 

2001: CSAAC reaccredited for three years by The Council on Quality and Leadership in Supports for People with Disabilities. The Council surveyors commended the agency for its commitment to outcomes.

2001: CSAAC receives World Bank Community Outreach Recognition Award.  

2000: CSAAC services featured in the University of Kansas Special Education textbook - Chapter on "Autism and People in the Community" by Anne Turnbull. 

2000: CSAAC volunteer, Jane Gridley, is inducted into the Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame for her service to CSAAC. 

2000: CSAAC Executive Director receives State Department of Rehabilitation Award for chairing the Governor's Advisory Council on Rehabilitation. 

2000: CSAAC is selected for the Montgomery County Pyramid Award for Supported Employment Business Partnership & Employee Loyalty and the Cory Moore Award for Autism. 

2000: Initiated Hybrid Model - Intensive Early Intervention.  

2000: Initiated Day-School Classroom Services and Family & Individual Support Services. 

1999: CSAAC helps develop state police training curricula on people with autism.  

1999: Montgomery County Executive Douglas Duncan presents Stuart Spielman with the "Cory Moore Memorial" Award at the Annual Montgomery County Pyramid Award Ceremony.

1999: Pyramid Awards: Douglas Duncan, Montgomery County Executive, acknowledges CSAAC's Supported Employment Program employers with certificates for Positive Partnership in Disability: 

Beach Brothers Printing Inc.

St. Michael School

Ross Dress for Less (Greenbelt, MD)

K-Mart (Silver Spring & Gaithersburg, MD)

Toys R Us (Rockville, MD)

Edvotek Scientific Laboratories

1998: CSAAC receives re-accreditation from The Council. This survey was CSAAC's second review by the Council using outcome standards. CSAAC is the first agency serving persons with Developmental Disabilities in the State of Maryland accredited by the Council using outcome standards. 

1998: CSAAC Supported Employment Program is awarded the Montgomery County Pyramid Employment Development Award, by Montgomery County Executive Douglas Duncan.  

1997: CSAAC President Nivea Cordova Berrios received the Corey Moore Memorial Award from Montgomery County Executive Douglas Duncan at the annual Montgomery County Pyramid Award Ceremony.

1997: CSAAC Executive Director re-elected as Chair of the Maryland State Rehabilitation Advisory Council

1996: CSAAC initiates Maryland's first-ever Intensive Early Intervention Services in collaboration with UCLA's Department of Psychology, Young Autism Clinic, Maryland State Department of Education, and Montgomery County Public Schools.

1995: CSAAC, again, receives the highest accreditation possible from The Council and is accredited for three years. 

1995:  CSAAC staff published “A Guide to Successful Employment for Individuals with Autism” by Smith, Belcher, and Juhrs

1995: CSAAC is selected by Ann and Rudd Turnbull as an exemplary program and featured in the chapter on autism in the textbook published through University of Kansas, Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today's Schools.

1994: CSAAC is selected to write "autism" issue for the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation.

1994: President's Health Care Reform Committee invites CSAAC Executive Director to participate in the Supported Employment Financing and Health Care Initiative regarding people with developmental disabilities, Washington, DC.

1993: CSAAC is selected for exemplary program in chapter of book, No Pity, by Joseph Shapiro. 

1993: Employee supported by CSAAC, Gary Rock, receives the Governor's Innovation Award in Annapolis, Maryland.

1993: Mary Sauerbier receives the award for Integration in Employment and Living from Governor Schaeffer in Annapolis, Maryland. 

1992: CSAAC receives the highest accreditation possible from the survey of the Accreditation Council, Accreditation with Distinction. The survey is one of the most rigorous reviews of program quality in the nation. CSAAC not only was accredited for three years, but also received accreditation with distinction, which denoted the highest standards of quality. CSAAC is one of the few programs in the nation to have achieved this level of quality in service delivery.

1992: CSAAC selected again by Montgomery County Government for the Pyramid Award. The award is presented to a provider of services for people with developmental disabilities, and CSAAC is the only agency in the County to ever receive this award. CSAAC was honored with the Pyramid Award for “Outstanding Supported-Integrative Employment.”  

1992: A study by the Developmental Disabilities Training Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill selected CSAAC for their “Top Seven U.S. Employment Agencies Serving People with Disabilities.” More than 200 agencies were nominated for consideration and each noted to be “committed to the integration, social participation and personal development of people with disabilities.” CSAAC, along with six other agencies, are featured in the book, Outstanding Integrative Employment Agencies: Creativity, Leadership and Commitment.

1992: CSAAC receives the Award of Excellence by the Accreditation Council, a national accreditation agency. This award is based on Accreditation Council surveys and site visits, outcomes in consumer empowerment, adapted environments, individual supports, and integration of people with challenging behavior.  The award reflects CSAAC's approaches, which were unique to the field and activities that have enabled people with disabilities to attain outcomes and benefits. CSAAC was selected from a national pool of agencies that demonstrate excellence, and was the first agency to receive this honor.

1991: Accreditation with Distinction, (the first nationally-awarded, three-year accreditation) awarded by the Accreditation Council on Services for People with Developmental Disabilities. CSAAC has been continuously accredited since 1984.

1991: Received Federal grant award to research supported employment technology for people disabled by autism, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, U.S. Department of Education.

1991: Governor William Donald Schaeffer presented CSAAC with the first Community Service Innovation Award for “Productivity and Excellence” in community-based service delivery.

1990: The Developmental Disabilities Training Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, identifies CSAAC's Supported Employment and Residential Programs in best practices manual.  The project was funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. 

1990: CSAAC selected for "Replication-site visit" by Swedish Government officials developing their country's services to people with autism and challenging behaviors. Sweden is interested in replicating CSAAC's Supported Employment services. 

1989: CSAAC selected for a chapter in Supported Employment for Persons with Disabilities: Focus on Excellence by Paul Wehman, Ph.D. and John Kregel, Ed.D., Directors, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States Department of Education, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center.

1989: The National Association Rehabilitation Facilities chooses CSAAC as one of the exemplary "top eight" supported employment programs in the nation through a nationwide survey and site visits.   

1988: CSAAC receives the Governor's Committee on Employment of Handicapped, Evie Cutler Award for outstanding achievement.

1988: CSAAC staff member and psychologist, Dr. Marcia Smith, receives the Governor's Award for "Health Care Professional of the Year" for her work at CSAAC.

1985: CSAAC selected to receive the United States Department of Education for a “Model Supported Employment” and "Community Residential Program" grant award.