CSAAC (Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children) is a nationally recognized pioneer in providing services to individuals with autism. Autism is a serious developmental disorder that can affect social relationships, communication, judgement, reasoning, and behavior. Individuals with autism often need lifetime supports.
CSAAC is a private, non-profit agency founded in 1979 to provide those supports. CSAAC provides person-centered, community based services; specialized to meet the support needs of children and adults with autism. Services are designed and implemented through the combined efforts of a highly specialized team of professionals, managers and direct support personnel. CSAAC maintains a broad array of community partners to promote enriched lifestyles for the individuals that we serve educationally, vocationally and residentially.
Mission Statement:
To enable individuals with autism to achieve their highest potential and contribute as confident members of their community.
History:
In 1980, CSAAC developed one of the first supported employment services in the nation. Within the fourth year of operation, CSAAC was accredited by the ACMRDD, now The Council on Quality and Leadership. The Community School of Maryland was developed in 1983 as an alternative to out of state institutional school placement. CSAAC’s model of providing residential supports to students in homes, including students as part of the community at large, and where possible providing supports so they can attend classes in regular schools and take part in local recreation was the first community-integrated residential school model for students with autism in Maryland.
In 1986, CSAAC received a federal model program grant which allowed CSAAC to refine is supported employment services. In 1987, the National Association for Private Residential Facilities presented CSAAC with their national award for Residential Program of the Year. By 1988, CSAAC was selected to train agencies throughout the country courtesy of an additional United States Department of Education grant. CSAAC staff hosted site visits and in-service training to agencies across the nation to assist sister agencies to initiate supported employment services to people with autism.
Replications and partial replications of CSAAC were initiated in New York, Kansas City, Seattle, Boston, Austin, St. Louis, and other cities. During the period through the early nineties, CSAAC received five federal research, model program and training grants. In 1991, CSAAC was selected by The Council as its first recipient of the Award of Excellence.
Beginning in the early 90’s and continuing today, CSAAC hosts officials from several foreign countries seeking a model for community services for people with autism still living in institutions in their countries. Sweden chose the CSAAC model and sent teams from Stockholm and Orebro, including members of their parliament and city councils to spend weeks with CSAAC. In 1994 and 1995, CSAAC began investigating the best outcome reports from University of California at Las Angeles Psychologist, Dr. Ivar Lovaas who was working with toddlers and young children. CSAAC staff trained at University of California at Las Angeles wrote grants and developed an agreement with Dr. Lovaas for post-doctoral training of psychologists in Early Intervention at UCLA. This process began what was to become CSAAC’s Intensive Early Intervention Services in 1995. CSAAC was selected to be one of the few replication sites in UCLA’s National Institute of Mental Health Research Grant.
The new millennium has brought progress, expansion and more growth to CSAAC as the number of children and adults who were being supported surged. Innovative and individualized programming became the hallmarks of the organization.
CSAAC is committed to personal outcomes and person-centered planning with personal choice evident in all areas. Plans reflect person-centered approaches and personal goals. Individuals take part in planning and decision making, selections of staff and people choose where they live, work and play. Resources are allocated and sought to make hopes and dreams a reality. CSAAC staff, board members and families have embraced personal choice and outcomes and are committed to protect the rights of all people with disabilities.
