Autism Society of America

AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA
SUBMITTED BY RONALD N. DESEARS

Autism Society of America, the nation’s leading grassroots autism organization, exists to
improve the lives of all affected by autism. We do this by increasing public awareness about the
day-to-day issues faced by people on the spectrum, advocating for appropriate services for
individuals across the lifespan, and providing the latest information regarding treatment,
education, research and advocacy.
Founded in 1965 by Dr. Bernard Rimland, Dr. Ruth Sullivan and many other parents of
children with autism, ASA is the leading source of trusted and reliable information about autism.
Through its strong chapter network, ASA has spearheaded numerous pieces of state and local
legislation, including the 2006 Combating Autism Act, the first federal autism-specific law.
ASA’s website is one of the most visited websites on autism in the world and its quarterly
journal, Autism Advocate, has a broad national readership. ASA also hosts the most
comprehensive national conference on autism, attended by 2000 people each year. Our
information and referral team, our program staff, and our strong chapter presence serve
thousands of families each year who are searching for help in their journey with autism.
ASA’s national office is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. ASA is a member and
chapter organization who’s national Board of Directors is composed of democratically elected
members and appointed members. We are proud to be one of the few organizations to have
members with autism serving as active board directors. ASA’s Panel of Professional Advisors
sets the standards for our Options Policy that governs our practices, and we are proud to count
the top professional experts in autism on our PPA.   ASA’s Panel of People on the Spectrum of
Autism Advisors is a first-of-its-kind advisory panel comprised solely of individuals with autism,
who help ASA staff create programs and services that...