Level Up For
Your Community
Our communities are the place to lead by example and show that respect and kindness can increase acceptance this April and throughout the year.
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Autism and Safety
Did you know that people with autism are seven times more likely to have an encounter with a police officer?
Meet Local Law Enforcement
If you are a parent or family member of someone with autism, introduce yourself and if possible, your autistic loved one to your local police department. Share your story and important information you think they should know.
Share Your Story:
Parents | Learn more about how you can reach out to your local police department. A simple introduction can make a huge difference.
Ambassadors | You can help build bridges for families. Forge a connection with the community outreach officer to share autism awareness information and politely inquire about their team’s use of autism-friendly practices.
Community Police Departments | Arrange opportunities for meeting your residents on the autism spectrum and their families. Share information with families on special needs registries and locative devices.
Connection Letters | Browse our four pre-written letters to open the conversation between the autism community and local law enforcement professionals. We hope these letters serve as openings to have a meaningful dialogue on the local level.
Help bring autistic individuals and first responders together in a safe and positive way.
Helping Families Connect with Law Enforcement:
As part of our commitment to the safety and wellbeing of autistic individuals and their families, we recently launched our Law Enforcement Initiative. The goal of our initiative is to promote safe and effective interactions between the autism and law enforcement communities by increasing the adoption of autism-friendly practices throughout the state of New Jersey. Learn more about our Law Enforcement Initiative and its promotion of autism-friendly practices.
Level Up for Your Neighborhood
We all contribute to our neighborhood’s values and the promotion of kindness, acceptance, and compassion. Your voice and example are powerful! See our resources for inspiration and messages.
Connect With Neighbors
Each year, members of the Livingston community and the high school Builder’s Club meet for a Shine a Light on Autism event with guest speakers and a walk honoring autism acceptance. →
Yard signs | Make posters and stake them on your yard or attach to a fence.
Libraries | Create an autism acceptance table with kids booklets, rack cards, bookmarks, and posters.
Message boards | Print our Facts About Autism Sheet and add it to message boards in places of worship, college centers, and more.
Posters | Ask local businesses if they will hang our poster in a storefront window during April.
Start with a simple conversation. You would be surprised how many people have heard of autism, but do not know how common it is, the challenges faced by the autism community, or even how it affects an individual. Check out our articles for conversation starters!
Talking points:
Level Up for Your Medical Setting
People with autism often have a hard time accessing healthcare. Your efforts to spread awareness and acceptance and the use of autism-friendly practices can help!
Working Together
Cooper University Healthcare partners with Autism New Jersey and other autism experts to provide education to their healthcare providers on autism and how to better provide high quality compassionate care to autistic patients. →
CONNECT | with families to help make medical visits more successful.
ENGAGE | with your healthcare staff to learn more about autism and its impact on health outcomes and healthcare access.
PROMOTE | autism-friendly practices in your healthcare settings.
Level Up for Your Workplace
Bring awareness into your workplace. Some of the largest communities we are a part of are at work, offering a broad reach to co-workers, customers, and vendors.
Workplace Inclusion Matters
Last year, Autism New Jersey was invited to Wyndham headquarters to present to employees about autism and best practices for creating an inclusive and compassionate environment for co-workers or guests from the autism community. →
Make it virtual | Request the first five minutes of your next meeting be about discussing autism and share autism facts — Add our Zoom background.
Create an autism awareness team | Organize a corporate team to participate in the Autism Awareness Do-A-Thon.
Diversity at work | With workplace diversity in the spotlight more and more, now is a great time to start a discussion with your human resources team about employment opportunities for individuals with autism. You can also provide businesses with resources to help them become more inclusive. One such resource is Specialisterne, which partners with companies to enhance their understanding of neurodiversity, develop inclusive hiring and management practices, and connect them with excellent candidates.
Be Supportive | Explore how your workplace can be more supportive for families raising a child with autism.
Local Business Sensory Hours | Encourage stores and restaurants to offer sensory-friendly shopping or dining times.
Shop & Support | Partner with local businesses to donate a portion of their sales. Use our custom Dine to Donate flyers!
Level Up For Your Local Government
It is important to keep the needs of the autism community on the mind of our public officials.
Honoring Acceptance
In 2024, Matt Pini, an Autism Ambassador and sibling to his younger brother Tommy who has autism, accepted a proclamation from the State Board of Education in Trenton for Autism Acceptance Month. →
Write a letter to your mayor, telling your story or why autism awareness is important to you.
Explore ways autism awareness and related issues can be included in your town’s policies and public spaces.
Request April be proclaimed Autism Awareness Month at a town council meeting. Contact your local council member by mailing our sample proclamation letter or visiting your county or town website—many have a “Proclamation Request” page where you can easily submit your request online.
Pro Tip | Be sure to send your request at least 3 weeks before your target date to allow enough time for approval.
RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY AWARENESS
Level Up For Your Online Community
Take to social media and use our tool kit to add images, update your profile, and share posts. Use the platform to raise awareness and fundraise to support the cause.
A Celebration of Acceptance
Mom to Ethan, Gina Banks, has planned a birthday fundraiser each April to promote autism acceptance and, instead of gifts, requests donations to Autism New Jersey. →