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This report represents a summary of the work of the Kentucky Advisory Council on Autism including the dedicated work of three lifespan subcommittees, Innovative Supports for Autistic Workers Project and Partnership Highlights. As the KYACA promotes collaborative efforts and advocates to improve system of supports for autistics, it has been paramount that the voice of autistics leads the way toward meaningful change. The Council moved forward with recommending five self-advocates be appointed to the Council to enrich and ground the Council’s work in an autistic perspective. A special thanks to Governor Beshear for making these appointments. Establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with Council agencies has proven productive in moving the KYACA toward the vision that autistics of all ages are engaged in self-determined lives and valued citizens in the community. Please see the APPENDIX section for additional information and data from KYACA Council Partnerships.

The Early Childhood Subcommittee of the Kentucky Advisory Council on Autism (KYACA) is excited to share with you a new resource sheet for those with a family member newly diagnosed with autism. The resource sheet reflects collaboration between autistic adults, parents of autistic children, healthcare providers, university faculty, and school staff. As a result, and unlike other available guidance documents you may use, this resource sheet includes some national resources, but the committee tried to focus on Kentucky specific information and highlight those developed in collaboration with autistic adults. The final draft of content includes key actions for users to take (i. e., Learn More About Autism, Connect with Other Family Members, Get to Know Autistic Self-Advocates, Establish School Plans, Seek Desired Supports And Services, Explore The Larger Disability Community, Support Participation, Additional Resources), why these actions are important and links to specific resources. We are attaching a PDF version of the resource sheet for you to copy and distribute. The resource sheet is also available on the KYACA website and can be accessed here:

The committee also developed a survey to gather information on how this resource sheet was disseminated and used. The link to the survey is on the bottom of the resource sheet. We welcome any input you have via the survey.

Thank you for all you do!