Autism Society Of America Inc

TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ALL AFFECTED BY AUTISM.

AUTISM CORE SERVICES:IN 2021, THE AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA'S NATIONAL HELPLINE WHICH OPERATES FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, AND AUTISMSOURCE OUR NATIONAL RESOURCE DATABASE ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING:1. SUPPORTED OVER 3,700 CONSTITUENTS BY PHONE AND EMAIL2. PROVIDED OVER 4,400 HOURS OF SERVICE TO THOSE IN NEED OF INFORMATION AND SUPPORTS 3. MAINTAINED OVER 34,000 AUTISM RESOURCE LISTINGS ON WWW.AUTISMSOURCE.ORG, WHICH WERE ACCESSED BY MORE THAN 50,000 USERS. CUSTOMER SERVICE RESPONSES:1. 9/10 INDIVIDUALS WHO REACHED OUT TO THE NATIONAL HELPLINE WOULD CONTACT AGAIN, AND RECOMMEND THE AUTISM SOCIETY TO OTHERS.2. 8/10 INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTACT OUR NATIONAL HELPLINE EXPECT TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.3. 86% OF INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HELPLINE FOUND THE RESOURCES TO BE HELPFUL.OUR AFFILIATE RELATIONS AND OTHER ASA TEAM MEMBERS PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING SUPPORTS FOR AFFILIATES:1. OVER 5,000 HOURS OF DIRECT SUPPORT TO AFFILIATES.2. OVER 70 AFFILIATE VISITS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR; THIS REFLECTS VIRTUAL TRAININGS, EVENTS, AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT CALLS, AFFILIATE CHECK-INS, AND VISITS.3. 15 MARKETING TOOLKITS PROVIDED MARKETING ASSETS, MESSAGING, AND CAMPAIGN RESOURCES.4. NATIONAL HOSTED 29 WEBINARS FOCUSING ON MONTHLY MEETINGS, TOPICAL TRAININGS, AND AFFILIATE REQUESTED LEARNING SESSIONS.5. HOSTED A THREE-DAY INTENSIVE AFFILIATE CONFERENCE SUPPORTING PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, FUNDRAISING AND ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION ATTENDED BY OVER 70 AFFILIATE REPRESENTATIVES.

EDUCATION AND AWARENESS:IN 2021, THE AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA CONTINUED THE ONGOING EFFORTS OF MAKING SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY AUTISM RECEIVED UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ABOUT ISSUES TO HELP ADVANCE THEIR WELL-BEING. OUR ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN INCLUDED:1. PROVIDED DAILY FACEBOOK POSTS TO OVER 612,000 FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS.2. PROVIDED DAILY TWITTER POSTS TO OVER 119,000 TWITTER FOLLOWERS.3. 230K+ PEOPLE ENGAGED WITH NATIONAL'S POSTS AND CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA4. HOSTED FACEBOOK FUNDRAISERS RAISING CLOSE TO $197,000 THROUGH SMALL DONATIONS FROM PEER-TO-PEER IMPACT.5. FACEBOOK & TWITTER SAW OVER 7.2 MILLION IMPRESSIONS AND MORE THAN 193,000 ENGAGEMENTS.6. DISTRIBUTED A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER TO OVER 100,000 PEOPLE.7. 154K PEOPLE VISITED OUR "WHAT IS AUTISM?" RESOURCE PAGE8. NEARLY 1.2 MILLION PEOPLE VISITED OUR WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION, RESOURCES AND SUPPORT.9. LAUNCHED OUR NEW BRAND AND WEBSITE IN NOVEMBER 2021. THROUGHOUT THE BRAND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, 150 INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING THE KEY GROUPS WITHIN THE AUTISM COMMUNITY WERE INVOLVED: AUTISTIC INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM, FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS, AUTISM SOCIETY AFFILIATES AND PROFESSIONALS IN THE AUTISM FIELD ALL PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS.10. ALSO, IN 2021, DUE TO THE ONGOING COVID PANDEMIC, THE AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA CONTINUED STRATEGIES TO HELP PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ADDRESS SPECIFIC CONCERNS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC. OUR EFFORTS INCLUDED:11. THE AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA DEVELOPED A COVID-19 RELIEF TOOLKIT, ACCESSED OVER 135,000 TIMES REVIEWING POLICY, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION RESOURCES, AND MORE.12. OUR CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION SERIES FEATURING AUTISTIC SELF-ADVOCATES AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS HAS BEEN VIEWED OVER 191,000 TIMES.13. BEGAN A VACCINE EDUCATION INITIATIVE WITH $85,000 OF FUNDING ALLOCATED TO DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND HOSTING SENSORY FRIENDLY VACCINE CLINICS WITH LOCAL AUTISM SOCIETY AFFILIATES. THE CLINICS SUCCESSFULLY HELPED 99% OF THE ATTENDEES WITH AUTISM GET VACCINATED.

PUBLIC POLICY:IN 2021, THE AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA CONTINUED ADVOCACY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND CIVIL RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM AND THEIR FAMILIES DURING THE COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC. WE SUCCESSFULLY EDUCATED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEIR STAFF ABOUT THE NEED FOR ACCESS TO HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES, SUPPORT AND PROTECTION FOR DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS, INCLUSIVE PAID LEAVE, CIVIL RIGHTS FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT, ACCESS TO TESTING AND VACCINATIONS, AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES. AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA CONSTITUENTS SENT THOUSANDS OF LETTERS TO CONGRESS URGING THAT COVID RELIEF PACKAGES CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF THE AUTISM COMMUNITY. IN A SIGNIFICANT VICTORY, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, SIGNED INTO LAW ON MARCH 11, PROVIDES A 10% INCREASE IN THE MEDICAID FEDERAL MATCHING RATE FOR THESE SERVICES (A $12 BILLION INCREASE FOR HCBS) AND $2.6 BILLION TO IDEA STATE GRANTS, $200 MILLION FOR PRESCHOOL (SEC 619), AND $250 MILLION FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES (PART C). IT ALSO PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT FUNDING FOR OTHER PRIORITIES SUCH AS VACCINE DISTRIBUTION, HOUSING, CHILD CARE, NUTRITION ASSISTANCE, HEALTH CARE, CHILDHOOD TAX CREDITS, AND, OF COURSE, STIMULUS CHECKS (INCLUDING FOR DEPENDENTS).IN ADDITION: 1. THE AUTISM SOCIETY PUBLIC POLICY TEAM ATTENDED OVER APPROXIMATELY 100 MEETINGS WITH CONGRESSIONAL STAFF TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT HOW POLICIES IMPACT PEOPLE WITH AUTISM. 2. SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR EQUITY IN EDUCATION AS WELL AS THE EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS OF A FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT TO BE MAINTAINED (NOT WAIVED) THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. 3. SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR FUNDING INCREASES FOR GENERAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, THE PENDING BUILD BACK BETTER ACT, AND THE PENDING FY 2022 L-HHS-ED APPROPRIATIONS BILL FOR IDEA.4. ADVOCATED FOR THE INCLUSION OF STIMULUS PAYMENTS FOR ADULT DEPENDENTS AND AN INCREASED FMAP FOR HCBS IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN. WORKED TO ENSURE INCLUSION OF FUNDING ($150 BILLION) FOR HCBS, STIMULUS PAYMENTS FOR ADULT DEPENDENTS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE, RESPITE CARE, EARLY CHILDHOOD AND OTHER PRIORITIES IMPACTING PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IN THE PENDING BUILD BACK BETTER ACT.5. ENCOURAGED THE APPOINTMENT OF NEW INTERAGENCY AUTISM COORDINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, INCLUDING MORE SELF-ADVOCATES APPOINTED SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMITTEE. 6. ENSURE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES LIVING IN INSTITUTIONS AND CONGREGATE SETTINGS ARE SAFE DURING COVID AND OTHER PANDEMICS AND PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES, AND PROVIDE THOSE WHO PREFER, WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE TO AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING IN THEIR COMMUNITY OF CHOICE.