Autism Awareness Month is a reminder to serve community
During Autism Acceptance Month in April, we are reminded of the need to enhance opportunities for those living with autism in our community. Autism is a growing issue in our state and city, sparking increased awareness, acceptance, and action.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics reveal that Texas has the second largest population of adults living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the United States — nearly 450,000. This reality is confirmed by the Texas Education Agency, which reported that nearly 81,000 Texas students receive special education services for ASD.
In 2016, according to the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation, over 30,000 people were living with ASD in San Antonio; this is projected to increase to 35,000 by 2026. More importantly, Kronkosky has highlighted serious gaps in services and specialized providers for children and families living with ASD in Bexar County. Thus, thousands of San Antonio students are not only managing their ASD, but also dealing with a lack of assistance to help them on their journey to achieve quality, independent lives as adults.
Texas A&M-San Antonio is taking a significant lead to meet the ASD needs in our San Antonio community with a $2.1M Department of Education grant, creating the A&M-SA TU CASA program. TU CASA is a partnership between A&M-San Antonio and seven southside school districts designed to give students with intellectual disabilities much-needed life skills training while providing an inclusive university experience.
Under this partnership, the Burleson Center for Innovation and Education was created. This University school in the Edgewood Independent School District serves students 18 years and older with special needs by providing them community integration, employment training, education, independent living capabilities and social skills. Upon graduation from Burleson, students can transition into a certification program, gaining career experience in a college environment at A&M-SA. Our University is a perfect landing place for students on the spectrum who have college aspirations and want to integrate their abilities into a career path, benefitting both student and community.
The TU CASA model is groundbreaking for our city. We will continue to build upon this model with new educational programming and resource opportunities for students to reach their full potential. We want our city to know we are here for them now and will help them change their future. Feel free to reach out to our Department of Counseling, Health, and Kinesiology at 210-784-2585 to learn more.
If you are wanting to pursue a profession that will serve the autism community in Bexar County, A&M-SA is developing bachelor’s and master’s Applied Behavior Analysis degrees, projected to launch in Fall 2022.
I am proud of the University’s commitment to help meet the unique challenges faced by the autism community. If there is one thing this pandemic has taught us, it is that we all need to support equity in opportunity for all individuals.
I encourage you to explore possibilities for achieving your higher education dreams in our College of Education and Human Development. Join us for a virtual or scheduled in-person tour and discover what the University has to offer. Check out www.tamusa.edu for updates and happenings on our campus. You can always find me on Instagram at @jagprezmatson or Twitter at @PrezMatson.
Cynthia Teniente-Matson, Ed.D, is president of Texas A&M University San Antonio.
