Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
Educators, law enforcement, and other local leaders learned a bit more about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at a Nov. 8 training held by the S.C. Autism Society. Melissa Weathersby, parent mentor at the S.C. Autism Society, provided the training on how to best serve individuals with ASD.
For individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), interactions with law enforcement have the potential to be overwhelming and negative. Officers may not immediately recognize the reactions or response of those with ASD, or autism, amidst a crisis, potentially causing a situation to escalate.
“There is a need to educate first responders when it comes to dealing with people with Autism. The goal is to educate and prevent any possible unwarranted first responder conflicts,” said Shawn Keith, executive director of the S.C. Autism Society.
On November 8, the South Carolina Autism Society joined together with Barnwell County officers and local leaders to host an interactive training event aiming to spread education and further understanding of the autism spectrum.
“Autism is truly a spectrum disorder,” said Keith, as it affects people in different ways and to varying degrees. “No one person or one incident is the same. It's all about education and training to prevent a negative altercation.”
The non-profit organization defines autism as “a complex, lifelong developmental condition that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation.”
Melissa Weathersby has been a parent mentor with the S.C. Autism Society for 11 years. She serves Aiken, Barnwell, Calhoun, Edgefield, Lexington, Newberry, Saluda, and McCormick counties, and led the recent training at the Barnwell County Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) office.
This training was brought through a grant and is the first of 2023. Keith hopes to provide this training statewide next year.
A main theme at the training was understanding each individual with autism does not represent every individual with autism. As a spectrum disorder, the traits and characteristics connected to autism can vary greatly.
Weathersby explained autism can have an impact on communication such as being non-verbal, not immediately connecting action and language, and difficulty answering questions. She explained to first responders that a lack of eye contact does not equal a lack of understanding or hearing, and limited communication does not equal lack of intelligence.
Keith advises first responders to take note of “certain mannerisms and lack thereof of social skill. You have to be careful with certain behaviors.”
According to Keith, some law enforcement entities and counties are implementing identification cards. The founders of a web development company in Pennsylvania created the Autism ID Card in collaboration with Allegheny County Public Defender’s Office. Although it is not a legal document, the ID card was born out of a training held by the national organization Autism Speaks in which the founders attended.
“Due to the stress of an emergency situation, people with autism are frequently unable to communicate the nature of their condition, and the first responders at the scene often misinterpret their behavior and take action against them,” states the ID card website. “To address this problem, people on the autism spectrum can present this Autism ID Card to Police, EMTs, and other emergency personnel to inform these officials about their diagnosis and to educate them about the potential autism-related behavior that they may exhibit.”
Autistic individuals may not understand the danger of a given situation where first responders are involved, and may steer away from things such as loud noises and bright lights.
At Barnwell Primary School, there is a sensory room for children to escape overstimulation that may be present in classroom or academic environments. According to a 2021 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in 44 school age children are diagnosed with autism, which is an increase from previous years.
In attendance at this training were Barnwell County School District administrators, law enforcement officers including a school resource officer, Barnwell County personnel, and many more.
The S.C. Autism Society was founded in 1970 by parents like Weathersby who wanted more options and avenues for their autistic children. Since its foundation, the organization has provided case management, educational mentoring and planning, resources, outreach, and training opportunities.
Overall, their goal is to provide necessary services for autistic people to live fully.
It has two main programs: case management and parent/school partnership, which is staffed by people with autistic children such as Weathersby. The S.C. Autism Society is the only case management provider through the S.C. Dept. of Disabilities and Special Needs that provides services to only those with autism.
In addition, the S.C. Autism Society advocates at state and federal levels to pass legislation providing necessary services for autistic individuals. Earlier this year, Keith and colleagues celebrated Governor Henry McMaster signing an amendment to a bill allowing the dissemination of information regarding missing individuals with a developmental disability.
National organizations like the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) also aim to make society more inclusive for those with autism through policy and legal advocacy, educational resources, advocacy, and leadership training for autistic self-advocates. ASAN encourages autistic individuals to be a part of the conversation and take control of the future of the disability rights movement.
For more information about the S.C. Autism Society, visit https://autismsociety.org/.
