Commissioner Regalado establishes partnership for new countywide autism program

MIAMI-DADE – The Miami-Dade County Commission on Jan. 21 approved legislation sponsored by County Commissioner Raquel Regalado to establish a partnership with the University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) to develop a countywide autism and neurodiverse inclusion program.

The legislation calls for the creation of autism-friendly spaces as well as a training program to give County staff who interact with the public a greater understanding of the special needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

As the mother of two amazing humans who process the world around us differently than most, I am always aware of how much work we have to do to make our public spaces safe and inclusive for everyone. I was thrilled to receive the unanimous support of my colleagues to develop a comprehensive program in our parks, libraries, transit, fire department, and police department helping teens and adults with autism to safely navigate our public spaces and interact with first responders and County staff. I am grateful to UM NSU CARD for this partnership, which includes autism-friendly spaces and training for all County employees who could potentially interact with neuro-divergent children and adults. Together we will make Miami-Dade a national model for inclusion. Stay tuned for social stories, tool kits, and more, coming to you this April! Commissioner Regalado said.