“There is no love like a mother’s love,” I said through tears at my mother’s funeral. Having a wonderful mother, being a mother and knowing many mothers, I know how true this is. Kudos to all mamas, and those in mothering roles! I also have great admiration and respect for mothers of special needs children, who are devoted to making …
Why are the police putting handcuffs on youth with disabilities? It’s not what you think…
It was a tough year to be a police officer. Police everywhere were reviled for the reprehensible actions of a few. Yet wonderful officers across the country were quietly teaching teens and adults with disabilities the skills they need to be safe. While their good work went almost unnoticed, hundreds of individuals with special needs and their families personally benefitted …
Telemundo Showcases BE SAFE
MariaPaula Ochoa is a passionate television reporter who tells stories that can make a difference. She has many questions about autism, safety and the police. “How do you sensitize the police about autism?” she asked me today when she interviewed me at home. I told her about Experience Autism, the hands-on training I designed for the Los Angeles Police Department …
What Do You Do When There Are No Tools?
I could not find any existing tools to teach my own son or others to BE SAFE, so I decided to create one (or two) myself! My life as a mother and career as an advocate inspired the why to do this project. Amazing experiences personally training thousands of police officers about ASD provided insight into what needs to be …
The Inspiration for BE SAFE
When my son Tom was a teenager and wanted to drive, I wasn’t worried about him memorizing facts for the written test. I was also pretty sure he would follow the rules of the road. As a young man with autism and excellent memory, those things would be easy for him. I was anxious about the unexpected challenges a new …