Embracing Neurodiversity: Insights for Autism Acceptance Month

As part of Autism Acceptance Month, the 100 Families Initiative hosted a community conversation at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The event brought together therapists, educators, advocates, and parents to share insights and experiences about autism and neurodiversity. Together, the panel explored how communities can move beyond awareness toward genuine acceptance, inclusion, and support.

While public awareness of autism has grown, panelists emphasized that awareness alone is no longer enough. Jennifer Davis, a counselor at The Forging Place and a mother of an autistic son, urged attendees to deepen their understanding by learning directly from autistic voices. She pointed to Autism Level Up, a resource led by autistic advocates, as an example. Davis reinforced the need to involve children in their own therapy goals and to encourage self-advocacy.

“Environments that are excluding can be traumatic,” Davis explained, noting that the harm of exclusion can even lead to PTSD. True acceptance means building safe, affirming environments where autistic individuals can thrive—and where families feel empowered rather than isolated.

A common thread throughout the discussion was the need to support families navigating an autism diagnosis. Emily Vernon, an occupational therapist with The Griffin Promise, acknowledged that a diagnosis can bring on a whirlwind of emotions—grief, confusion, and sometimes relief.

“If you don’t have the family on board, the kid’s not going to thrive,” she emphasized.

John Taylor, with the Division of Developmental Disabilities at Sebastian County DHS, echoed this sentiment, describing how overwhelmed parents often feel at the moment of diagnosis. “They have a million questions,” he said. “The process needs to be a lot simpler.”

For Lori Hull, founder of SpIndL and a parent of a 22-year-old on the spectrum, the emotional toll was personal and profound. She recalled the pressure to "fix" her son after his diagnosis—an experience that ultimately shifted toward acceptance and support.

“Burnout and stress for families with autism is real. It’s extreme, and we’re not doing enough to help them,” she said. “Just feeling like you have someone on your side can reduce stress.”

The panel also highlighted the critical role of schools in fostering inclusion. Special education teacher Tracy Risley called for a shift in mindset. “Children should not have to earn the right to be in a classroom,” she said. All students, regardless of neurotype, deserve equitable access to education.

Abigale Dawson, a therapist at The Guidance Center, shared how misunderstandings in classrooms can further isolate autistic children.

“There is nothing wrong with these kids—they just have a different way of living,” she said. She explained how simple behaviors like parallel play—often misunderstood—are actually meaningful and valid forms of interaction. She noted that working with an autistic child can be effective in helping them understand who they are and accept themselves, but the awareness of their classmates and even teachers in absent.

"They’ll understand," she says referring to a neurodiverse child, "but the kids in class with them don’t understand”

Dawson also cautioned against teaching compliance at the expense of emotional regulation.

“Are we teaching compliance or regulation?” she asked, noting that too often, children are taught to mask their needs rather than express them.

Above all, the panel emphasized the importance of honoring the individuality of autistic people. “Don’t try to change who they are,” Vernon said. She also challenged a common misconception: “Autism is not an intellectual disability. Presume competence and treat them like their age.”

Hull added that true acceptance is not just about tolerance. “It’s not just, ‘we’re okay that you’re here,’” she said. “It’s accepting them as individuals and welcoming them in."

The collective message from the panel was clear: autism acceptance means understanding, validating, and supporting autistic individuals and their families. It means listening to autistic voices, challenging outdated mindsets, and creating systems—especially in education and healthcare—that foster belonging rather than barriers.

Whether through policy changes, therapeutic support, or community collaboration, there is a pressing need to move beyond awareness to meaningful action.