Saturday morning marks the first Care & Connect Autism resource fair at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) in Santa Clarita, hosted by Senator Suzette Valladares.

Care & Connect is a free, public event that brings many informative resources to assist with autism-related needs and discusses ways organizations accommodate people with autism within their operations. 

The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Department presented their public safety presentations, including information about their mental evaluation teams (MET), hands-on sidewalk CPR demonstrations, and ways both departments handle situations involving people with autism.

Alexandra Ines | KHTS Radio

Skyler Luyando | KHTS Radio

Presenters stressed that their goal is to help provide long-term support for people and families of those struggling with mental disabilities. They elaborated on programs such as “Special Alert Request”, a system for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department that includes special information from the family on how to approach a specific person they may be responding to. 

Alexandra Ines | KHTS Radio

Another program was L.A. Found, a paid opt-in service which provides a wristband for those who may be at risk of wandering or getting lost. This then provides a signal to all MET units in LA, allowing them to triangulate a missing person relatively quickly.

Senator Valladares connected her experience with being the executive director for Autism Speaks to putting together Care & Connect for its first year.

“I’ve been a longtime advocate and voice for the autism community. When I was with Autism Speaks, we did a lot of these resource fairs because there are so many communities that don’t have these events to show individuals and families on the spectrum what resources are available to them locally,” said Valladares.

Senator Valladares also shed light on a couple of major misconceptions on the topic of autism, connecting back to the importance of resources such as the ones at the Care & Connect event.

“The disorder impacts so many people differently, and I hear people only reference kids with autism, but it’s a lifelong spectrum disorder. Autism doesn’t just go away,” said Valladares.

Skyler Luyando | KHTS Radio

Other resources at the event included Special Olympics Southern California, Carousel Ranch, Include Everyone Project SCV, LA County Department of Public Health, The Art Tree, Tectonic Fitness, Bright Star Martial Arts, and more.

“We are going to grow,” said Valladares regarding the Care & Connect event potentially becoming annual. “I’m just super excited about this event and what’s to come next.”

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