Why NCSA? My Path Here...
The first time I saw the words “severe autism” printed clearly and unapologetically in mainstream discourse was in the title of the National Council on Severe Autism (NCSA). I will never forget that moment.
The Last Safety Net: Protecting Tennessee’s Only Clinic for Adults with Severe Autism and IDD
Kramer Davis is Tennessee’s only clinic for adolescents and adults with severe autism and IDD. If it closes, families across 52 counties will have nowhere to turn (again). Together, we must act.
When "Inclusion" Leaves the Most Disabled Behind
If our federal programs cannot stretch to include those who will never be independent, then we must admit that “inclusion” has become just another form of discrimination. For families like mine, and for thousands of others across this country, that exclusion is not theoretical. It is lived, painful, and urgent.
ADA at 35 (1990-2025): Recommitting to Equity for People with Severe Autism
Most policies are born through good faith, but without direct experience informing those policies, people with severe autism are suffering the negative impacts of unintended consequences. It is long past time to challenge the tired false binaries that dominate our disability discourse: community vs. institution, autonomy vs. guardianship, employment vs. dependency. These are not helpful when they erase nuance and deny the reality that many need 24/7 specialized support, meaningful daily activity, integrated multidisciplinary healthcare, and purpose-built safe housing options.
We must update our definitions of inclusion to account for choice, dignity, safety, and realism.
Preventable Tragedies, Systemic Barriers: Severe Autism and the Health Disparity Crisis in Tennessee
As Tennessee’s Chattanooga neglect case sparks debate, families of people with severe autism highlight a deeper crisis: denied safety equipment, untrained staff, punitive policies, and systemic failures that create dangerous, nationwide disparities in care and disability rights.
Holding Group Homes Accountable: Legal and Policy Failures Exposed — And How the New Jersey Chapter of NCSA Is Leading the Fight
A newly released report from the New Jersey Ombudsman exposes systemic failures in group home oversight, including concealed abuse, unreported critical incidents, underpaid and understaffed care, and investigations that let providers police themselves. These aren’t isolated lapses but signs of a broken system that leaves families in crisis. The New Jersey Chapter of NCSA is responding with strong advocacy—documenting family experiences, demanding transparency, partnering with legislators and journalists, and pushing for meaningful reforms to protect individuals with severe autism.