It’s important for first responders to learn how to engage safely and successfully in situations that involve people with autism. We work to set police officers, EMTs, firefighters, and other first responders up for success by helping them with practical considerations and proactive strategies for identifying and communicating with autistic people.
Some of the topics we cover:
- Tools of the trade! Working through processes and procedural fears
- Identify characteristic behaviors and traits of individuals with autism
- Demonstrate ways to effectively communicate with individuals with autism in emergency situations
- Describe tactics to enhance the autistic person’s understanding and cooperation with emergency medical processes and procedures
- Effective de-escalation strategies
Autism vs Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are sometimes used interchangeably in common text or conversation. Some individuals with autism and their families have expressed a preference for use of “autism” over ASD to decrease pathologizing or suggesting autism is a disease. Self-advocates and families may use autism or autistic person given their belief that autism is a part of their identity rather than a disorder (National Health Services (NHS) England, 2024).
Given the emphases of this module on ASD recognition, strategy use and navigation (i.e., determining services, resources and supports available), we will use ASD throughout the course though there may be places where autism, autistic and ASD are used interchangeably. This will allow for common reference, familiarity and recognition of the formal diagnostic manuals used by professionals considering or confirming applicable diagnoses. These manuals included the (1) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) and (2) International statistical Classification of Diseases and related health problems (10th Revision, 2nd Ed; ICD-10; World Health Organization, 2004), and are often essential to the above noted navigation among systems.
