Every April the world observes World Autism Acceptance Day (April 2nd) and Autism Acceptance Month. But where did these observances come from and how has the perception of autism evolved over time? Well, what better opportunity than now to do a little throwback on where we’ve come from… and where we’re going!
Over time, understanding of autism has grown significantly. In the 1960s and 1970s, momentum began building toward greater inclusion and support, highlighted by the 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which guaranteed free public education for children with disabilities. Research during this period also helped shape future therapeutic approaches. The 1980s and 1990s brought major advances in diagnosis and awareness, with the DSM-III (1980) recognizing autism as a distinct condition and the DSM-IV (1994) expanding the understanding of autism as a spectrum. Advocacy organizations such as Autism Society of America also helped increase public awareness and strengthen support for autistic individuals and their families.
Parent-led advocacy grew alongside these advances and Ronald Reagan’s 1988 proclamation of National Autism Awareness Month was a major milestone in public awareness of autism.
A New Century of Recognition: The 2000s
The 2000s marked a moment of significant change in the cultural perception of autism. In 2006, the Combating Autism Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush, authorizing nearly one billion dollars over five years for autism screening, education, early intervention, and research. Autism also became a distinct special education category under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1991, significantly expanding the number of children receiving services in schools.
On November 1, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution designating April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day, becoming one of only seven health-specific days recognized by the UN. The first World Autism Awareness Day was celebrated on April 2, 2008.
From “Awareness” to “Acceptance”
One of the most meaningful shifts in recent years hasn’t come from legislation or a medical journal. It’s come from the autism community itself. In 2011, the same year Verbal Beginnings was founded by Nick Chappell and Diana Wolf, autistic disability rights activist Paula Durbin-Westby began advocating for the language of “acceptance” over “awareness,” arguing that awareness campaigns had long portrayed autistic people as burdens rather than as whole people deserving of inclusion.
Growing to Meet the Need
As acceptance grew culturally, so did the demand for high quality ABA services — and Verbal Beginnings grew to meet it. What began as in-home therapy evolved into something much larger. In 2015, the Social Beginnings social skills program launched, offering children critical opportunities to build connections in group settings. The first Verbal Beginnings center opened in Columbia, MD in 2016, soon followed by the Social Beginnings after-school program and the Healthy Beginnings feeding therapy program — expanding the range of support available to families under one roof.
But we didn’t stop there! In 2018, Verbal Beginnings University launched to invest in staff development and ABA career growth from within. By 2019, we added another Columbia center with over 35,000 square feet of space to meet the demand for accessible, high-quality care.
In 2023, Verbal Beginnings crossed the 500-employee mark and launched a Comprehensive Services expansion featuring Speech and Occupational Therapy. More centers were opened (including Virginia) along with receiving our BHCOE accreditation as a training site.
While the number of our staff has increased, our commitment to our mission hasn’t: Changing Lives. One Child at a Time. One Professional at a time. Verbal Beginnings remains committed to that work every day.
To our clients, families, and the broader autism community: thank you for trusting us. We’re proud to stand with you, this Autism Acceptance Month and always.
