Keystone Autism Services

To sustain our commitment to comprehensive systems of care and our tradition of excellence in specialized services, Keystone Human Services has established a new subsidiary corporation, Keystone Autism Services (KAS). Keystone Autism Services is an exciting synthesis of the extensive and diverse autism supports provided through various arenas of Keystone service.

In fostering an environment where all people can grow, make choices and be valued and contributing members of society, Keystone Human Services has sought to recognize the diversity of needs in every community. Keystone Autism Services will enable us to recognize the needs of an entire population of individuals living with autism spectrum disorders, from children to adults, as well as their families.

Through immense strides in awareness and activism, Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Welfare recognized the need for a program office devoted specifically to the concerns of people living with autism, and in February 2007, they announced the formation of the Bureau of Autism Services. One of the Bureau’s primary goals is the development of targeted supports and services for adults with autism spectrum disorders.

In the ever-increasing emphasis on autism detection, diagnosis and support across the nation, most attention has been directed to the development of services for children and infants. While these tremendously valuable advances can greatly improve the early development of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, many adults living with ASDs were born prior to federal mandates for standardized support programs and have received little to no personalized support. Through the work of Keystone Service Systems Southeast, Keystone Children & Family Services, Keystone Residence, Susquehanna Service Dogs and other agencies, Keystone Human Services has garnered a valued community role in providing autism spectrum disorder supports for adults. The formation of Keystone Autism Services will enable a more intensive, integrated and specialized focus on the needs and concerns of these members of the community, as well as the needs of their families.

The launch of Keystone Autism Services is both a culmination and a commencement: the culmination of an ever-growing commitment to the individuals and families who live with autism, and the commencement of an exciting new chapter in the Keystone story. Through the work of KAS, Keystone is preparing to become a leader in community-based services for people with autism spectrum disorders, striving to establish a model for all of Pennsylvania that will impact autism awareness and support for years to come.