Center for Autism & Related Disorders Commends Governor Hogan and the State of Maryland On Appointment of First Statewide Autism Coordinator

PLANO, Texas, Dec. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD®; centerforautism.com), the world's largest autism treatment provider, is pleased to recognize Maryland Governor Hogan and Delegate Michelle Guyton for their leadership and foresight in the appointment of Katie Gandy as the state's first autism coordinator.

As an advocate and parent of a child with autism, Katie Gandy knows firsthand the challenges and opportunities individuals, parents and caregivers face when seeking high-quality treatment for autism spectrum disorder. Gandy will be a strong voice in support of outreach and education for this important issue.

"I am excited to begin this new role and begin to build effective, wraparound resources for all Marylanders with autism, their families, and caregivers," Gandy said. "I am so grateful to Delegate Michelle Guyton for her dogged pursuit of state representation for the autism community, and of course to Governor Hogan for his support in creating this position and the Maryland Autism Advisory Commission. Maryland will remain a leader in autism education, therapy, interventions, and resources."

Gandy has served on the Board of Directors for the Howard County Autism Society for nearly three years. She recently led an effort by the society to add communication boards at Howard County elementary schools so that nonverbal children can better communicate with their peers on the playground.

"Outreach and education are the best things you can do to assure access to high-quality evidence-based treatment for autism," said CARD Chief Executive Officer Tony Kilgore. "This new role has the potential to be a model for other states in demonstrating Maryland's commitment to provide services and supports to its autism community, especially as prevalence rates continue to rise in Maryland and throughout the U.S."

Since 1990, Center for Autism and Related Disorders has served thousands of patients and provided tens of millions of treatment hours. CARD serves Marylanders at three centers conveniently located in Annapolis, Columbia, and Rockville and 18 additional locations in the surrounding areas.

About Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD)
CARD treats individuals of all ages diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at treatment centers around the globe. CARD was founded in 1990 by leading autism expert and clinical psychologist Doreen Granpeesheh, Ph.D., BCBA-D. CARD treats individuals with ASD using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), which is empirically proven to be the most effective method for treating individuals with ASD and recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Surgeon General. CARD employs a dedicated team of trained professionals across the nation and internationally. For more information, visit centerforautism.com.

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Media Contact

Kim R. Todora, Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), 469.898.8842, [email protected]

SOURCE Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD)