Our Story
Our Story
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Dr. Stephanie Izzi and Sarah Hamel's experiences working in Rhode Island schools led to finding that many students, especially autistic individuals, were not receiving the education and intervention services they deserve and that families did not have alternatives. Bringing their expertise as autistic and otherwise neurodivergent advocates, they founded Access Speech & Allied Therapies in 2017 to offer a solution. While they achieved many individual successes supporting autistic students in their practice and the classroom, the overall trend could not be denied: districts and traditional practices are failing autistic children.
Dr. Stephanie Izzi and Sarah Hamel's experiences working in Rhode Island schools led to finding that many students, especially autistic individuals, were not receiving the education and intervention services they deserve and that families did not have alternatives. Bringing their expertise as autistic and otherwise neurodivergent advocates, they founded Access Speech & Allied Therapies in 2017 to offer a solution. While they achieved many individual successes supporting autistic students in their practice and the classroom, the overall trend could not be denied: districts and traditional practices are failing autistic children.
Systemic, widespread changes are needed, not only to practice but to culture, to truly fulfill the promise of fair and equal education; so Autism Included was established in 2022 to broaden the scope of the mission, and achieve these goals. We do this by advocating for a safe and supportive culture, providing autism-affirming services, and facilitating culture change to make the world a place in which autistic children can thrive.
Systemic, widespread changes are needed, not only to practice but to culture, to truly fulfill the promise of fair and equal education; so Autism Included was established in 2022 to broaden the scope of the mission, and achieve these goals. We do this by advocating for a safe and supportive culture, providing autism-affirming services, and facilitating culture change to make the world a place in which autistic children can thrive.
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