Trainings That Transform: Milestones Boosts Autism Readiness for Crisis & Care Providers by 62%
Posted on 08/22/25 in Trainings
When a crisis hits, every second matters. For autistic individuals, those moments can be especially high-stakes. People with developmental disabilities are seven times more likely to come in contact with law enforcement than others. Research also shows that autistic people with higher IQs are at greater risk of suicidal ideation. How community crisis professionals respond can greatly affect outcomes.
Milestones Autism Resources works to equip professionals on the front lines, from police officers and firefighters to EMTs, housing authority officers, librarians, and YWCA staff, with the tools they need to respond with knowledge, empathy, and confidence.
Stronger Skills, Safer Communities
Between January and July 2025, in partnership with Cuyahoga County’s ADAMHS Board, Milestones delivered 11 trainings to Police Officers, EMT’s and community providers across the county. Our role was to bring autism expertise to the table so that crisis and care providers can build skills that save lives and create safer, more inclusive communities.
And the results speak for themselves:
-
89% of participants gained practical skills to effectively support autistic individuals in crisis — a 62% increase compared to their confidence before training.
-
81% developed a better understanding of their own sensory preferences.
-
81% deepened their empathy and knowledge about how stimming helps autistic individuals self-regulate.
Our Training Approach
Milestones training workshops go beyond awareness. Our approach builds a trauma-informed framework rooted in:
-
Consent and choice
-
Healthy co-regulation and co-creation
-
Safety as the guiding principle
By combining research, lived experience, and practical strategies, we help professionals move from uncertainty to confidence in responding to autistic individuals both in crisis and non-crisis situations.
Why It Matters
The stakes are high if we do not tune in and practice the pause. For autistic individuals, a moment of misunderstanding can escalate unnecessarily. For the professionals on the scene, the difference between fear and confidence can shape the outcome of an interaction for everyone involved.
Partner With Us
Milestones Autism Resources is proud to serve as the autism experts in these partnerships. While this recent data reflects a concentrated series of training workshops in Cuyahoga County, our team travels wherever we’re needed.
Hire Milestones to equip your staff with the tools they need to respond effectively and inclusively. Together, we can build safer communities for all.