The Autism Support and Disabilities Center will celebrate Autism Awareness Month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Lili‘uokalani Park and Gardens.
ASDC promotes awareness about autism and other developmental disabilities by encouraging friends, families, communities and collaborators to participate in the movement toward acceptance and appreciation.
Rosalinda Larkin started ASDC in 2021 with the mission of educating law enforcement about how to diffuse a situation that involves a person with neurodevelopment disorders, such as autism, and linking people with these disorders and their families to a wide range of professional resources.
So far, Larkin has been succeeding in her goals.
“Recently, 20 Kailua-Kona police officers took crisis intervention training to create a task force and learn how to handle people with disabilities,” Larkin said. “When there is someone in crisis in the community, they will be the people to respond to the call and help facilitate transfers and mobilize a team. Only people who have CIT training can respond to these calls.”
The walk on Saturday will be one of nine fundraisers ASDC will be hosting this year, but it will be one of the biggest because it brings resources from across the state to the park.
“We want to work and collaborate with the county to standardize a protocol for assisting individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities in crises,” Larkin said. “We’ve done so much in our short time, and I’m so proud and blessed. We will continue to reach out to the community to ensure that we carry out our missions.”
While ASDC already has begun to link people with professional care providers and other resources, the nonprofit is still working to find a facility and open a call center to help those in crises, or to help those who may need more information about resources.
Since starting the nonprofit, Larkin said that 20 Hilo officers and 20 Kona officers have completed CIT training. With help from the county, Larkin hopes more officers are able to be educated this year.
“Law enforcement will always play a key role when responding to people with mental health issues and neurodevelopmental disorders,” Larkin said. “It feels good that police have recognized their past failures and are ready to fill the gaps. They will now have more compassion and will not use too much force with anyone with autism or other neurological disorders.”
The event will start with the “Fun Walk,” with registration from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and a start time at 10 a.m. A community program will follow, with acknowledgments from Larkin, Mayor Mitch Roth and Timothy Hansen, executive assistant to the mayor.
Entertainment and food will be available from 11:30 to 1 p.m. Vendors from across the state will be in attendance to help educate and connect people to resources.
Some vendors include, Mental Health Council, Abled Hawaii Artists, Hawaii Disability Resource Center, Hawaii County Mental Health Center, Ohana Wa‘a Laulima and Full Life Hawaii.
Registration for the fun walk is $20, and all proceeds will go directly to assisting people with disabilities on Hawaii Island.
“We could not have made it this far without my board, who are all volunteers, and by sticking to our mission even through the pandemic,” Larkin said. ‘I’m so proud that we’ve followed through. It’s so fulfilling to help someone, and if we can advocate and refer people to proper resources, then we can make a big difference.”
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
