News
Pennsylvania’s Autism and the Courts Initiative Civics Ed One Pager
April 28, 2025
In recognition of Autism Acceptance Month, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty, on behalf of the Supreme Court, provided updates on the Court’s autism initiative.
Launched in 2020 and known as Autism in the Courts, the initiative is focused on reducing trauma and supporting individuals in the court system with an autism spectrum disorder by recognizing, accepting and responding to the needs of courts users and their families.
“Five years ago, we became the first state in the nation to start a conversation about autism in our courts, to address the tough questions that would lead to important and lasting change within our system for court-involved, neurodiverse families and their children,” Justice Dougherty said.
“On their behalf, we felt a shared responsibility to fix the gaps in the system.
“`Today we’ve added this information to the courts civics education toolkit so that students, teachers, media and the public can learn more about the work and the role of the courts, especially in areas where we focus on ensuring justice is accessible to all court users.”
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control, one in 31 children will be diagnosed with autism before age eight.
For more information about the Autism in the Courts initiative visit https://www.pacourts.us/learn/autism-and-the-courts.
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Media contact: Olivia Antonucci, 609-238-5182
