Traveling with Children Who Have Autism: Does the TSA Cares Program Work?

 

    Traveling with autistic children, especially  when flying can be potentially probematic. For example, the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) has a TSA Cares program. Does the program work? TSA thinks is does. This is how it works. If a person with special needs, including autism needs an accomodation a request is submitted by phone or online at least 72 hours before the flight. Once arranged a pasenger support specialist will meet the parent and child at the ticketing area and perform the accomodation. There is a Reddit post where the poster had a positive experience with the TSA Cares program. 

    Organizations like the Washington Autism Alliance also looked favorably upon the TSA Cares program. TSA even has a notification card for those with special conditions. Despite the views some might have of TSA, whether negative or positive, the TSA Cares program works.

Thanks for reading my post. Please leave a comment, whether you agree or disagree to drum up some discussion. Thank you!

Training Law Enforcement Officers How To Respond to People With Autism-Does it Work, Part 1?

I have participated in training law en-forcement (LE) and other first responders in what do when encountering people with autism. On Facebook I commented about it, and someone replied that it does not work and there is very little evidence for it. I asked what does the poster suggest. The poster replied that there should be mental health crisis response teams. What are the facts? Does the training of LE effect the treatment of autistic people? There is plenty of research demonstrating the lack of education of LE in handling encounters with autistic individuals (Gardner & Campbell, 2025; Sereno-Ferraro & Schuler, 2026; Hinkle & Lerman, 2023). It is true that there is not much research discussing the success of training of LE in interacting with autistics, but there is not evidence of the alternative of mental health crisis response teams. What needs to be done is research verifying whether training LE or crisis response teams will work.

References

Gardner, L & Campbell, J.M. (2025). Training law enforcement officers about    autism: evaluation of adding virtual        reality or stimulation to a traditional    training approach, 55(8), pp. 2643-       2650. Journal of Autism and             

Developmental Disorders

Hinkle, K.A. & Lerman, D.C. (2023). Pre-

paring law enforcement to engage

successfully with individuals with autism spectrum disorder: an evaluation of a performance-based approach, 53(3), 887-900. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities

Sereno-Ferraro, A & Schuler, R. A.        (2026). Evaluating community-inormed training module for autism recontion in policing, 33(2) 409-429. Psychology, psychiatry, and Law. 

Values-Oriented Goal-setting for People With Autism

    Most people are goal-oriented and focus on outcome goals, but if you were asked what values are your goals based on, how would you answer? Do you have values in which you hold dear, or do you experience remoteness of values. I value knowlege and learning and my goals are based on those values. I have learned to undo any remoteness of values I possess and find the values I hold dear.

Types of Goals

Behavioral Goals

    Many times in therapy clients are asked to create behavior goals, such as "I want to minimize the amount of times I throw things," or "the amount of times I get into arguments with my spouse." Behavioral goals are goal you want to do.

Emotional Goals

    Emotional goals are different from behavioral goals. For example, instead of creating a goal about minimizing the "amount of times I throw things", I could create  a goals "to minimize my angry feelings."

Outcome Goals

    Outcome goals are different from both behavioral and emotional goals. "I want to become an astromer, I want to become a guru, I want to make $15,000 a month," are examples of outcome goals. An Outcome goal describe what a person wants to be or have.

Values vs. Remoteness of Values

Everyone has values. Sometime we forget our values. We experience remoteness of values. When this happens we may do horrible things sometimes. What are your values? What goals do you want to create based on your values? When do you want to achieve your goal by? We must get back in tune with our values if we experience remoteness of values.

Finding Your Value-oriented Goals

You may have also heard of SMART goals. This concept can be added to the values concept:

Specific-Specificity.

Measurable-Goals must be measurable.

Achieveable-Goals must be realistic, or                  achievable.

Relevant. Goals must be relevent to what

                you want to the desired out-

                come to be.

Timely-Goals must be accomplished                     within a certain time limit.

This approach added to the values-based concept provides specificity and focus to goal-creation.

Conclusion

People are naturally goal-oriented, but we must have valued-oriented goals. What are your values? Some people value family. Some people value knowlege. Do some soul-seaching and find your values to base your goals upon.

Things To Do for Mental Health Awareness Month

    

    May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Here are some things that can be done throughout May:

1.  Community wellness events.

2.  Create a peer support program.

3.  Film screenings that feature mental         health topics.

4.  Create a mental health resource             corner.

5.  Create a self-care program.

6.  Create a hashtag campaign.

7.  Mental Health Workshops.

8.  Donate to mental health charities.

9.  Start an exercise program, which is         good for mental health.

10. Start a mindfulness program, which is       good for mental health.

11. Children, teens and adults can keep a       journal.

12. Children, teens and adults can read         for pleasure.

13. Volunteer locally.

14. Create art with a mental health                 theme.

15. Advocate for mental health policy 

      change.

16. Read and share books with a mental       health theme.

17. Create mental health-safe work              places.

18. Encourage mental health intervention       throughout the lifespan.

19. Improve employee wellbeing.

20. Do some outreach about mental                health.

21. Create a relaxation room.

22. Connect with someone you love.

23. Do things that make you laugh like          watch comedy.

24. Be kind and preach kindness.

25. Seek help from a licensed mental

      health professional, if needed. 

26. Engage in a hobby.

27. Practice gratitude.

This list applies equally well to those with or without autism. Autism is not a mental health issue, but autistics many times do have simultaneous mental health ailments at the same time. Let's create awareness for mental health wellness, including those with autism, during the month of May.