Understanding your older child’s sexual identity and desires isn’t always easy. Meet one family that has successfully navigated this journey.  Understanding our place in the world is difficult enough; trying to understand our human sexuality can make it even more difficult. This article is designed to help families of young people on the spectrum gain

in Transitioning to Adulthood by Lt. Joseph Pangaro, CPM, CSO, MOI

When it comes to being safe at home or out in the world, our children and all of us as parents and guardians need to understand the potential dangers so we can plan ahead, teach, and help keep everyone secure. Many parents who are adjusting to their child’s individual patterns of behavior can be surprised

in Autism Safety by Lt. Joseph Pangaro, CPM, CSO, MOI

Young people on the spectrum and the law enforcement community can, and do, come into contact all the time. The resultant interaction can be beneficial for both groups or it can become problematic. The question is why it would be a problem and how can we change the dynamic to ensure the encounters are positive?

in Autism Safety by Lt. Joseph Pangaro, CPM, CSO, MOI

A veteran police officer shares an on-duty interaction with an autistic teen that inspired lifelong efforts to bridge special needs knowledge gaps in law enforcement. Many years ago, when I was a new police officer, I was sent to the home of a woman who was having trouble with her 16-year-old son. That was all

in Autism Safety by Lt. Joseph Pangaro, CPM, CSO, MOI

Every school must prepare for the unthinkable: violence in the building.  That violence can come from two specific sources: an “internal” source, like a student in the school, or an “external” source, like an intruder that gets into the building with the intent to hurt or kill people. Our administrators, teachers, support staff, and students

in Autism Safety by Lt. Joseph Pangaro, CPM, CSO, MOI

Life is filled with challenges for all of us, and for kids on the spectrum, the challenges can be even more difficult.  As anyone who has experience with the spectrum knows, we often concern ourselves with education and social interaction as main goals for helping our kids.  After all, life is made up of one

in Transitioning to Adulthood by Lt. Joseph Pangaro, CPM, CSO, MOI