ews for Immediate Release  

ct. 27, 2020 

 

ennsylvania Supreme Court, Department of Human Services to Hold Statewide Discussions 

about Autism in the Courts  

ARRISBURG — Committed to access to justice for Pennsylvanians with an autism spectrum 
disorder (ASD), the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, along with the Pennsylvania Department of 
Human Services (DHS), today announced plans for regional discussions aimed at learning about 
court experiences from individuals with an ASD.  

pearheaded by Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty on behalf of the Court, the virtual kick-
off roundtable will be held Nov. 17, with regionally scheduled discussions to follow. 

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court signaled its commitment to Pennsylvanians with autism by 
forming a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Department of Human Services to heighten our 
focus on helping judges better understand and communicate with individuals with an ASD,” 
said Justice Dougherty.   

Education and awareness are critical to ensuring we are providing for the needs of all court 
users, especially those with an ASD,” Dougherty said. “The more we learn, the more we grow as 
a system and as a community, but most importantly in our ability to be part of the type of 
positive change that will impact Pennsylvania families.”  

ach virtual forum will feature representatives from the judiciary, law enforcement, healthcare, 
social work and advocacy communities along with those living with and/or supporting someone 
with an ASD. Through the discussions, the Court and DHS will hear first-hand about challenges 
faced in regions across the state from providers and individuals with autism alike as they seek 
access to justice.  

ith nearly one in 59 children diagnosed with an ASD*, judges hearing cases in criminal, 

juvenile, orphans’, family court, etc. are sure to have individuals living with autism come before 
them.  

n addition, as part of this effort, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the courts have added 
information and resources for families supporting an individual with autism on the 
Pennsylvania Courts frequently asked questions page.  

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or more information about the joint effort and services and support for individuals with autism 
visit ASERT (Autism Services Education Resources and Training) at 
https://paautism.org/resource/justice/. 

Media contact: Stacey Witalec, Pennsylvania Courts -- 717- 877- 2997 
 

  Erin James, Dept. of Human Services – ra-pwdhspressoffice@pa.gov 

 

 
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Statistic from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Autism and Developmental 
Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, 2018   

  F

   

       

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