Our Autism Program at Boston Medical Center serves a large catchment of underserved, minority families in Boston whose children have autism. Many of our patients are without means and we strive to design extensive programming to assist children is reaching their potential but also in ways that help give comfort and support to the entire family. We are seeking to host a family photo day here at BMC where families could have portraits taken (something that we surmise is often difficult for them either due to cost or challenges related to the diagnosis—impulsivity, unfamiliar venues etc). We are hoping to tie this to holiday time so they could be used for gifts.

Boston Medical Center (BMC) is the largest safety-net hospital in New England. Our patients represent some of the neediest people in the Greater Boston Area; almost 75% receive government-subsidized insurance such as Medicaid, and a significant portion struggle to make ends meet with incomes well below the poverty level. Seventy percent of all patients are from racial and ethnic minority populations, and 30 percent do not speak English as a primary language.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is life changing for any family, particularly one that is struggling to make ends meet. Multiple studies have shown that a vast disparity exists between the services for autism received by lower and upper-income children. . The Autism Program at BMC is a multi-staffed, multi-tiered, comprehensive and culturally competent service delivery model that is uniquely equipped to meet the complex needs of these families. Autism Resource Specialists offer specialized outreach, training and advocacy services, form effective partnerships with schools, collaborate with local support organizations and draw upon a deep knowledge base of social service agencies to facilitate linkages and empower marginalized families to access the very best care for their children.