Mission Statement

Empowering neurodiverse individuals, families and communities, regionally and globally, through state-of-the-science clinical care, innovative research, and high-impact training.

About Us

The Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation (CASSI™) at Kennedy Krieger Institute is a multifaceted, interdisciplinary program serving children, families and professionals in the autism community. The center combines clinical services, research and training programs to unlock the potential autistic children and teens, enrich their life experiences, empower parents and promote the well-being of families through evidence-based practices. One of our major endeavors is developing effective new models of care for families and providers - locally, nationally and internationally.

Dr. Rebecca Landa.

CARD is Now CASSI™

We are starting the year off with exciting news. I’m happy to announce a name change for the Center for Autism and Related Disorders—CARD (at Kennedy Krieger Institute). Beginning February 1, we are changing our name to the Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation—CASSI™ (at Kennedy Krieger Institute). — Dr. Rebecca Landa

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Our Founder and Director 

Rebecca Landa, PhD, CCC-SLP, is the founder and director of CASSI and the REACH research program at Kennedy Krieger Institute. She is also a professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Via federal and foundation funding, Dr. Landa has made groundbreaking discoveries about development in children with and without ASD from early infancy into the teen years. She has translated those discoveries into innovative interventions and demonstrated the effectiveness of those interventions in clinical trials in home, clinical, child care, and public school settings. Dr. Landa is the author of the Pragmatic Rating Scale and the Social Communication Interaction and Play Screener.

She has also developed the Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorders Video Tutorial, a free 9-minute video tutorial on behavioral signs in one-year-olds. The tutorial consists of six video clips comparing toddlers who show no signs of ASD to toddlers who show early signs of ASD.

Each video is presented with voice-over explaining how the specific behaviors exhibited by the child, as they occur on screen, are either indicative of ASD or typical child development.

Events

2024 Autism Acceptance Month Webinar Series

Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation announces it line-up for the 2024 Autism Acceptance Month webinar series.

Register now to learn best practices and effective strategies as you absorb the information shared by our speakers including parents, self-advocates, educators, clinicians, along with other experts in the field of autism.

  • Explore the current landscape in education for autistic students
  • Gain insight into the experiences of autistic individuals preparing for adult life
  • Develop a better understanding of sensory processing
  • Delve into strategies to support behavioral and emotional regulation with specific emphasis on neurodiversity affirming care

Learn more or register

Third Annual Kennedy Krieger Center for Autism Charity Golf Event. Save the date. August 5, 2024. 12 pm. Country Club of Maryland.

Want to be a sponsor for this event? Contact Leslie Marsiglia at Marsiglia@KennedyKrieger.org.

Want to be added to our mailing list or learn more about the event? Contact Joy Johnson at JohnsonJoy@KennedyKrieger.org.

Stay Connected!

Visit the CASSI Calendar to stay in-the-know about announcements and successes, trainings and events, and more. 

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