
In 1997, SARRC was founded by two mothers and their developmental pediatrician. Today, we’re internationally recognized for our autism research, education, evidence-based treatment and community outreach.
1997
- Southwest Autism Research Center (SARC) is founded.
1998
- Open our first 1,800 square-foot facility at 10th Street and McDowell Road in Phoenix.
- Inaugural Community Breakfast is held.
1999
- SARC’s first education and training workshops are attended by more than 800 people.
2000
- The first issue Outreach Magazine is published.
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 150 8-year-old children have ASD.
2001
- SARC families participate in historic study in collaboration with Libera Universita Campus BioMedico in Rome.
2002
- SARC changes its name to Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC).
- SARRC introduces JumpStart , a program empowering parents with the skills and knowledge to help navigate their new journey.
- FRIEND (Fostering Relationships in Early Network Development) is implemented by SARRC in Arizona elementary schools to help students understand and accept differences among their peers.
- SARRC Grandparents Group is established to help educate, empower, and support grandparents of children with autism.
2003
- SARRC and Translational Genomics Research Institute partner to conduct Arizona’s largest and most comprehensive molecular and genetics research done on autism.
- The Physician Outreach program launches and work begins to develop the Autism Spectrum Disorders Screening kit for pediatricians.
2004
- The first capital campaign is launched and raises $7.5 million for a new building.
- SARRC partners with the international Autism Genetics Resource Exchange (AGRE), the largest private, open-access repository of clinical and genetic information dedicated to helping autism research.
2005
- As a result of the 2004 capital campaign, SARRC’s Campus for Exceptional Children in Phoenix opens.
- Bob Wright, a top executive, and his wife, Suzanne, form Autism Speaks, now the world’s largest autism advocacy group.
2006
- The SARRC Community School opens its doors, a milestone to create a more inclusive community.
- Walk Now Arizona with Cure Autism Now launches and hosts the first walk boasting 3,500 participants.
- The CDC estimates that 1 in 110 8-year-old children have ASD.
2007
- SARRC hires first national autism experts with doctoral degrees to expand and enhance services.
- Arizona Autism Coalition is formed to improve the lives of individuals with ASD and their families by sharing resources and affecting autism systems reform through statewide collaboration and advocacy.
2008
- SARRC supports the passing of Steven’s Law, requiring insurance companies to provide coverage for autism treatment.
- SARRC’s CommunityWorks® program is introduced to provide afterschool and weekend opportunities for teens with ASD and their typically developing peer mentors.
- GardenWorks® and CulinaryWorks® launch, marking SARRC’s first venture into social enterprise (now Beneficial Beans®).
- First World Autism Awareness Day held on April 2.
- ThinkAsperger’s launches a screening questionnaire for parents, educators and medical professionals to aid in the identification of ASD.
2009
- The Vocational & Life Skills Academy opens, allowing SARRC to expand its services for adolescents and adults.
- Employment Services program is introduced for teens and adults with autism.
2010
- SARRC launches its social enterprise program, Beneficial Beans®, a proprietary coffee business to provide training and employment opportunities for adults with autism.
2011
- “Combating Autism Reauthorization Act,” enacted in 2006, is reauthorized by President Barack Obama to ensure continual autism research, services, training and monitoring.
2012
- The first Beneficial Beans Café opens inside the Scottsdale Civic Center Library.
- SARRC’s sister organization, First Place, is founded.
- National statistics report that 1 in 68 children are affected by autism.
2013
- The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) newly identifies autism as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) folding all subcategories of the condition into one umbrella diagnosis — ASD. Asperger's is no longer considered a separate condition.
2014
- SARRC collaborates with First Place and the Foundation for Senior Living to launch the First Place Transition Academy, operated by SARRC.
- SARRC’s CommunityWorks program is replicated in Canada.
- Combating Autism Reauthorization Act is renewed for another five years as the “Autism CARES Act.”
2015
- SARRC, in partnership with Behavior Imaging and Georgia Tech, help launch Naturalistic Observation Diagnostic Assessment (NODA), a clinically tested service using a smartphone app and autism specialists to diagnose or rule out autism.
- SARRC’s Detecting Asperger’s Very Early (DAVE) screening questionnaire is published in the Journal of Applied School Psychology.
2016
- SARRC’s second Community School in Tempe opens.
- SARRC named a “pocket of excellence” by John Donvan and Caren Zucker in their book, “In a Different Key.”
- Phoenix named “the most autism-friendly city in the world” by “PBS NewsHour.”
2017
- SARRC celebrates 20 years.
- The second Beneficial Beans Café at the Phoenix Burton Barr Central Library opens.
- March 3 proclaimed “SARRC’s Social Enterprise Day” by the Office of the Governor of Arizona.
2018
- The CDC reports 1 in 59 children have been identified as having autism in the U.S., which represents a 15 percent increase from previous estimates.
2019
- SARRC unveils its new strategic plan to become a statewide organization by 2030.
- A SARRC-led study funded by the national institute of mental health lowers ASD diagnosis three years earlier than age reported by the CDC
2020
- SARRC successfully transitions vital programs and services to telehealth models during the Covid-19 pandemic
- SARRC launches new, free Easy Access Autism Screening program
- SARRC introduces new Sibshops program for siblings of individuals with autism
- After a successful four years in use, NODA becomes a standard part of SARRC’s diagnostic process
- SARRC co-develops virtual autism simulator and training for law enforcement with VirTra