cyndy hayes, autism adult teen transition community support resources

Dr. Cyndy Hayes, Founder and Trustee, has been a strong advocate for individuals with autism since her son Brandon’s diagnosis in 1992. She founded Reaching Potentials, a 501(c) 3 organization which provides early intervention training and services. In 2001 she founded Global Communities of Support. Dr. Hayes also co-founded Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism, AFAA.

In 2008, Brandon, then 18 years old, began exhibiting self-injurious behavior that resulted in hospitalization. Cyndy reached out to her extensive network and found that there were few services available to serve individuals with classic autism. In her struggle she became acutely aware that if she were not able to find services for her son, that many families that were less prepared to navigate the system would be left completely without hope. It was at this point she dedicated herself to creating a system of supports for families in crisis. She founded Aging with Autism in late 2009 to address the needs of individuals with autism and their families as they transition through life, particularly those most severely involved with complex and challenging behaviors.