Founded in 1979 through the vision of four families in Montgomery County, Maryland, Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children (CSAAC) is a private, non-profit agency which provides direct services to children and adults with autism across the lifespan. CSAAC’s mission is “to enable individuals with autism to reach their highest potential and contribute as confident individuals to their community.” CSAAC’s founders saw a future where adults with autism lived and worked in the community and not in institutions, and they were the pioneers of this effort. Today, CSAAC is the largest provider in the nation to serve individuals with autism exclusively with comprehensive programs from early childhood through retirement.