VT Autism Clinic & Center for Autism Research

Your gift to the Supporting Autism Friendly Environments (SAFE) Program will ensure that we can continue educating about and creating inclusive spaces.

The mission at the Virginia Tech Autism Clinic & Center for Autism Research (VTAC/CAR), a training clinic and research center in the Department of Psychology, is to improve the quality of life for autistic individuals and their families through intervention, education, and research directed towards effective services.

VTAC/CAR graduate students in the Clinical Science program conduct outreach and autism specific clinical services through our training clinic and research center.  All services are offered on a sliding scale, or at no cost when associated with a grant supported research study.  Our revenue stream is extremely limited.  We encourage you to support our main outreach effort, the Supporting Autism Friendly Environments (SAFE) Program, celebrating it's 10th year of outreach in the community!

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability and can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. These challenges can make it difficult for individuals with autism to attend a basketball game, go trick or treating, enjoy a fireworks demonstration, go to the movies, etc.

Everyone deserves equitable access to events and community spaces. 

Our SAFE (Supporting Autism Friendly Environments) Program partners with community organizations, businesses, and Virginia Tech to encourage inclusion for ALL by strategizing low or no-cost interventions or modifications in these spaces to increase access for those with diverse sensory needs.

SAFE Programming can't happen without the generosity of our community.

Gifts you provide allow us to support the hiring of a future intern, who’s focus is to offer local SAFE education and sensory friendly opportunities while gaining valuable, professional work experience on campus.

The SAFE Program's partners have included the Hokie BugFest, the VT Women's Basketball Team, Moss Arts Center, the Lyric Theater, VT Physics Department’s K-12 Outreach Program, the Universal Design course at VT, the VT Science Festival, Housing and Residential Life, Theta Delta Chi fraternity’s “Bro’s United” mentoring program, Kids Tech University, the Panhellenic Council at VT, and the VT ICAT Creativity and Innovation Day.

If you would like more information about our SAFE Program, please send an email to vtcar-safe@vt.edu.  To learn about SAFE events happening during fall and spring semesters, please follow our Facebook and/or Instagram pages.