Open Letter: A Call to Action for Protecting Education and Disability Rights in America As a concerned citizen, I am compelled to address the alarming developments threatening the integrity of our nation’s education system and the rights of individuals with disabilities. Recent actions by federal and state authorities have initiated a series of events that, if left unchallenged, could dismantle decades of progress in educational equity and disability rights.
Systemic Threats to Disability Rights, Educational Equity, and Crisis Intervention
Recent developments in federal policy, state-level litigation, and crisis response have created a troubling national pattern: a widespread erosion of disability rights, especially for children and adolescents in schools and communities. These include President Trump’s March 2025 executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, a multistate lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and multiple fatal police encounters involving autistic youth. Together, these actions threaten decades of civil rights progress and underscore the urgent need for coordinated advocacy, reform, and accountability. [Read More]
Solution to the Problem In response to the growing erosion of disability protections and the failures of educational, legal, and crisis response systems, the American College of Neurodiversity Practitioners (ACNP) is developing the nation’s first comprehensive, neurodiversity-affirming certification framework. These credentials are designed to prepare and credential individuals across fields to ethically support neurodivergent people through trauma-informed, rights-based, and inclusive practices. The inaugural programs include the Certified Neurodiversity Advocate (CNA) for caregivers and community supporters, Certified Neurodiversity Scholar-Practitioner (CNSP) for educators, Certified Neurodiversity First Responder (CNFR) for public safety personnel, and Fellow of the American College of Neurodiversity Practitioners (FACNP) for experienced professionals and systems leaders. Each credential advances equity, disrupts ableism, and promotes ethical leadership across education, healthcare, justice, and human services. [Read More]
We are currently building these programs from the ground up, with a vision to establish the first national framework of neurodiversity-affirming credentials for professionals, caregivers, educators, and first responders. These programs will provide rigorous, ethical, and accessible training for those who support neurodivergent individuals across multiple sectors.
Each program will be rooted in our nationally adopted Code of Ethical Practice, which centers autonomy, non-coercion, trauma-informed care, cultural humility, and systemic justice. Our goal is not only to ensure technical competence, but to establish a professional culture grounded in dignity, equity, and human rights.
We are currently building these programs from the ground up, with a vision to establish the first national framework of neurodiversity-affirming credentials for professionals, caregivers, educators, and first responders. These programs will provide rigorous, ethical, and accessible training for those who support neurodivergent individuals across multiple sectors. The credentials currently in development include: Certified Neurodiversity Advocate (CNA) Certified Neurodiversity Educator (CNE) Certified Neurodivergent First Responder (CNFR) Fellow, American College of Neurodiversity Practitioners (FACNP)
We welcome experts from a broad range applications but are specifically looking for three types of applicants:
Neurodivergent Professionals Who Are Willing to Self-Disclose
We are committed to ensuring that these certifications are not only inclusive of neurodivergent voices but fundamentally shaped by them. Lived experience is a form of expertise, and we encourage individuals who have been formally diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental or neurodivergent condition (such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Tourette’s, or other neurological differences) to join us as Subject Matter Experts. Your insight is invaluable in building ethical, affirming, and accurate training content that reflects the realities, needs, and priorities of neurodivergent individuals. Self-disclosure is entirely voluntary, but we believe co-creation with neurodivergent practitioners is critical to building programs that reject pathologization and uphold authenticity, dignity, and respect.
Working Professionals in Education, Health, Human Services, and Public Safety
We are seeking experienced educators, mental health professionals, allied health providers, first responders, and disability service professionals who actively serve neurodivergent individuals. Your frontline experience provides important applied knowledge about what truly works in classrooms, clinics, and communities. Practitioners with experience in inclusive education, trauma-informed care, behavioral support, family systems, and crisis response are especially encouraged to apply.
Researchers, Scholars, and Academic Leaders
We welcome contributions from researchers whose work focuses on neurodiversity, disability studies, inclusive education, social justice, or human development. Faculty, graduate educators, and interdisciplinary scholars can provide the theoretical grounding, data analysis, and evaluative frameworks needed to ensure our credentialing standards are evidence-informed and aligned with best practices. We are particularly interested in researchers who prioritize participatory, emancipatory, or community-based methodologies.
Together, these three groups, lived experience, professional application, and scholarly insight, form the foundation of a truly comprehensive and affirming certification model. If you identify with one or more of these categories, we would be honored to include your voice in this pioneering effort.
