Our Goal & Vision

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The Pacific Autism Family Centre
Bringing Knowledge and Innovation Together

Our Purpose and Vision of Future Success

The Pacific Autism Family Centre (PAFC) is designed to respond to the challenge of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in British Columbia — a condition experienced by some 40,000 individuals. PAFC’s core purpose is to be a Knowledge Centre; bringing together state-of-the-art resources for research, information, learning, assessment, treatment and support, and building capacity to address the lifespan needs of individuals with ASD, and their families across BC. The goal is to ensure that the Centre builds upon existing lifespan services while at the same time addressing the need for supports and services across the province.

Serving the province is an essential feature of the PAFC. The potential plan is to develop a “hub and spoke/satellite” concept. The main “hub” will be located in the Vancouver area with regional ” spoke/satellite” centres located in communities across the province. The physical spoke centres will have full access to the expertise and information services offered in the hub location. The locations for the spoke/satellite centres are yet to be determined.

Guiding Principles

• We encourage the ongoing participation of all members of the autism community in BC.
• We actively foster, and benefit from, the synergy of bringing together families, practitioners, researchers and policy makers.
• We are a family-centered service organization.
• We customize our services to the needs of the individual and family with ASD.
• We maintain an environment that promotes innovation.
• We embrace evidence-based practice.
• We believe families should have access to information on a wide variety of therapies, delivered in a respectful manner.
• We strive to provide and advocate for fair, equitable and inclusive access to services regardless of location or economic situation.

Our Inspirational Goal

Within the next decade, to help BC become the best place in the world for people with ASD and their families.

Our Vision for Future Success

• We will provide high quality information, treatment and support to our diverse cultural and geographical communities.
• We will provide innovative programs based on best practices that will serve as models to provide training to parents and community professionals across BC.
• We will foster and maintain close relationships with researchers across BC and Canada to ensure that the programs we develop are informed by research and contribute to research. A state-of-the-art research facility will be an integral part of the Centre.
• We will foster and maintain close relationships with community professionals and organizations to better serve British Columbians with ASD across the age span.