Miami

Coral Gables, Other Local Cities Pass Autism Resolution

At first glance, Alexandra and Pierce seem energetic, full of life, disobedient at times like most kids, but what many may not understand is both children have autism.

"It affects everything we do. Basically what happens is you change your life and you do what you can," father Craig Leen said.

The siblings are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Pierce has had significant progress thanks to treatment at an early age, and as for Alexandra, no milestone goes unnoticed by mom and dad.

"You go through a lot having a child with such problems, such struggles, and even speaking, you know, things we take for granted," mother Ana Maria Muñiz Leen said.

Craig Leen is the City Attorney of Coral Gables and because autism is a part of his every day life, he knew he had to step up and make a difference, at least at the city government level.

"What cities and counties should be doing is looking for opportunities to embrace and include individuals with special needs, to create programs for them," he said.

Leen's idea eventually became reality. In April, Coral Gables commissioners passed a resolution declaring principles of inclusion for people with autism and other special needs.

"The resolution basically tells staff, city staff, city officials that they can go above and beyond to help people with special needs, they can devote resources," he said.

One initiative the City of Coral Gables helped launch is the use of the wallet card. The idea is for all individuals with autism to carry one in case they are stopped by a police officer. The card states the person's difficulties and even their mood.

"You know, I'm driving my car and she's in the back seat with her seatbelt on but she's moving her arms or making a lot of noise and the police officer can't hear," Craig Leen said. "Because I can show the wallet card, and because the officer's been trained, he will know that that's not my daughter acting up or being disobedient."

City of Miami officials also followed suit and unanimously approved a similar autism resolution earlier this month.

"Our organization has 4,000 employees and every single one of them may have either children with disabilities or interact with a child with disabilities and they are the face of our organization, so it's important for us to send the right message to them that we have a culture of inclusiveness," commissioner Francis Suarez said.

The goal for Craig and Ana Maria Leen is for every city around the world to adopt this measure and for every child to feel loved and included.

If you'd like to obtain a free wallet card for your loved one with autism or special needs, click here.

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