Pathfinders For Autism

Pathfinders, Inc. (d/b/a Pathfinders for Autism) was established as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in February 2000 by parents of children with autism, including Baltimore Orioles Hall of Famer William "B.J." Surhoff and his wife Polly Winde Surhoff. After 18 months of development, Pathfinders for Autism launched the Pathfinders for Autism Resource Center – offering knowledgeable staff and a searchable online database to help families in Maryland find critical service providers quickly and efficiently.

Since then, Pathfinders for Autism has grown into the State's largest autism organization dedicated to helping individuals, parents, and professionals find resources, supports, and training while working to increase the awareness of autism spectrum disorders and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We are proud of what we've been able to accomplish and look forward to continued successes in the years ahead.

Our mission is simple – to improve the lives of individuals with autism and the people who care for them. We accomplish this through a variety of programs and services, all of which are offered FREE of charge.

The Pathfinders for Autism Resource Center is the cornerstone of our efforts to serve Maryland's families by: providing timely, accurate autism-specific information and resources; responding personally to inquiries via telephone, email and Facebook; and distributing monthly "Parent Tips" articles on a variety of topics. The Pathfinders for Autism Resource Center helps families navigate the often confusing and complex array of services, treatment, and programs available to them. Our staff receives calls from parents who have just received a diagnosis; caregivers of adults with autism in need of support services; individuals with autism who are seeking services for themselves; and professionals working with clients with autism.

The Pathfinders for Autism website is a critical link to the thousands of families and professionals we serve throughout Maryland. The site offers a searchable, online database of more than 2,200 providers along with informative articles and a calendar of autism-specific events.