January 25, 2007 Carolina Autism is approved as a provider of ABA services through the new South Carolina PDD Medicaid Waiver.

September 5, 2006 Carolina Autism opens its SIXTH group home in Charleston. Four young men will now have nice place in the community. Three of the initial four young men were previously in state institutions.

August 26, 2006 Our Planters house gets a "Makeover" by  Bethany United Methodist Church of Summerville. The house was painted, multiple repairs were made, trees and bushes were trimmed and new gutters installed. See pictures of the day here. The project was a joint effort by the Outreach Ministry and Youth group. Thank you Bethany and thank God!

      June 28, 2006 Amy Fairfax, MD, one of our newest Board members, donates money for the purchase of a van. This van will be used for our new house. Thanks Amy, you're the best!

June 21, 2006  Carolina Autism is featured in an article in the Columbia Free Times magazine. The article is titled "The Coming Wave of Autism." Read it here.

June 11, 2006  CASLS helps Maura and Charlie Weis, founder of Hannah & Friends and Notre Dame head coach with the Celebrity Golf Classic at True Blue Plantation in Pawley's Island. Altogether almost $500,000 was raised for Hannah & Friends' awareness and family grant programs! And we had a great time!

May 17, 2006  Trident United Way sends a check to Carolina Autism representing donations from Bon Secours Saint Francis Hospital employees.

March 7, 2006  Carolina Autism welcomes new board members Amy Fairfax, MD, Scott Smith and Tony Pope. Amy is a family practice physician at  West Ashley Family Medicine. Tony owns Tony Pope State Farm agency in Summerville. Scott is Senior Project Manager with GEL (General Engineering Laboratories) in West Ashley.

February 9, 2006  Carolina Autism presents at the South Carolina Human Service Provider Annual Conference. The topic, Using Visual Supports in Residential Settings.

October 15, 2005  Briana Jacobs, Clinical Coordinator for Carolina Autism Residential program, is awarded Direct Care Provider of the year by the Autism Society of America's South Carolina Chapter.

August 22, 2005  The new school year begins and 6 South Carolina school districts begin a partnership with Carolina Autism. We will be providing services to schools in Allendale, Berkeley, Dorchester,  Georgetown, Lexington and Orangeburg counties. Services may include training for teachers, school psychologists and other personnel, consultation in the classroom, ABA program setup and supervision and autism evaluations. Some districts will receive Functional Assessments of Behavior for especially challenging situations by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

June 18, 2005  Carolina Autism is proud to congratulate Lottie Koster, M.Ed. on her achieving Board Certification for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Lottie is now one of only a handful of BCBA certified behavior analysts in the state.

      August 12, 2004  Carolina Autism receives a $7,000 grant from the  Charles Webb/Ed Croft Endowment Fund, administered by the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry in support of our Applied Behavioral Services program.

      July 10, 2004  Phil Blevins and Kendra Chaplin present at the 2004 National Conference of the Autism Society of America in Seattle. The feedback is all positive and the session is very well attended. The title of the presentation is "What You Really, Really Need to Know to Start Group Homes (for People with Autism)."

      July 1, 2004  The Governors Office Council on Developmental Disabilities awards 2 grants supporting Carolina Autism. One grant awards $23,000 to help the Intensive Early Intervention project of the Applied Behavioral Services program. The other grant provides $25,000 to support the work of the Residential Services program. CASLS extends our thanks and gratitude to the Governor and the staff of the DD Council.

      June 30, 2004  The Applied Behavioral Services program hosts an open house for professionals and other interested parties. Many families attend as well. The night is sponsored by Healthy Home Foods. 

      June 19, 2004  AmeriCorps volunteers paint and perform landscape chores to rejuvenate one of CASLS' group homes.  A job that would have costs hundreds of dollars and taken several days is completed in 6 hours by the energetic volunteers.

      May 1, 2004  Lottie Koster, M.Ed. begins full time work with CASLS as the Director of Behavioral Programming. The Applied Behavioral Services program kicks off in earnest.. 

      February 27, 2004  ASDConferences.com presents the Autism Super Conference in Charleston, SC. Carolina Autism makes public its new Applied Behavioral Services at the conference. 

      February 20, 2004  Carolina Autism participates with other NARPAA member agencies in a 2 day meeting in Boca Raton to further the agencies work to better serve the adults with autism in the US. Hosted by Florida Atlantic University and the CARD  Center, the agencies in attendance present a half day mini-conference for local parent groups to discuss the state of residential services in America.

      November 20, 2003  CASLS participates in the Autism Summit in Washington, DC. Agencies from all areas of service gather to develop a national agenda. The event is sponsored by the Interagency Agency Coordinating Council. Phil Blevins meets Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

      October 24, 2003  CASLS receives a $9,000 grant from the  Open Fund of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. The Community Foundation has now funded CASLS to the tune of $26,850 during 2003. We cannot thank the Foundation enough for the financial support, the moral support and caring guidance.

      September 30, 2003  Our agency is now awarded a contract by DDSN so that families of people with autism can choose us to provide group home and job coaching services. To find out how to choose us, click here.

      July 1, 2003  CASLS is awarded $30,000 - our second largest grant to date. This comes again by way of the South Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council, Office of the Governor. Thank you once more to all the members of the Council.

      June 25, 2003  CASLS receives a $9,850 grant from the  Charles Webb/Ed Croft Endowment Fund, administered by the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.

      May 17, 2003  Newsweek Magazine Autism alert.

      February 28, 2003  CASLS receives a $8,000 grant from the  Bakker Family Fund, administered by the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.

     November 1, 2002  CASLS receives a $5,000 grant from the  Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.

     August 1, 2002  CASLS opens its second group home in Charleston.

      June 11, 2002  CASLS is awarded $38,000, our largest grant to date. This comes by way of the South Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council. Thank you to all the members of the Council.

     June 1, 2002  CASLS welcomes Kendra Chaplin as full-time Director of Training and Programs. Kendra worked for the Autism Division of the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs for 12 years serving people with autism and training others to do so.

      May 9, 2002  CASLS completes Council on Accreditation  "Intensive Accreditation Training" and "Continuous Quality Improvement Training."  Thanks go to the South Carolina Association of Children's Homes and Family Services for hosting the Council and for financial assistance for the training.

     May 1, 2002  CASLS welcomes Alan Rose as full-time Administrator. Alan worked for the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs for 14 years serving people with autism and other developmental disabilities.

      April 7, 2002  CASLS participates in CAMP GOOD TIMES fundraiser "Rock for Kids" on Bowen's Island. CASLS continues to lend support for the camp by providing web-space and web-support, maintaining a presence on the Board of Directors, providing consultation and volunteering time. The camp deserves your support.

April 5, 2002  CASLS Executive Director Phil Blevins records  interview on Charleston Radio Stations  Cool 105.5 and 98 ROCK. Listen here.

March 1, 2002 CASLS meets with 20 other leading agencies from across the U.S. specializing in autism specific residential services to form the National Association of Residential Providers for Adults with Autism to address the need for Autism Specific Services for adults (residential and otherwise). Phil Blevins, Executive Director will serve as a pro-tem committee chair. Thanks to ASA, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (Dr. Patricia Morrissey) and others for helping to sponsor this project. See our position paper here.   .

      February 21, 2002 Our new project to open Community Training Homes (group homes) for adults with autism is called PLACES (Preferred Living Arrangements in Community Environments). The project is set to begin in July 2002. We begin a search with our realtor to find suitable housing.

February 5, 2002 CASLS is selected for a major grant from the Bakker Family Fund. Awarded by the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.

December, 2001 CASLS "Basic Training for Autism" sells out. The training takes place with 100% attendance. We raise more money toward our goals of helping people with autism while increasing knowledge of and competence in providing services to people with autism. Attendees come from as far as Greenville, Rock Hill and Charlotte, NC.

October 25, 2001 CASLS Training is offered with online registration.

September 27, 2001 CASLS is certified as a Medicaid Provider of High Management Rehabilitative Services.

September 10, 2001 CASLS is licensed as a High Management Group Home.

September 5, 2001 CASLS moves into their offices at 4 Carriage Lane, Charleston.

August 1, 2001 CASLS is licensed as a Community Training Home provider.

July 30, 2001 CASLS gets the keys for its first house. Thanks are owed to the generosity and good will of John and Kim Shields for their purchase of the house for use by our clients.

June 15, 2001 The IRS determines that CASLS is a Tax Exempt organization.

June 13, 2001 The state of South Carolina announces its intent to award CASLS a contract to provide residential services to children with autism.

April 24, 2001 CASLS holds its April meeting of the Board of Directors in the Wachovia Room in the Downtown Charleston Library. Again the talent and energy are greatly appreciated and much needed.

March 27, 2001 CASLS holds its March meeting of the Board of Directors at the beautiful and historic Mills House in Charleston. Thanks to the many talented people who share their expertise, time and experience.

February 21, 2001 CASLS continues to build a Board of Directors this month. We look forward to holding our March meeting.

February 2, 2001 CASLS Establishes Internet Presence.

August 20, 2000 CASLS incorporates as a non-profit corporation.