04/08/2026
♾️ Advocate Sarah Howard helps to create safe spaces for discussion and connection with the Valley Mountain Regional Center Support Group she helped launch in 2009.
“Years ago, I attended a group such as this in another area and wanted one in the area in which I lived. I got a few people together to make this happen,” said Sarah. “We are attempting to create a group where everyone feels respected and we have privacy within the group.”
As a facilitator, she brings people together to talk openly, share experiences, and learn from one another in a space built in trust and respect. Sarah was first diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum with Asperger’s Syndrome at 30.
“I began the journey to find out why I was different and what I needed to help me,” said Sarah. “The Autism Support Group was a part of that therapy.”
Outside of the group, Sarah keeps busy. She enjoys swimming, playing the cello in a community orchestra, and volunteering at a local theater group. Sarah has also served on the California State Council for Developmental Disabilities for six years and is part of the Department’s Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG — www.dds.ca.gov/leag).
Join us this in celebrating voices like Sarah’s and the communities they help build.
