How ACT Began

Karen Blake’s journey in the autism community began with her son, Matthew, who was diagnosed with autism at 18 months old. After moving with her family from Atlanta to Middle Tennessee in 2005, Karen recognized a need for center-based autism services in the area. In response, she founded the Autism Foundation of Tennessee, which later became Autism Education & Therapy Center.

Through that work, Karen began to recognize another need within the autism community. As young people with autism approached adulthood and transitioned out of school, families were searching for meaningful opportunities for continued learning, growth, connection, and support.

In 2020, Karen founded Autism Career Training (ACT) to help meet that need. ACT was created with a strong emphasis on vocational and pre-vocational training, providing young adults with autism opportunities to build skills, gain experience, and prepare for life beyond the classroom.

As ACT grew, the program evolved alongside the needs of the adults it served. It became increasingly clear that a meaningful adult life encompasses much more than employment. Independence, communication, self-advocacy, relationships, recreation, community participation, and continued learning are equally important.

In 2026, Autism Career Training became Autism Community Training—keeping the ACT name while better reflecting the broader purpose of the organization.

Today, ACT provides a community-based day program for adults with autism in Franklin, Tennessee. Throughout the day, trainees have opportunities to strengthen daily living skills, communication, independence, confidence, and social connection through purposeful activities, volunteering, recreation, and community-based instruction.

Our name has changed and our programming has grown, but the commitment that began ACT remains: creating meaningful opportunities for adults with autism to continue learning, participating, connecting, and growing throughout adulthood.