About PASS
Our Mission
PASS supports autistic individuals and other neuro-developmental disabilities as well as their families by providing comprehensive programs, services, and housing options.
Our Vision
Full Potential, Meaningful Lives
PASS is BC's leader in supporting autistic adults.
PALS Adults Services Society (PASS) provides an innovative daily program and independent housing for autistic adults. Our autism-specific, development-based solutions for members at PASS ensure that they can live vibrant, meaningful lives. Our approach is rooted in a continuum of training, community participation, employment and independent housing opportunities.
As autistic children “age out” of the school system, they enter adulthood facing a significant lack of support and resources. Like any adult you know, each member of PASS has a unique vision for their lifestyle, career, family and community—yet our society is not built to support them in living full lives. At PASS, we support our members in bringing these visions to life by pursuing lifelong learning, meaningful community participation and independent living.
PASS is a Community Living BC (CLBC) Qualified Service Provider and Host Agency, and has built strong connections with other service providers in the communities where we operate.
Accreditation
PASS is currently undergoing rigorous accreditation with the Council on Accreditation. COA is an organization that accredits human and social providers around the world and is a key Ministry strategy for promoting and supporting quality assurance, continuous quality improvement, and performance measurement practices. For PASS, COA Accreditation is a framework for effectively managing resources, implementing best practices, and incorporating community voice.
Our History
Our foundation is strong.
In 2007, five mothers of children with ASD and complex developmental disabilities banded together to form PALS Autism Society (PALS). Driven by a desire to find high-quality programming to meet the unique needs of their own school-aged children, and for many other children across the province, these parents put their resources together to develop their own school.
In time, a new need presented itself—a significant lack of support for young people with autism as they "aged out" of the school system. As a result, in 2010, the daily program was established to provide a continuum of training and development for young adults ages 19 and above.
Today, the PALS Adult Services Society (PASS) is a separate and distinct charitable entity from PALS Autism Society (PALS) focusing exclusively on the needs of autistic adults and other developmental disabilities. As our sister organization, our ties to PALS remain as strong and our shared history and vision to provide tailor-made support to neurodiverse people across the lifespan bonds us together.