A parent group founded in 1996 reaches its 30th year
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Kern Autism Network marked its 30th anniversary Saturday, September 5, at the Bakersfield Country Club, according to 23ABC. The milestone traces back to a January 15, 1996 organizing meeting and a May 22, 1996 charter described in the nonprofit's official history.
The group began when Kern County parents, educators and local service organizations were trying to build support at a time when reliable information about autism was much harder to find locally. Its official site says the organization is now run entirely by a volunteer board with no paid staff.
Kern Autism Network says its mission is to provide support, awareness, information and education throughout Kern County while encouraging coordination among families, professionals and agencies. That community infrastructure matters most when residents can translate a milestone into services they can actually reach.
Read the source: Kern Autism Network: Official mission and current 2026 information ↗
What the network currently lists for families and autistic adults
The organization's services page lists monthly groups for families, autistic teen and adult women, and autistic adults age 18 and older. The family group does not provide childcare, while the adult group includes community outings; residents should check the current calendar and registration requirements before traveling.
Kern Autism Network also lists parent mentoring, help navigating a formal diagnosis, IEP consultation by appointment, school-year seminars, sensory-friendly community projects and summer scholarships for activities such as music, swimming or art. Scholarship types and availability vary with funding and should not be treated as guaranteed benefits.
Its online resource directory points readers to Kern Regional Center, state education and developmental-services agencies, advocates and private providers. The network expressly says a listing is informational rather than an endorsement and advises families to investigate which option is appropriate for the individual involved.
Read the source: Kern Autism Network: Official history from the 1996 organizing meeting ↗
The anniversary recognized lived experience and public service
23ABC reported that network president Bernard Puget and his wife, Ramona, became involved about 25 years ago while learning how to advocate for their autistic son. Puget described the organization's role as helping other families find guidance and stand beside one another when formal support was scarce.
Board member Grant Davenport told the station that the network's adult support groups helped him reconnect with friends and encouraged him to take a leadership role. New board member Blaine Hodge Richard described his service as an extension of advocating for his own son and other families.
Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh presented a city certificate at the event, and a representative from Rep. David Valadao's office presented a plaque recognizing the anniversary in the Congressional Record, according to 23ABC. Those recognitions document the milestone; they are not independent evaluations of every program or outcome.
Read the source: Kern Autism Network: Support groups and listed services ↗
How to use the information without losing the fine print
The network says its 2026 offerings are being updated and directs residents to its official calendar and monthly newsletter for current activities. Before relying on a meeting, consultation or scholarship, families should confirm the date, location, registration rules, age range, accessibility and whether space or funding remains available.
A nonprofit support group can help people find community and navigate systems, but it does not replace individualized medical, educational or legal advice. Families seeking public developmental services can also verify eligibility and case-management information directly with Kern Regional Center or the California Department of Developmental Services.
The network's 30-year history is a reminder that local inclusion often depends on sustained volunteer labor. Public agencies still carry their own obligations to provide lawful access, special-education services and disability accommodations; community organizations should complement, not substitute for, those responsibilities.
Read the source: Kern Autism Network: Local resource directory and service disclaimer ↗
What this report can establish
The organization's records establish its founding dates, volunteer structure, mission and currently listed services. 23ABC's reporting establishes that the September 5 anniversary event occurred and attributes the statements and public recognitions described above.
The available material does not provide current participation totals, waiting lists, program budgets, service-outcome measurements or a guarantee that every directory entry remains active. Those limits should be kept visible when readers compare resources or make decisions for themselves or a family member.
The featured image is an authentic 2013 U.S. Army photograph of service members and families participating in an autism-support walk at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. It is public-domain context and does not show Bakersfield, Kern Autism Network, its anniversary celebration or anyone quoted in this article.
Read the source: 23ABC: Kern Autism Network celebrates 30 years ↗
Sources and further reading
Kern Autism Network: Official mission and current 2026 information ↗
Kern Autism Network: Official history from the 1996 organizing meeting ↗
Kern Autism Network: Support groups and listed services ↗
Kern Autism Network: Local resource directory and service disclaimer ↗
23ABC: Kern Autism Network celebrates 30 years ↗
Wikimedia Commons: U.S. Army autism-support walk photograph and public-domain status ↗