The Autism Society of America (ASA) was founed in 1965 by Bernard Rimland, PhD, and claims to be the oldest and largest grassroots organization in the autism community with over 50,000 members and supporters connected through a network of nearly 200 chapters in the United States. The ASA's goal is to increase public awareness about autism and the day-to-day issues faced by autistics as well as their families and the professionals with whom they interact. The organization advocates for programs and services for the autism community, and claims to be a leading source of information, research, and reference on the condition.