Kids with autism and other developmental needs will get the chance to climb aboard fire trucks, police vehicles and construction equipment this Saturday at a free sensory-friendly event in Scottsdale. Bierman Autism Centers will host the Touch-A-Truck gathering from 10 a.m. to noon at its facility at 8444 N. 90th St., with clinical staff on hand and a designated quiet area available throughout the morning.
The event is designed to reduce sensory overload for children with autism or other developmental issues, according to scottsdale.org. Families will be able to explore fire trucks, police vehicles, construction equipment and other service vehicles, and children will get to meet the people who operate them. The event also includes slower-paced activities, games, and snacks, and siblings, caregivers and other family members are welcome to attend alongside the children the event is intended primarily for.
Amanda Jacquart, who is connected with the event, said every element is built with the child in mind. Organizers emphasize a calm, predictable setting throughout the morning, and participation will be limited to help maintain that sensory-friendly environment, per the outlet's report. Advance registration is requested, and families can sign up at biermanautism.com/events by selecting Scottsdale.
A Structured Approach to Public Outings
The quiet zone and attendance cap are not incidental design choices. Clinical guidelines for sensory-friendly public events emphasize that accommodating neurodivergent children requires designated low-stimulation areas, controlled crowd density, visual schedules, and silenced vehicle horns or sirens to prevent overload, according to PAAutism.org. Bierman's version of the event reflects that same structured clinical approach, pairing the truck exploration with trained staff prepared to manage sensory needs.
Families attending Saturday will also be able to tour the center and learn about the services available there, the same report notes. Bierman Autism Centers provides applied behavior analysis therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and diagnostic evaluations for children with autism, and the organization operates locations in both Scottsdale and Tempe.
Part of a Larger Summer Push
Saturday's gathering is one stop in a broader nationwide effort. Bierman Autism Centers established a summer initiative offering free, sensory-friendly Touch-A-Truck events across its multi-state clinic network, including locations in Arizona, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island, according to Bierman Autism Centers. Those events consistently feature quiet zones, limited attendance caps, and hands-on vehicle exploration designed around the same sensory considerations guiding Saturday's Scottsdale event.
Bierman specializes in early intensive behavioral intervention, primarily serving neurodivergent children between 18 months and 9 years old, per the organization. The company was founded in 2006 by Board Certified Behavior Analyst Courtney Bierman, who began offering home-based therapy out of her apartment after a family member was diagnosed with autism, as detailed by Breaking News ABA. Bierman also created an educational mascot, Pilot the Penguin, and Courtney Bierman authored a children's book, “Pilot the Penguin: Alex's Learning Adventure,” aimed at promoting neurodiversity acceptance.
Rising Diagnoses Across Arizona
The Scottsdale event arrives amid a steady climb in autism diagnoses statewide. Roughly 3.13% of 8-year-old children in Arizona, or about 1 in 32, were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2022, up from 2.7% in 2020, according to data from the CDC ADDM Network reported by Step Ahead ABA. That trend mirrors a national pattern: CDC surveillance data released in April 2025 found approximately 1 in 31 8-year-olds nationwide were identified with autism spectrum disorder in 2022, up from 1 in 36 in 2020.
Bierman's growth also stands out against broader shifts in the autism therapy industry. A January 2026 study published in JAMA Pediatrics found private equity firms acquired more than 500 autism therapy centers across the country over the past decade, accounting for nearly 80% of major market deals, per Breaking News ABA's reporting. Bierman, by contrast, remains a clinician-owned, independent provider now operating more than 30 clinics across seven states from its headquarters in Westfield, Indiana.
How to Register
Interested families can register in advance for Saturday's Scottsdale event at biermanautism.com/events by selecting Scottsdale, according to the original report. Attendance is free, though organizers are keeping participation limited to preserve the calm, predictable setting they've built around the morning's activities.
