Meet Kate Movius | Disability Training Specialist for LA County

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Movius and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, how does your business help the community?
My job is teaching special needs de-escalation and communication tactics to first responders. Though my main focus is autism, these techniques apply across a wide range of situations, in which a person is in crisis, having a communication breakdown and unable to follow commands. Several years ago, I was inspired by my son (now 20) to create this program. He is a wonderful autistic young man, who, by the time he was 10 years old, had met his fair share of police officers, due to his desire to bolt away from the safety of home and caregivers. This behavior, called “elopement” or “wandering” (or in my son’s case, Olympic sprinting) is very common for those with autism and developmental disabilities. And because my son has a hard time talking and controlling his body, this makes him particularly vulnerable in situations with the public and with law enforcement.

10 years ago, I piloted and developed my program with the Glendale PD. They were incredibly supportive of introducing autism and developmental disability training to their officers. I began training LA County employees six years ago. Though I work mainly with law enforcement, I’ve also trained Parks and Recreation, school personnel and mental health responders. During this time, there have been dozens of “saves” – situations in which a person in crisis was safely de-escalated and returned to his or her loved ones, due to the tactics learned in my classes. I wish every first responder had access to specialized training. For my part, I will continue to put in the work and help keep our most vulnerable citizens safe.

What should our readers know about your business?
I began my business 10 years ago as a free service to police departments. I never could have imagined I would eventually be working for one of the largest counties in the U.S.! Back at the beginning, I was always terrified before a training. Sometimes, I just improvised when it seemed like I was losing the room (of mostly police officers). I pushed myself to be more action-oriented, less “lecture-y.” When it seemed like everyone just glazed over during the PowerPoint presentation, I got rid of it. Now, it’s just me and my co-trainers. I also get my students on their feet as much as possible, so they have to stay alert and involved. In many ways, this is no different than creating a dynamic curriculum in a school setting. If everyone seems sleepy or disinterested, that’s not a reflection on them – it means I have to take that as a cue to up my game. So over the years, the class has gotten much leaner and more action-oriented. But the best part of the day, by far, is when my autistic co-trainers come to the podium. They represent an incredibly diverse range of the autism spectrum; they are riveting, funny, poignant and awe-inspiring.

There have been times over the years, when I felt like I was just hitting a wall. I got a lot of rejections: “give us a call next year”, and, “we’ve got all the training we need, thank you.” What kept me going were my son and his community. I wasn’t pursuing this line of work for my own self-interest, I was doing it to serve them. So any time I started getting into my own head, struggling with imposter syndrome or a cranky receptionist, I just took a breath and thought, “This isn’t about you. Keep showing up and something will happen. A door will open,” And it did.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve lived in Highland Park for 20 years, so I’m partial to this part of town. If I could click my heels together and go anywhere, it would be an unstructured stroll down Figueroa any night of the week. We could stop in at Cafe Birdie for Moroccan chicken and crispy cauliflower, check out a show at the Lodge Room, browse used books and weird magazines at Book Show, buy a 10-dollar caftan at the Bearded Beagle and loop back around to either Good Housekeeping or Checker Hall (or both, if you’re not old and tired like me) for drinks.

And then there’s Galco’s, my younger son’s favorite place in the world. They have the best candy and soda collection known to mankind.

For nearby hikes, our family enjoys the Ernest Debs Regional Park and the Cherry Canyon trail up above Descanso Gardens. Thankfully, we live within a few hours of some of the most beautiful places in the country: Joshua Tree, Idyllwild, Ojai, El Matador State Beach…as Los Angelenos, our options are mind-boggling.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate my Shoutout to my son, Aidan, who taught me everything there is to know about non-verbal communication, patience and dignity under duress. I’d also like to recognize my old friend Matt Irvine for helping me take the first steps; Sgt. Traci Fox of the Glendale PD for her foresight and support all those years ago; Azita Fatheree and Lt. John Gannon for bringing the training to LA County; and most of all, my autistic co-trainers and their families for continuing to teach and inspire in the face of unimaginable challenges.

Website: https://www.autisminteractionsolutions.com

Instagram: My son’s paintings can be found at aidan.odonovan.art

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-movius-b3645/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kate.movius

Image Credits
Photo credits: Prem Dhanjal and LA County Sheriff’s Department.