We recently connected with Danny Combs and have shared our conversation below.

Danny, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your business and how did you resolve those issues?

Right now in the USA, the autism community is the highest unemployed demographic at a nearly 90% underemployment rate. That means over 5.4 million adults are non receiving access or opportunity for gainful employment. Likewise, they aren’t offered (except for organizations like TACT) the opportunity for training that leads to employment.

Schools are supposed to have transition plans in place for students at age 14 but only 54% do. And 90% of those plans lead to parents basements or day treatment centers.

What’s really surprised me and been a large unexpected problem is that the systems in place to support neurodistinct individuals are hindered by so many regulations and laws. For example, in CO there is a percentage of how many neurodistinct individuals can be placed into employment at the same company. Or that to be considered integrated supported employment there must be a 7-1 ratio of neurotypical to neurodiverse. Those kinds of limitations do not exist in any other demographic. And while I see why they were put in place they make it harder on training agencies, workforce development centers and employers that want to support our community.

Danny, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Danny is a leading voice in creating equitable futures for neurodistinct individuals in business. Mr. Combs is the founder of TACT (Teaching the Autism Community Trades), the state of Colorado’s leading transition to employment and training organization, and the co-founder of the Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce, the first neurodiverse chamber in the country. Danny has brought together almost 100 businesses to build better opportunities, pay, and career advancement for neurodistintic individuals. His organizations have raised over $5 million in funding to create scholarships to serve all socioeconomic classes.

In addition to being a leader in the community, Danny is a Grammy-award-winning musician who has worked with multiple Grammy and Oscar-winning artists. Mr. Combs is also an Air Force Reservist who serves his country in the 4th Space Warning Squadron and 310th Space Wing. His leadership, community development, and social innovation have been recognized in Pentagon, on NBC, ABC, PBS, CBS, Fox, the Denver Business Journal, Epoch Times, News Nation, Classy, and more.

With his dedication and devotion to the community, Danny also is the Board Chair Colorado Neurodversity Chamber of Commerce, a committee member for the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council on Buckley Space Force Base, an Advisory Member for the Career and Technical Education, and part of the Employment Taskforce for the Autism Society of America.

Finally, he has also been published multiple times on his thoughts, practices, and leadership about, community development, social innovation, transition, autism, and employment. His new book “Supporting Neurodivergent and Autistic People for Their Transition into Adulthood, Blueprints for Education, Training, and Employment” on Routledge/Taylor Francis Publishing is available on November 10th.

Most importantly he’s a father of two amazing kids.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When we first started TACT and started meeting with other autism groups and employment agencies they were taken aback by us. We’re a strengths-based program and seven years ago almost the entire narrative around Autism was deficit-based. The very notion of putting tools into autistic young adults’ hands almost seemed revolutionary, especially the idea of developing careers over jobs. Thankfully the narrative seems to be changing and others are using similar practices and language.

It really hurt us at first getting funding and finding partners. It took years to prove our ideas and practices work. Now, TACT is the leading group in the entire state of Colorado placing individuals with autism into careers.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word of mouth far and large the best source of clients for us. Both in regard to our business partners and also our students. The amazing thing about our business partners is that they are referred to other businesses that hire our graduates. They see the quality of work, the innovation of thought, and the creativity our neurodiverse community has to offer and support us. The wild thing is every study you read will highlight the strengths of a neurodiverse workforce yet there are so many companies still resisting.

I believe in another 10 years the narrative will be even further down the road. In 2022, the first Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce was started here in Colorado by myself, Dr. Amanda Kelly, and Tiffany Feingold. This is decades after the first woman’s chamber and black chamber. Yet, 20% of the population is neurodiverse. As word of mouth spreads, more businesses will embrace our community.     

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.buildwithtact.org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tactkidsorg
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-combs-m-a-bccs-cas-90987613a/

Image Credits
TACT Clients in action!