About Us




New Ground Publishing (NGP) was created as a result of our work with over 150 children and teenagers with varying degrees of ability along the Autism Spectrum across the state of Maryland. Founder Stephen Hartman, LCSW-C, is the owner and Executive Director of The Whole Self Center, a provider of home and community based support services to children and teenagers on the Autism Spectrum who need intensive support. WSC has over 250 employees and is a Maryland Medical Assistance Autism Waiver Provider Stephen’s vision in creating NGP is to offer an understanding of autism from a more human perspective. Stephen’s experience as an adolescent family therapist and his direct care work with children with autism led him to see that all human beings are people first and though their disorders color who they are, they do not define them. Delivering this understanding to his staff proved challenging. People in the helping field in all sorts of disciplines are primarily trained to ‘fix’ the effects of a disorder rather than address the underlying needs of the individual. Consequently, the person inside can become secondary to collecting data and completing paperwork. Your attention can shift from dreading the day-to-day tasks necessary to care for a person with a developmental need to a more balanced and compassionate awareness. It is his vision that products of NGP will become tools that will invite this perspective to flourish in those who resonate with it.

NGP is currently developing two lines of products:

  • One Voice Discoveries produces supportive, educational, and clinical training tools that will help parents and caregivers reach and teach individuals.
  • The Whole Self Monitoring System Internet Software that allows parents, educators, and caregivers to monitor the progress they’re making in supporting a person on the Spectrum to develop greater independence. For more information on the Whole Self Monitoring System (WSM). Look for the WSM system in the future.

NGP is open to your comments and questions so that we can apply the feedback from your experiences to further enhance our resources.