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National & Community Support Resources and Websites
National Resources
The National Autism Association (NAA) - https://nationalautismassociation.org - provides free safety materials for teachers of students with ASD who wander and tips for families on introducing children and adults with ASD to the police. This site also provides access to the Autism Atrium, NAA's educational initiative providing training, webinars, toolkits and other education materials at no charge. I recommend this site because of the free materials it offers to teachers and families and it's unique focus on keeping kids with ASD safe.
The Autism Society of America (ASA) - https://autismsociety.org - the mission of the ASA is to "create connections, empowering everyone in the Autism community with the resources needed to live fully." This website is targeted toward adults with ASD and their families. The ASA advocates for public policy changes. This site includes information on legal rights, housing, employment, education, social connections, communication, and interventions and therapies. I recommend this site because it is involved in public policy changes and provides a mechanism for institutional change.
Autism Speaks - www.autismspeaks.org - the vision of Autism Speaks is "a world in which all people on the spectrum can reach their full potential." Through partnerships and collaboration Autism Speaks works to increase global understanding and acceptance of people with autism, to be a catalyst for research breakthroughs, increasing early childhood screenings and interventions, improving transition to adulthood, and ensuring access to reliable information and services throughout the life span. I recommend this site because it both supports services and research from early childhood and throughout the life span.
Operation Autism - operationautism.org - this site offers a free guidebook: Life Journey through Autism: A Guide for Military Families, and information on navigating healthcare and military insurance. I recommend this site because with frequent reassignments military families which include an individual with ASD can feel disconnected from support services tied to a particular location. The information provided by Operation Autism is a resource to help these families stay connected with services and treatment which considers their unique needs.
The National Autism Association (NAA) - https://nationalautismassociation.org - provides free safety materials for teachers of students with ASD who wander and tips for families on introducing children and adults with ASD to the police. This site also provides access to the Autism Atrium, NAA's educational initiative providing training, webinars, toolkits and other education materials at no charge. I recommend this site because of the free materials it offers to teachers and families and it's unique focus on keeping kids with ASD safe.
The Autism Society of America (ASA) - https://autismsociety.org - the mission of the ASA is to "create connections, empowering everyone in the Autism community with the resources needed to live fully." This website is targeted toward adults with ASD and their families. The ASA advocates for public policy changes. This site includes information on legal rights, housing, employment, education, social connections, communication, and interventions and therapies. I recommend this site because it is involved in public policy changes and provides a mechanism for institutional change.
Autism Speaks - www.autismspeaks.org - the vision of Autism Speaks is "a world in which all people on the spectrum can reach their full potential." Through partnerships and collaboration Autism Speaks works to increase global understanding and acceptance of people with autism, to be a catalyst for research breakthroughs, increasing early childhood screenings and interventions, improving transition to adulthood, and ensuring access to reliable information and services throughout the life span. I recommend this site because it both supports services and research from early childhood and throughout the life span.
Operation Autism - operationautism.org - this site offers a free guidebook: Life Journey through Autism: A Guide for Military Families, and information on navigating healthcare and military insurance. I recommend this site because with frequent reassignments military families which include an individual with ASD can feel disconnected from support services tied to a particular location. The information provided by Operation Autism is a resource to help these families stay connected with services and treatment which considers their unique needs.
Blogs and Websites by Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or Their Families
- The Autism Cafe, a blog by Eileen Lamb, a mother with ASD raising "a severely autistic" son. In her blog, Lamb covers looks at several topics from her unique perspective, including "A Balanced View on ABA Therapy, by an Autistic Adult," "Potty Training and Autism," and "Meet Goally, the electronic visual schedule that works." I found disturbing some of the hateful emails and social media posts directed to Lamb and she discusses in one of her blogs the existence of a group of persons which frequently attack those who write about autism and ASD.
- Hi Blog! I'm Dad., a blog by James Guttman, a father of two children, "One non-verbal with autism and one non-stop verbal with attitude," is suddenly my favorite ASD blog. I want to read more and more. Gant's humor and humanness stretches from the titles of his posts, "People's Reactions When They Learn My Son Has Autism," "A Stranger Tapped Me on the Shoulder While My Son Was Melting Down," to his words and photos. This is a blog filled with the joy of living. Unlike Lamb, see above, Guttman reports that "By and large, most people are great. No one is ever mean or rude."
- Autistic & Unapologetic, a blog by James Ward-Sinclair, "one lad on a journey to find out what makes him (autis(tic)" includes such interesting posts as "Was Alan Turing Autistic? What the Father of Modern Computing was Really Like" and "Can Autism Affect Eyesight? How a New Understanding of Vision Could Change How We See the Spectrum."
- The Autism Cafe, a blog by Eileen Lamb, a mother with ASD raising "a severely autistic" son. In her blog, Lamb covers looks at several topics from her unique perspective, including "A Balanced View on ABA Therapy, by an Autistic Adult," "Potty Training and Autism," and "Meet Goally, the electronic visual schedule that works." I found disturbing some of the hateful emails and social media posts directed to Lamb and she discusses in one of her blogs the existence of a group of persons which frequently attack those who write about autism and ASD.
- Hi Blog! I'm Dad., a blog by James Guttman, a father of two children, "One non-verbal with autism and one non-stop verbal with attitude," is suddenly my favorite ASD blog. I want to read more and more. Gant's humor and humanness stretches from the titles of his posts, "People's Reactions When They Learn My Son Has Autism," "A Stranger Tapped Me on the Shoulder While My Son Was Melting Down," to his words and photos. This is a blog filled with the joy of living. Unlike Lamb, see above, Guttman reports that "By and large, most people are great. No one is ever mean or rude."
- Autistic & Unapologetic, a blog by James Ward-Sinclair, "one lad on a journey to find out what makes him (autis(tic)" includes such interesting posts as "Was Alan Turing Autistic? What the Father of Modern Computing was Really Like" and "Can Autism Affect Eyesight? How a New Understanding of Vision Could Change How We See the Spectrum."
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Sites
- The Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) - www.apbahome.net - this is a membership website and some areas are restricted to members, however, there is useful information on Laws & Regulations relating to health insurance coverage for ABA services and on the licensure of ABA practitioners. Additionally, there is a section on Practice Guidelines which identifies approved ABA interventions and considers why some interventions may not comply with ABA ethics.
- California Association for Behavior Analysts (calABA) - calaba.org// -
- The Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) - www.apbahome.net - this is a membership website and some areas are restricted to members, however, there is useful information on Laws & Regulations relating to health insurance coverage for ABA services and on the licensure of ABA practitioners. Additionally, there is a section on Practice Guidelines which identifies approved ABA interventions and considers why some interventions may not comply with ABA ethics.
- California Association for Behavior Analysts (calABA) - calaba.org// -
Southern California Community Resources
- The Arc of San Diego - www.arc-sd.com - the Arc of San Diego develops programs for children and adults with disabilities to promote social, economic and personal independence. The Arc is a large and active organization in existence since 1951. Services are provided across various disabilities and are not limited to individuals with ASD. I recommend this site as a place to begin when searching for supported employment for persons with ASD, as well as respite services for caregivers. Information is provided on community inclusion and residential options from supported to independent living.
- The Autism Society of San Diego - www.autismsocietysandiego.org - this site provides information on Meetup activities and support groups throughout San Diego County. Events such as pool and pizza parties, and dance parties, are announced. Links to various other resources can be found here. I recommend this site for the social opportunities it makes known.
- The Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders - thecenter4autism.org - The Center is located in Orange County, California, and it's mission is "To provide hope and help to children, adolescents, young adults, and their families living with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders through excellent clinical care, innovative research, quality education & training, and community engagement."
- Help Me Grow, Orange County - helpmegrowoc.org - "connects children and their families to developmental services to enhance the development, behavior and learning of children birth through eight years old.
- Family Autism Network - faninfo.org - The FAN was established in 2009 to increase access to resources for families affected by autism. It is sponsored by the Grandparent Autism Network in collaboration with The Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Help Me Grow, Orange County.
- Autism Society of Los Angeles - autismla.org - Their mission is to "empower individuals with Autism and other Disabilities, their families, and professionals through advocacy, education and community support to ensure an equitable quality of life for all." Areas of focus include Safety, Wellness, Productivity, and Community.
- The Arc of San Diego - www.arc-sd.com - the Arc of San Diego develops programs for children and adults with disabilities to promote social, economic and personal independence. The Arc is a large and active organization in existence since 1951. Services are provided across various disabilities and are not limited to individuals with ASD. I recommend this site as a place to begin when searching for supported employment for persons with ASD, as well as respite services for caregivers. Information is provided on community inclusion and residential options from supported to independent living.
- The Autism Society of San Diego - www.autismsocietysandiego.org - this site provides information on Meetup activities and support groups throughout San Diego County. Events such as pool and pizza parties, and dance parties, are announced. Links to various other resources can be found here. I recommend this site for the social opportunities it makes known.
- The Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders - thecenter4autism.org - The Center is located in Orange County, California, and it's mission is "To provide hope and help to children, adolescents, young adults, and their families living with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders through excellent clinical care, innovative research, quality education & training, and community engagement."
- Help Me Grow, Orange County - helpmegrowoc.org - "connects children and their families to developmental services to enhance the development, behavior and learning of children birth through eight years old.
- Family Autism Network - faninfo.org - The FAN was established in 2009 to increase access to resources for families affected by autism. It is sponsored by the Grandparent Autism Network in collaboration with The Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Help Me Grow, Orange County.
- Autism Society of Los Angeles - autismla.org - Their mission is to "empower individuals with Autism and other Disabilities, their families, and professionals through advocacy, education and community support to ensure an equitable quality of life for all." Areas of focus include Safety, Wellness, Productivity, and Community.
Training on Evidence-Based Practices
The IRIS Center - iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/ - The IRIS Center is a national center dedicated to improving education outcomes for all children, especially those with disabilities birth through age twenty-one, through the use of effective evidence-based practices and interventions.
Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules (AFIRM) - https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/ - Register to access free AFIRM modules and resources for evidence-based practices.
Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules (AFIRM) - https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/ - Register to access free AFIRM modules and resources for evidence-based practices.