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Finding Your Community… Team (ART) receives are for information about autism and community services. Common requests are for connections to peer groups, recreation, and parent support groups, among others. Finding community matters. It creates a sense of purpose, provides a means to build social …
Community input and conversations… spotlight diverse voices and encourage candid, real conversations. Our goal is to create a space where people can find the support and information most relevant to them. Many of our own team members, leaders and partners are autistic or have an …
Our evolution… evolve to address important issues for the autism community—from transition age and adult services to health disparities, supports for those with severe and challenging behaviors and more. On a state policy level, in the early 2000s, we launched … the fields of healthcare, employment, education, financial planning, safety and law enforcement interactions, caregiver supports and more. Increased autistic representation and community engagement Over the years, Autism Speaks has made … increasing access to quality care and enhancing our understanding of autism across the lifespan. Autism Speaks does not support eugenics and no longer supports research that aims to find a cure for autism. Greater focus on inclusion and …
Autism Speaks controversy and common misconceptions… Today, misconceptions around autism threaten access to vital information, resources and support that autistic people and their families need . While we recognize that autism is incredibly complex and manifests … Consider the facts Help us stop the spread of misinformation. Share this Autism Speaks flyer on social media to show your support. … Autism Speaks controversy and common misconceptions …
The Hatching Hope Foundation brings advocacy and support to Dallas-Fort Worth families… triplets, was diagnosed with autism in 2012 at age 2.5, she struggled to find much-needed information, services and social supports in her area. This struggle motivated Sabrina to commit her life to helping underserved families in Ft. Worth, Texas … she founded the Hatching Hope Foundation, an organization that provides parent training about autism, individual and family support services, and special education advocacy. In 2019, Keshawn tragically passed away from Osteosarcoma, a rare form of … someone who really understands what it’s like to be a parent living with a child with severe autism. Our Facebook support group, Autism Mocha Moms , has been another great way to connect with parents in the community. The group was created to …
Autism Speaks rings the NASDAQ stock market closing bell for World Autism Month… Bell Ceremony. In honor of the occasion, Brian Harper, chairman of the Autism Speaks Board of Directors was joined with a group of autistic people, families and caregivers, and Autism Speaks staff members to raise awareness for World Autism … as the chairman of the Board at Autism Speaks, I have deep pride in the work we are doing to give anyone with autism the support and opportunities they deserve,” says Mr. Harper. “So far, we've connected 27 million people to vital resources like early diagnosis, adult transition support and employment training—always free of charge. Our vision to help autistic people reach their full potential is what …
Social Skills and Autism… by the idea of new experiences. Building up social skills with practice can help enhance participation in the community and support outcomes like happiness and friendships. We have compiled social skills tips and information from experts, teachers, … school, and in the community. A special education teacher, speech pathologist, or other clinician may lead a “social skills group” that combines direct, explicit instruction with opportunities to practice and generalize these skills in more natural …
Tips to create inclusive sports and recreation activities… shared interests. One option is through high-quality adaptive programs – those designed for people with disabilities in a supportive environment, from the Special Olympics to local therapeutic horseback riding lessons to school LEGO clubs. Since … individuals with and without disabilities participate together. Some activities and programs are already designed with the support needs of people with disabilities in mind. (Think: online video gaming.) But what happens when they are not? Here we … online within your county or state can open doors. One of the wonderful things about technology is there are virtual groups based on shared interest open to people across the world. These can be ideal if you feel burned out in general or if …
Pool and Water Safety for Lifeguards … way of communicating, that can help keep them calm them in an unsafe situation or if they have wandered away from their group. This  first-responder toolkit  has communication techniques in addition to a lot of other useful information for … the pool or have other communication differences, so they may not hear the whistle.   Swimming facility owners can support autistic swimmers as well by communicating safety rules in different ways to ensure understanding, … are visual learners understand the rules.   Teaching their lifeguarding and other staff about supporting an autism-friendly swimming experience can help make sure their pool is a safe and comfortable environment for …
Expert Q&A: Dr. Ryan Adams shares tips and resources to end bullying… in the UC Department of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, a member site of the Autism Speaks-supported Autism Care Network . His research focuses on adolescents, peer victimization, bullying and depressive symptoms.   … some examples of strategies you offer in the guides?  We know the most effective way to stop bullying is giving the larger group of bystanders the tools they need to recognize when it’s happening and get involved. A lot of times, people get away … with bullying by saying they were kidding, so we teach kids that doesn’t matter. Then, we give them different strategies to support the person being bullied. For example, the easiest thing to do if you witness bullying in school is not to laugh. …