Resources

National organizations

Autism Science Foundation: Advocate and funder for high-quality autism research

Autism Society of America (includes its nationwide network of affiliates)

Autism Speaks: Autism Speaks Challenging Behaviors Toolkit

Family Caregiver Alliance

National Association for Dual Diagnosis: An association for persons with developmental disabilities and mental health needs

Together for Choice: Advocacy for a full range of housing and adult program options

VOR:The Voice of Reason: Speaking out for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Inpatient facilities

See EASI Foundation resource guide

Residential special education schools

National Association of Private Special Education Centers

Adult developmental disability services

ACCSES (Disability services provider network)

National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals

A Team USA

Information about Medicaid

Medicaid.gov (autism page)

Together for Choice: "Uniting to protect and advance the rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to live, work and thrive in a community or setting of their choice."

Information about housing

Autism Housing Network

Together for Choice: "Uniting to protect and advance the rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to live, work and thrive in a community or setting of their choice."

Information about guardianship

Social Security state digest of guardianship laws

Online and other support

A Voice for Joshua Facebook group

Solidarity Parent to Parent support network

Family Voices (a national family-led organization of families and friends of children and youth with special health care needs and disabilities)

Parents of Children with Severe/Classic Autism Facebook group

Specialized resources

Autism Birthday Club Of The World (Facebook group) sends out birthday cards to autistic kids from other autistic individuals.

Autism Help Now dedicated to the cause of opening a Neurobehavioral Unit on the West Coast.

Autism on the Seas Foundation raises funds to provide financial assistance for families to vacation with Autism on the Seas.

Autism Wish Foundation provide autistic children with their most needed therapeutic and sensory items by fulfilling their wishlist.

Forgotten Wishes Foundation primary goal is to be a source of joy and inspire a sense of belonging by creating a community that reaches out to participants multiple times throughout the year. The Forget-Me-Not Friends Club is their first initiative. They created this program to remember friends on their birthdays, holidays, and other occasions with personalized cards, small gifts, and fun stuff.

The Lucas Project recognition and respite for Special Needs caregivers.

Mosaic serves more than 5,200 people in 13 states and 750 communities. Services are tailored to meet individual needs and goals, allowing people to be as independent as possible. Services are designed for people with disabilities, mental and behavioral health needs and autism, as well as aging adults.

Special Wants connects special needs families to help them locate hard-to-find, rare, discontinued or unique items or toys; provides Christmas gifts.

Waves of Impact connecting extraordinary families and individuals to the community around them through surfing.