Autism Resources

While this list is not complete, here are some helpful pages with different resources on them!

Advocacy Sites

Autism 101

Newly Diagnosed?

For Parents

AAC Resources

Favorite Autism Blogs

Books, Films, and Media

Info Sheets and Created Resources

Resources for Autism/Sensory Products

Local Resources – East Tennessee Area

Advocacy Sites

 

Autism 101

Newly Diagnosed?

Welcome to the family!

Receiving a new diagnosis can be stressful, but it can also be a relief. Remember: nothing about you or your loved one has changed. You just have more information than you did before!

Resources for newly diagnosed autistic people:

Resources for parents, caregivers, and loved ones:

  • Start Here: A Guide for Parents of Autistic Kids, by Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network (AWN), Little Lobbyists, and The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism

 

For Parents

If you’re a parent, I also highly recommend you check out the Newly Diagnosed?, favorite blogs list, advocacy sites, and info sheets/created resources pages too!

 

 

AAC Resources

My AAC introduction post – discusses different types of AAC, apps, and more

Favorite AAC Users’ Blogs/Websites:

Funding

  • Medicaid, Home and Community-Based Services, and (sometimes) insurance plans
    • This can be difficult, but sometimes they will cover communication devices. I know at least in Tennessee, ECF Choices can cover assistive technology
  • Vocational Rehabilitation
    • This might be an option for older individuals rather than children – and for people who are planning on working. But Vocational Rehabilitation is supposed to provide you with things related to your disability that you need to succeed in the workplace, in your education, etc – and if that includes AAC, there you go!

Additional Resources:

This section is a work in process. I’ll update it as I’m able to and hopefully reorganize it when I have the spoons/energy.

IEP Help

Here’s my Beginner’s Guide to the IEP post! It also includes a sample IEP that I made, along with an overview of the critical parts of an Individualized Education Program. Make sure to scroll to the bottom for a very long list of extra resources as well.

  • TN STEP; this website has a lot of great information on navigating the special education setting. While based in Tennessee, the information is helpful for other states as well.

Meltdowns and Emotional Regulation

I posted much more in-depth regarding meltdowns on my Managing and Preventing Meltdowns post, as I presented on it in a conference last year. It also has some printables and visuals you can use as well!

Here are some great resources in addition to the post:

Financial and Services Supports

  • Employment and Community First CHOICES
    • https://www.tn.gov/didd/employment-and-community-first-choices.html
    • State-run Medicaid-based program that helps provide home and community-based services
    • Tennessee is currently working on a Katie Beckett waiver for families who need help but don’t currently meet requirements for CHOICES or TennCare. I will update the list when this gets finalized.

Favorite Autism Blogs and Accounts

Favorite Autistic Bloggers:

Parent Bloggers:

Books, Film, and Media

Books:

  • All the Weight of Our Dreams: On Living Racialized Autism – AWN (being re-released, I think?)
  • NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity – Steve Silberman
  • Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism – Barry M. Prizant, PhD

Films:

Info Sheets and Created Resources

A List of Created Documents

Visual Schedules

These are some simple visual schedule sheets. I uploaded the Microsoft Word versions so that you can edit them as needed, putting in what pictures or colors you prefer.

Basic Visual Schedule Sheet

Visual Schedule – Detailed Daily Routine

Visual Schedule Outline – PDF file

Housekeeping and Chores – PDF file

 

Workshops and Projects

Mock IEP Project – This is from my Beginner’s Guide to the IEP post. It’s an IEP I wrote from scratch for an assignment. It’s not perfect, but it might be helpful as a representation of what the document looks like.

From My Managing and Preventing Meltdowns Presentation:

Managing and Preventing Meltdowns PowerPoint

Free printables I made:

From My Organization and Planning: Practical Strategies for Independent Living Presentation:

Organization and Planning – Practical Strategies for Independent Living PowerPoint

Resources on the Case for Identity-First – A list of resources used to argue for identity-first language in the Autistic community.  (If you have any more that I can add, let me know!)

Outside Informational Sheets and Presentations

These are documents and resources not created by me, but are super helpful.

From the Emergency Medicine Post

Medical Emergencies: A Practical Guide PowerPoint
I was granted permission by the wonderful ETSU EM/ERGE group that created this PowerPoint to share it here. This belongs to them, not me. For any additional questions or inquiries, please contact EMERGETSU@gmail.com!

Fact sheets from Autism Acceptance Month

 Resources for Sensory Products

Full disclosure: I’m not getting any commissions or payment from any of these. I’ve used a lot of these, and have friends who have used others on this list that I haven’t. Unfortunately, the favorite shop stimtastic.co in our community is on hiatus until further notice.

You can also visit your local dollar store to find objects and materials that can be repurposed for sensory tools!

Where to buy stim toys, weighted blankets, and other sensory tools:

Local Resources – East Tennessee

Financial Aid and Services

  • The Arc – Washington County
    • http://www.arcwc.org/
    • The Tri-Cities local chapter for The Arc, which provides support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities – as well as their families. For other areas, click here.

Therapy Places

Note: These are places that I’ve personally been to and had overall positive experiences with. That may not be the case for everyone, so it’s important to pay close attention to the treatment that you (or your child if you’re a caregiver) are getting. Not every therapist is the same, and it’s important to keep an eye out for any red flags.

And again: I highly recommend avoiding Applied Behavior Analysis at all costs. Occupational and speech therapy does a lot of the exact same things – but with much less trauma and compliance-training that often puts our kids at risk of being in danger. I’ll write about my dislike of ABA at some point.

  •  Mini-Miracles Pediatric Therapy
    • https://www.minimiraclespllc.com
    • Occupational, Physical, Speech, Counseling, Transition to Adulthood program
    • I went here for OT and PT, as well as their Transition to Adulthood program. Sometimes there is a waiting list, but it depends.
  • ETSU’s Adult Speech and Language Clinic
    • https://www.etsu.edu/crhs/aslp/speechpathology/contactus.php
    • Speech therapy for autistic adults, traumatic brain injuries, neurocognitive disorders, etc
    • Contact the department at the link above and they can provide more information.
    • Note: they also have programs for young children and teens as well! There may be a waiting list, but I’m not sure.

Transportation

  • Net Trans
    • https://nettrans.org/ride-guide/
    • If you can’t drive, this is generally an inexpensive way for travel between cities. They require 24 – 72 hours notice and it’s usually only through phone calls.
    • If you’re on TennCare, your insurance should pay for transportation to doctor appointments – but you have to schedule trips through your insurance. Sometimes information can get messed up, so it can be very hit-or-miss.
  • ParaTransit
    • https://www.johnsoncitytransit.org/paratransit.html
    • This is specifically for people in the Johnson City area, but other cities may have similar.
    • You have to fill out paperwork proving you’re disabled in order to be eligible for the program (yes, I know), but it’s generally a $2 fee for each trip within Johnson City.  Make sure to go through all the requirements on the website.