Support Groups: Guides

A initiative called ‘Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive!’ was launched recently by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to promote behavioral and developmental screening for young children ages birth to 5. By raising awareness of child development, the program will help families look for and celebrate milestones, promote universal screenings, identify delays as early as possible, and improve the support available to help children succeed.

Multiple resources and supports are available for early childhood professionals and families to help track progress and determine potential delays in young children.

Available in English and Spanish

En Español: Autism Speaks 100 Day Tool Kit – Spanish

This tool kit provides basic information on advocacy and negotiation skills. The information in this kit has been provided by experts in the field who have both professional and personal experience with advocacy and autism.

A handy guide on advocating for your loved one with disabilities. It was developed through the Parent Training and Information Center Grant funded through the U.S. Dept of Education, Office for Special Education Programs.

Click here for the guide.

If you have any questions regarding this or any topic related to educating children and youth with disabilities, please call the office of the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD) at 740-382-5452 or email ocecd@ocecd.org.

Asperger Experts is based out of Seattle, Washington and is a group that enlivens, empowers and educates people with Asperger’s, their families, and the communities in which they live. It is staffed by parents, people with Asperger’s, and professionals dedicated to serving and assisting others through sharing knowledge and building communities.

The core of their work focuses on planning, producing and distributing highly transformational courses, as well as creating and managing online communities for people with Asperger’s and their parents.

The Autism Speaks AS/HFA Tool Kit was created specifically to assist families in getting the critical information they need in the first 100 days after an Asperger Syndrome or high functioning Autism diagnosis.

A comprehensive website that tackles the array of considerations surrounding autism treatment and a source for research summaries of the full array of autism treatments for families and professionals to make informed choices before considering treatment options.

ASAT promotes science-based treatments and combat unsubstantiated, inaccurate and false information about autism and its treatment.

They offer a quarterly newsletter, a media watch initiative and an externship program.

Autism Parenting Magazine was established in 2012. Their focus remains on objectively publishing autism-related topics, events, developments, treatments and news stories. The magazine is available both online and in print, and readers can get their first issue free.

A downloadable guide that can assist caregivers dealing with the stress and anxiety of caring for a child on the spectrum.

Learn strategies to address challenging behaviors. In some instances, outbursts can be handled within the family; that is, the parents’ intervention may be enough to keep the child stable and the family secure. But in other cases, the behavior can be so extreme that parents need additional support. They developed this guide to help families get the support they need.

High-quality support personnel have a specific set of beliefs and values and exhibit behaviors consistent with these beliefs. These qualities, when actualized, can improve meaningful interactions, facilitate positive behaviors, and promote self-confidence for individuals with ASD.

Several publications available for free download, available in English and Spanish.
Varias publicaciones disponibles para su descarga gratuita, disponibles en inglés y español.

A Parent’s Guide to Research
An Educator’s Guide to Autism
An Educator’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome
A Guide for Transition to Adulthood

Website provides information for support services in northeast Ohio for adults and children with disabilities.

New recommendations for 2012 based on research and feedback from parents and families across Ohio. They focus on early identification and diagnosis, skill development and support, and sustained services for future success.

A four-step guide for parents who suspect their child may have an autism spectrum disorder. It gives guidance on how to ask for an evaluation, as well as quick tips on what parents can do after receiving the diagnosis.

This guide is to help you get the information you want when interviewing a potential provider so you can get the help
you need. By asking questions about the things that you consider important, you should be able to find the service provider
best suited to meet your needs.

Published by the Southwest ADA Center, on behalf of The National Network of ADA Centers, this 110-page handbook is written in a practical FAQ (frequently asked questions) format. It provides answers to common questions about the ADA, the ADA Amendments Act, the Rehabilitation Act, Social Security, the Air Carrier Access Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, and the Fair Housing Act Amendments.