Autism Resources

Some of the work that is done in the Harvard Lab for Developmental Studies explores the development of language and cognition in autistic children. We at LDS want to do what we can to support autistic individuals and their families. Therefore, we have included some resources that could be of interest to families below.

AANE (Association for Autism and Neurodiversity)

The Association for Autism and Neurodiversity (AANE) is an organization based in Watertown, Massachusetts that provided online and in-person resources to autistic individuals and the families of autistic individuals. Some of the services they offer are support groups and community connection meetings, information on autism in adulthood, and many more programs! AANE has a great mix of adult and child resources as well as in-person and online resources. If you are interested in getting in touch with them you can schedule a free call or fill out their contact form.

Aspire @ Mass General Hospital

Aspire, a program based out of Mass General Hospital, provides programs and services to children, teens, and adults. A nice feature of the Aspire program is that they offer services and programs during both the school year and the summer. The services and programs they provide are: social groups, summer camps, school vacation camps, special events, and more! If you are interested in getting in touch with the Aspire team you can email ([email protected]) or call them (781-860-1900).

Early Intervention Services in Massachusetts

Massachusetts Early Intervention (EI) is a program for children between birth and 3 years old who have developmental delays or may be at risk of a developmental delay. Specifically, this program is designed for families with children under the age of three who are not reaching age-appropriate milestones, diagnosed with certain conditions, or have medical or social histories which may put them at risk for a developmental delay.

There are no out of pocket costs for families who used EI services. If you would like to take advantage of the EI services in Massachusetts please follow this link to be directed to the Massachusetts directory. You can then search by city/town name (not zip code) to find your local EI program.

SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council)

A SEPAC is a group/committee that advises a school district on matters related to special education. Every public school district in Massachusetts is required to have one. Usually, it’s members are parents, guardians, and community members who have an interest in supporting the education of children with disabilities. Most SEPACs in Massachusetts have monthly or biweekly meetings. You can join your school districts SEPAC or get connected with them by using the information below:

Resources from the Crehan Lab @ Tufts

The Crehan Lab at Tufts University has put together a wonderful webpage of resources for autistic individuals and their family. These resources include a map that outlines health services, family services, finances, and more in the greater Massachusetts area as well as information on Sexuality and Autism. We have linked their page below:

Resources

The Especially for Me event series @ the Discovery Museum

This event series takes place a couple times a month (exact dates vary from month-to-month and can be found here). This series is composed of a handful of different event types. The aim of the “Autism-Friendly Evening” part of the event series is to provide a special free evening visit for autistic visitors and their families or caregivers. The museum also holds Inclusive Afternoons, Inclusive Evenings, and Inclusive Evenings for Visitors 18+ as a part of the Especially for Me event series. To learn more click here!

General Calendar of Upcoming Programs & Services

This service was created by the parents of a child with Aspergers who felt that it was difficult to find a cohesive grouping of events, programs, and services that were made to support those who care for children with special needs. They regularly update their calendar (linked below) with new in-person and online services, programs, and workshops for autistic individuals and parents/caregivers of autistic individuals.

https://www.spedchildmass.com/autism-aspergers-special-needs-events-programs-massachusetts

General Calendar of Upcoming Programs & Services

This service was created by the parents of a child with Aspergers who felt that it was difficult to find a cohesive grouping of events, programs, and services that were made to support those who care for children with special needs. They regularly update their calendar (linked below) with new in-person and online services, programs, and workshops for autistic individuals and parents/caregivers of autistic individuals.

https://www.spedchildmass.com/autism-aspergers-special-needs-events-programs-massachusetts

Ongoing Studies in the Greater Boston Area

Currently, the Snedeker Lab has an active study recruiting autistic children between 6-10. If you are interested in learning more about this study you can read more here. The Snedeker Lab has also published on this topic before. Please explore their publications linked here to learn more! If you and your child are interested in participating in more research/studies in the Boston area and online please review the flyers displayed below!

If you have any feedback on these materials or think we have missed a good resource please let us know ([email protected])!