Information and Referral
Information & Referral (I&R) assists those who may not know where to begin or where to turn when faced with the challenges of autism. Looking for help can be daunting and often means locating dozens of websites and searching through a maze of agencies and services in the hopes of finding one that can provide the services or support you need. The Autism Society's contact center, Autism SourceTM, provides trained staff to help negotiate this maze and connect people to resources in their communities for immediate and future needs. The Autism Society has provided I&R services since its inception more then 40 years ago. The grassroots nature of our organization was, and continues to be, an ideal way for those who know the service system best to provide guidance to those in search of resources.
Delivery of I&R Services
At the Autism Society I&R is delivered Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) through a toll-free number 1(800)3AUTISM and Internet access info@autism-society.org at our national headquarters, and also on a local level through our nationwide network of chapters. The Autism Society’s I&R specialists help identify local resources to meet your needs and share information so that you are able to make informed choices. For those who live in areas that may not have services readily available, the Autism Society assists in identifying alternative resources.
Autism Society Website
The Autism Society strives to provide I&R through one-to-one interaction with an I&R specialist. This is not always possible or necessary, however, so thousands of people turn to the the Autism Society website for valuable information, including a comprehensive database of resources called Autism SourceTM. These resources encompass federal, state and local government agencies; professionals; service providers; support systems; medical and educational providers; research facilities; and more. Autism Source™ is maintained by trained resource staff and continually updated in order to provide the most accurate and comprehensive information possible.
