• Local Chapters
• Advocacy
• Public Policy
• Autism Waiver
• Education
• Community Resources
• Events
• Autism Source

Local Chapters

Autism Society chapters are your best source of information and support. Most chapters are volunteer-led by parents, care providers and other professionals. The Autism Society has chapters in nearly every state reaching out to individuals with autism and their families with information, support, and encouragement.

Contact a Minnesota Autism Society chapter.

Visit Autism Source to find local doctors, service providers and other useful resources in your area.

Advocacy

ACT- Advocating Legal Change Together

Advocating Change Together (ACT) is a grassroots disability rights organization run by and for people with developmental and other disabilities. ACT's mission is to help people across disabilities to see themselves as part of a larger disability rights movement and make connections to other civil and human rights struggles.

Minnesota Disability Law Center

*Please note that in the context of Special Education Law, an "advocate" differs from an attorney in several ways. By definition, an "advocate" is one that supports or promotes the interests of another while an "attorney" is a practitioner in a court of law who is legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court on behalf of his or her clients. Although both may be able to help with your legal situation, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) only attorney's fees are recoverable to families prevailing in lawsuits. This delineation was the outcome of the Supreme Court's decision in Arlington Central School District Board of Education v. Murphy, 548 U.S. 291 (2006). There is currently legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would reverse this outcome (the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act, HR 434).

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Governor’s Council on Disabilities

Partners in Policymaking

The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities created a ground-breaking, innovative training program called Partners in Policymaking to teach parents and self-advocates the power of advocacy to change the way people with disabilities are supported, viewed, taught, live and work.

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Autism Waiver

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Education

Minnesota Department of Education

Technical Assistance ALLIANCE for Parent Centers

The Technical Assistance ALLIANCE for Parent Centers (the ALLIANCE) is an innovative partnership of one national and six regional parent technical assistance centers, each funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).


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Community Resources

Courage Center

The Courage Center offers a wide range of services, including rehabilitation therapies, inpatient transitional rehabilitation, pain management, accessible fitness centers and pools, vocational and community-based services, behavioral/mental health therapies, family support, camping, and sports and recreation programs.

Fraser

A nationally renowned Minnesota nonprofit, Fraser serves children and adults with special needs—through comprehensive education, health-care and housing services.

Minnesota Department of Health

PACER Center

PACER Center expands opportunities and enhances the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families. PACER is staffed primarily by parents of children with disabilities and works in coalition with 18 disability organizations.

Reach for Resources, Inc.

Reach for Resources is a non-profit organization that offers specialized services to meet the needs of youth and adults with a variety of cognitive and developmental disabilities, and provides support to their families.


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Autism Source

To find more information in your state, please visit www.autismsource.org.

The Autism Society welcomes your comments: If you would like to make a suggestion or share beneficial resources not included in this page, please click here to fill out our contact form.

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Last updated: 22 January 2009