Resources:

Local Resources:
Support groups for families with children with Autism
Some support groups are facilitated by agencies and some by parents. Contact ASAWNY Chapter for additional details and current contact information.

Buffalo Area
  • GF-CF Diet Group
  • Group for families with children with Aspergers
  • Group for families with children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders)
Rochester Area
  • C.D.S. group for families with children with Aspergers
  • Upstate New York Families for Effective Autism Treatment (FEAT)
  • D.I.R. Parent Support Group (Ted Retzlaff, Moderator; Email: dir@tedretzlaff.com)

Chautauqua/Cattaraugus Area
  • Olean, NY group for families with children with ASD
  • Chautaugua County group
Autistic Services
Autistic Services, Inc. is the only agency in Western New York whose mission is to deliver of a broad range of services to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. ASI is devoted to long-term education, treatment, and support of individuals with autism of all ages and functioning ability across home, school, and community environments. ASI endeavors to enhance the state of awareness of autism in society as its prevalence continues to grow, and to improve the lives of individuals by providing effective services and supports.

Summit Educational Resources
Summit Educational Resources is a private, not-for-profit agency providing a broad range of services to children and adolescents with Autism, language disorders, hearing impairment and related developmental disabilities. Summit provides preschool, school-aged, after-school and home based programs for children with ASD. They also offer Home Skills and Saturday Life Skills programs to address behavioral issues.

League for the Handicapped, Inc.
This page provides contact information for the League for the Handicapped, Inc., a private, coed, early childhood school that specializes in special education, located in Springville, NY.

WNY Special Diet Kids
This web site provide support for parents who want to learn more about the gluten free, casein free diet used with some children with Autism.

Disability News and Views
The Disability News and Views radio talk show is broadcast on Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m., on WXRL 1300 AM. Hosted by Monica Moshenko, the parent of a child with Asperger's Syndrome and director of Power Advocates, the show provides information to families affected by disabilities. Listen to or download past radio shows through the web site linked above.

Parent to Parent of New York State
      Western Regional Office
The mission of Parent to Parent of New York State is to connect and support families of individuals with special needs.

Developmental Disabilities Alliance of WNY
The Developmental Disabilities Alliance of Western New York (DDAWNY) ia a collaborative group of member voluntary agencies that provide services to people with developmental disabilities.

Parent Network of Western New York
This parent-led organization provides services for the families of individuals with disabilities throughout the Western New York area. They help parents and caregivers achieve the skills necessary to best advocate for children and to become full partners in their educational process.

Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo
For over 100 years, Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo has been the regional center for comprehensive, specialized pediatric and women's health services for the Western New York region and beyond. Clinical Services provides intial evaluations for Autism only.

Autism Spectrum Disorders Program - Strong Center
Founded in 1997, the ASDP provides consultation to over 105 children in 25 districts throughout Western New York. The Program offers parent and staff training and technical assistance to families, schools and developmental agencies. Provides initial evaluations for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Related Resources:
Autism Society of America
Over the last 35 years, the Society has developed into the leading source of information and referral on Autism. Today, over 20,000 members are connected through a working network of over 200 chapters in nearly every state. Membership includes a subscription to the "Advocate," published by the National ASA.

Autism Research Institute
Founded by Bernard Rimland, the A.R.I. publishes a quarterly newsletter, the "Autism Research Review International," that covers biomedical and educational research in the field of Autism and related disorders. The Autism Research Institute holds Defeat Autism Now (DAN!) Conferences twice a year to bring researchers and parents together. The ARI is also a good source for books on the biomedical issues in Autism.

American Hyperlexia Association
Organization of parents and professionals who promote effective teaching techniques for children with Hyperlexia. Hyperlexia is a term used to describe those children with PDD or Autism who read at a level far above what would be expected for their age and are often fascinated by letters, numbers and logos. This group of children within the Autism Spectrum seem to have a particular learning style and benefit greatly from specific remediation techniques.

Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support
Although focused on Asperger Syndrome, this information is also applicable to individuals diagnosed with high functioning Autism or PDD.

The Center for the Study of Autism
This web site attempts to touch on all major issues surrounding Autism.

The Schafer Autism Report
The Schafer Report provides list subscribers with the latest information on Autism topics, including Special Education, Secretin, vaccines, IDEA, and Autism research. This list monitors larger autism-related lists as well as newspapers and web sites for important news and developments to compile a daily online newsletter. Sign up for your free email newsletter to be kept abreast of recent developments in the field of Autism.

New York State Early Intervention Program
The Early Intervention Program is a statewide program that provides many different types of early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.

PBS Parents - How to Help Children With Autism
The information in this page is intended to help parents of children with Autism improve the overall quality of life for their children and families. It is also intended to help all parents (of children with and without disabilities) by addressing such common and important themes as inclusion, diversity, partnerships, and respecting differences.

P.O.V. - Refrigerator Mothers
This episode of P.O.V. tells the story of mothers from the 1950s and 1960s, who struggled to raise autistic children in a society that had not yet begun to understand Autism. Web resources include an Autism Virtual Roundtable, where a panel of doctors and parents have posted answers to viewer questions. The page includes other resources for discussion, sharing experiences, and advocacy.