Programs & Support
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The Autism Society Greater Hudson Region provides a variety of programs and services to support children and adults affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder, their families, and the professionals who serve them.
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Information & Referral
We help families and professionals find information related to Autism Spectrum Disorders. Our staff is here to help you connect with services, professionals, and opportunities that can help you live your life to the fullest.
Information and referral can be described as “the art, science, and practice of bringing people and services together” (AIRS). Put simply, it’s the Autism Society’s job to become experts on the resources in our community, and we help connect people with programs and services for their specific needs. We are often the first organization a family contacts when they find out their child has autism and needs to know what to do next, or when an adult on the spectrum moves to the Capital Region for the first time and wants to get connected with helpful resources.
We provide Information and Referral Services in the following ways:
- By Phone: Call the office at 518-355-2191
- Email: [email protected]
- In-Person (by appointment only): We are located in Schenectady at 430 Franklin Street, 2nd Floor (Urban Co-Works)
- Newsletter: Sign up today
Outreach & Awareness
The Autism Society Greater Hudson Region has a strong commitment to promoting autism awareness and acceptance. You will find us out in our community sharing stories of the people and families we support, and the challenges and joys of having autism and loving someone with autism. We also raise awareness online through our website, newsletter, and social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest
Check out our social media pages or our events page to see some of our outreach events.
Advocacy
The Autism Society Greater Hudson Region is frequently involved in advocacy campaigns, to ensure government support and protection for individuals with disabilities. We can also provide individual advocacy when needed.
Some of the recent campaigns we’ve supported include:
- Be Fair to Direct Care – a campaign to ensure a livable wage for direct care workers, who serve some of New York State’s most vulnerable citizens. Many of these employees are paid through Medicaid, so it is critical that the state budget supports their jobs. In Spring 2017, the efforts proved successful, and an increase in funding was confirmed in the state budget.
- Ignite 4 Autism – a campaign to protect Medicaid funding, which covers millions of Americans with disabilities, in national health care legislation.
- Eastern New York Developmental Disability Advocates (ENYDDA) – an independent, all-volunteer organization comprised of Capital Region parents, family members, and friends of disabled individuals. ENYDDA parents, families and friends advocate for our disabled family members, educating policymakers and the public on matters impacting the developmentally disabled, in order to enhance their lives and better protect their health, safety, and well-being.
We have a Policy Committee that works on issues affecting New York State law, legislation and policies. Please contact our Executive Director, Janine Kruiswijk, if you would like to get involved.