Need Personalized Support? Our Autism Response Team is here to provide information, tools, and resources. Connect Now

Mission Objectives

5. Ensuring access to reliable information and services throughout the lifespan

In today’s world there is a plethora of information just a click away. It is more important than ever to ensure access to reliable, vetted information and services to the autistic community. This can only be achieved through communities nationwide and around the globe, prioritizing diversity and individual experiences sensitive to all ages and levels of need.

Key Programs

Autism Speaks Canada Autism Response Team - Home for the autism community in Canada

Autism Speaks Canada Autism Response Team is home for the autism community to learn, engage and connect with essential information, resources and online communities. People with autism, their family members, autism professionals and all their friends and supporters can access free and reliable information on topics across the lifespan including; diagnosis, intervention, education, funding, employment and so much more. Connect today!

Join Autism Speaks Canada Autism Response Team

Autism Speaks Canada Autism Response Team (ART)

Our Autism Response Team (ART) is an information line for the autism community. Our team members are specially trained to provide personalized information to people with autism, their families and caretakers. Learn more.

Tool Kits

Autism Speaks Canada Autism Response Team also provides over 40 free Autism Speaks Canada Tool Kits for every stage of life. To date, nearly 17,500 tool kits have been downloaded by families and professionals, providing them with access to critical information and support. These tool kits are free to download and topics include: 100 Days After Receiving a Diagnosis, Transition Support, Visiting the Dentist, How to Draw Blood of An Autistic Individual, and more.

Call our Autism Response Team today to get these free tool kits.

My Autism Guide

With so much information available finding what you need when you need it can be difficult. Introducing My Autism Guide – a free tool designed for autistic Canadians, caregivers, service providers and members of the autism community. My Autism Guide facilitates faster, easier access to information, resources and supports across Canada.

With My Autism Guide, you can:

  • Find resources specific to individual age, location, and interests
  • Locate virtual and in-person events in your community
  • Access listings of service providers in your area
  • Connect with your community through topic specific forums
  • Enhance your ability to make informed decisions and plan for the future

Community Grants

Every year we launch grants to autism service providers to increase their capacity and to effectively serve the autism community in Canada. Grants are selected through a rigorous review process, through a community panel of autistic individuals, family members, friends, service providers and research experts across Canada. Since 2010, we have granted over $4.8 million 198 organizations across Canada. Approximately 64% of these grants help support our mission objective of ensuring access to reliable information and services throughout the lifespan.

Annual Highlights

Continued to provide reliable information and service navigation through Autism Speaks Canada Autism Response Team, with 18,000+ members, 4,700 service providers and more than 861 resources provided free of cost.
Initiated Autism Speaks Canada Autism Response Team 2.0 to improve user experience, enhance resource offerings and curate additional resources based on needs of our community.
Continued to offer free tool kits for navigating through every stage of life. Nearly 6,330 copies have been downloaded by families and professionals.
The Autism Response Team responded to an average of 230 service inquiries in a year.
During these challenging times, we invited caregivers with children with autism and autistic adults to participate in a survey to share their experiences and help inform what support strategies would be most valuable. Detailed results of the report can be found here.

Stories From Our Community

Meet members of our community who share their experiences accessing services and reliable information.

Meet Mackenzie

Meet Abby

Meet Eddie