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Some Useful Local Sources on Asperger’s Syndrome.
(Can’t find what you’re looking
for? Maybe it’s at National.html.)
(note: just because something appears in our list below doesn’t mean we endorse it. We don’t endorse anything. Not even the fact that the sun comes up in the East every morning! The order of the links also has absolutely no meaning. Please tell me at jdevine@lmu.edu if any of the links don’t work or if any of the information is incorrect.)
AGUA (Adults Gathering, United and
Autistic) Classic. AGUA Classic is a friendly self-advocacy support group for
adults with autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. Meetings are held on the first Saturday
of the month, location varies. Contact Ken Brewer at (323) 296-2646 or Derrick
Hall at (323) 840-9592 for information. For more description and the answers to
Frequently Asked Questions, click here. E-mail: aguaclassic@earthlink.net.
LAFEAT.org. A
nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families in the Los Angeles area
learn about and obtain the most effective autism treatment, in particular
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). We have monthly meetings and offer parent
mentoring services. If you would like to learn more or join our email list
please contact them at info@lafeat.org.
The
U.C.L.A. PEERS (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational
Skills) is a 14-week evidence-based social skills intervention for motivated
teens in middle and high school who are interested in learning ways to help
them make and keep friends. During each group session teens are taught
important social skills and are given the opportunity to practice these skills
in session during socialization activities. Parents attend separate sessions at
the same time and are taught how to assist their teens in making and keeping
friends by helping to expand their teen’s social network and providing feedback
through coaching during weekly socialization homework assignments. Enrollment
is limited. Parent participation is required. Contact: www.semel.ucla.edu/socialskills
or Jennifer Sanderson, M.S. (PEERS Predoctoral
Psychology Fellow) UCLA Semel Institute/RNPH, 300
Medical Plaza Ste 1412, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Ph: 310-825-0142, Email: jssanderson@mednet.ucla.edu.
The Semel Institute, the U.C.L.A. Department
of Psychiatry and Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital provide resources
about autism and other psychological issues.
The Greater Long
Beach/South Bay Chapter of the Autism Society of America. P.O. Box
15247 Long Beach, CA 90815-0247. Phone: 562 943-3335 (English); 562 941-1931
(en Español); and 877 AUTISM9. They hold monthly
support group meetings featuring speakers and topics in Whittier (562
943-3335), Long Beach (562 982-9129), South Bay (310 542-5408), and in Español (323 221-6696). They hold several workshops and
conferences throughout the year, publish a quarterly newsletter, have books and
videos available for sale (while maintaining a lending library), and provide
speakers for community and school groups.
Los Angeles
Chapter of the Autism
Society of America. Message Center: 562-804-5556. Address: P.O. Box 8600. Long Beach, CA 90808.
The
California Chapter of the Autism
Society of America. Contact Dean Wilson at dwilson80@aol.com or the chapter’s toll-free
number at 1-800-700-0037. Mail: P. O. Box 8600, Long Beach, CA 90808.
Saugus/Santa Clarita area. If you’re up in the general area
of Saugus (Santa Clarita), you may be interested in a parents’ group led by Emily Iland.
Contact her at: 28939 North Rock Canyon Drive, Santa Clarita. Phone:
661-297-4033. Her e-mail is emilyiland@socal.rr.com
In Ventura County, ASAP -- Asperger’s Support for
Adolescents Plus: contact Troy or Irene at join@vcasap.org or 805-646-5467. “our
meetings are usually the last Friday of the month at 7 p.m., unless there is a
conflict with a holiday. Meeting Place: The Peace Lutheran Church’s Proverbs
Coffee House, 71 Loma, Camarillo. The church provides the house and coffee. The
Coffee House committee is asking attendees to drop 50 cents in the donation
box.”
Parent Support and Training/Autism Remediation: Janet Bowden is a therapist
providing Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) services to families
affected by autism. She is vendored by Westside Regional
Center. RDI is a unique parenting and autism remediation
program customized for each family to help parents understand what autism
really is (an information processing disorder) and how to begin to remediate
the disorder at home during everyday moments. She helps parents
"recover" their true parent/mentor relationship with their
child to help the child reference, value and
"borrow" the parents' minds and emotional perspectives, such
that they begin to understand the world more clearly. Contact Janet at JanetLBowden@aol.com or call (310)
559-1071
ASD Kids and Parents Playgroup is
a Southern California meet up group for kids (on the spectrum or neurotypical)
at various indoor playgrounds, parks, and kid-friendly spots.
The Southern California/South Bay
Parents Helping Parents is a parent-directed family resource center serving
children with special needs, their families, and the professionals who serve
them. It has a number of satellite programs and affiliates, one of which is
located in Southern California on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. They list
some useful resources at http://www.php4ldkids.org/others.html.
The Orange
County Asperger's Support Group (formerly Autism SOS).
For more info, contact us at 714-227-8819, http://www.meetup.com/ocaspergers/ or
ocasupport@gmail.com.
OCASG provides support, education, parent advocacy and adult self-advocacy for
those dealing with Asperger's Syndrome, High-Functioning Autism (HFA) and
PDD-NOS. This support group is a community of Asperger's adults and families
living in Orange County (and surrounding counties). We were founded
in October 2003. We have monthly support meetings in Newport Beach [3rd
Monday of the month] and Placentia [4th Monday]. The theme for 2011 is
"A Life with Asperger's." We have age-specific activities for all
ages – helping kid, teen and adult Aspies with community integration
and social skills. We invite all Aspies to join us.
Karra Barber is the
mother of a teenager with Asperger’s Syndrome has brought energy to her
advocacy work in California. Her website has a useful list of Asperger’s support
programs in Northern California, among other resources. For
more info: http://www.aspergersresource.org/index.htm.
AASCEND
is the Autism and Asperger Syndrome Coalition for
Education, Networking, and Development, based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
AASCEND is a support and advocacy partnership of adults with High-Functioning
Autism and Asperger Syndrome, adults who identify with or are exploring whether
they are on the autism spectrum, family and friends of adults on the autism
spectrum, and professionals in the field of autism. AASCEND is committed
specifically to addressing concerns for adults on the autism spectrum,
including employment, relationships, and independent living, among others. It
recently had its 6th annual conference at San Francisco State University.
The California Regional
Centers are important sources of support for those with life-long
difficulties such as autism. This page also has important links to other
resources, such as Protection and Advocacy, which can help with legal appeals.
California
Department of Developmental Services. phone: 916 654-1690.
Way2
Educational Consultants promises
to provide the tools you need to help your Asperger student succeed.
From reviewing your student’s Individual Education Program
(IEP) and providing the necessary special education advocacy
services, to teaching your student how to use effective writing,
math and reading strategies to achieve success and learn to find the joy
in learning.
The San Diego Autism Society
is also part of the Autism Society of
America.
The North San
Diego County Chapter of the Autism
Society of America can be reached at: North County Chapter ASA P.O. Box
131161, Carlsbad, CA 92013. Contact: Merryn Affleck (760)479-1420. Their HF [high-functioning]/Asperger Group meets 1st Monday of
the Month from 7-9pm at the North County Child Study Center by the Dove Library
6949 El Camino Real, Suite 201, Carlsbad. Contact Sharon Evans at 760-758-7321
or msevans@nctimes.net or Vanessa
Garcia at 760-945-2122 of vvgarcia@redhabanero.com
for more information.
Ventura County Autism Society of the Autism Society of America. Contact information: P.O. Box 2690
Ventura, CA 93002-2690. phone: 805-496-1632. E-mail: markhv62@aol.com.
Santa
Barbara County Chapter, part of the Autism Society of America.
A2Z Educational Advocates.
A2Z helps parents obtain special education services for their children. See also http://www.a2zedad.com/PALs.html
about the P.A.L. (Parent Advocate Liason) program.
F.A.C.T.: Focus on All-Child Therapies:
The well-known (and Los Angeles-based) social skills groups organized by Linda
Andron-Ostrow, LCSW, now have their own web-site. is
a community based agency dedicated to providing services to families of
children with special needs. The uniqueness of F.A.C.T. rests with its commitment
to family involvement. The agency was founded by parents who believed in the
importance of providing children and families living with autism and Asperger
Syndrome and related disorders with the support to maintain their integrity and
function as active members of the community. All members of the board are
parents of children with autism and Asperger Syndrome.
More Social Skills Groups: contact Pam Mullen, Marriage &
Family Therapist (licensed
SpecialKidsLA is a
public service web-site which provides information to the parents of special
needs children in the Los Angeles Area. It has information about the early
start program provided by the Regional Centers and information about the IEP
process. It has a calendar of events, a monthly email newsletter and a news
section of current special needs articles. It also has a directory of service
providers and a support group section where the Los Angeles Asperger’s Parent
Support Group is listed.
The H.E.L.P. Group is one of Southern
California’s leading children’s organizations. The H.E.L.P. Group is a family
of non-profit agencies dedicated to serving children, adolescents, young adults
and families with a wide range of special needs related to social,
communicative and emotional development; learning disabilities; abuse and
neglect; mental retardation; autism, and Asperger’s Syndrome. The H.E.L.P.
Group includes Village Glen (in both the Los Angeles San Fernando Valley
& Culver City), a school which specializes in helping kids facing socialization
challenges, including Asperger’s Syndrome.
@LA
– Los Angeles Charitable/Support Organizations for the Disabled,
concerning developmental disabilities such as AS.
The Special Needs
Community Calendar provides information about meetings of all sorts of
support groups in the Los Angeles area.
Somewhat local: Sacramento
Asperger Syndrome Information & Support. “Founded in 1995, Sacramento
Asperger Syndrome Information & Support group maintains a focus of sharing
information and giving support. We have speakers and presenters on topics of
interest periodically. There are no dues, just show up at our meeting!”
Ø Please e-mail me at jdevine@lmu.edu if you have any questions or comments
-- or if you want to be put on our e-mailing list. If you want information put
on our web pages, contact me.
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This page
updated by Jim Devine, 6/21/2011. NOTE: again, the appearance
of a link on this page in no way represents an endorsement of that page by the
Los Angeles AS Parents’ Support Group, its leaders (Fran & me), or its
employees or minions (none). If anyone promises to provide a cure for autism or
Asperger Syndrome, ask a large number of questions, especially about its cost
(and not just the money cost – how much time does it take?)