Welcome to the DDS Autism Resource Hub

  • Information and tools related to autism for autistic individuals, families, caregivers, professionals, providers, and community partners.
  • Learn about autism and related supports and services in California.
  • Find links to agencies that can assist individuals in accessing additional services and resources.
  • New resources, tools, and information are added on an ongoing basis.
  • Connect with us and learn more by emailing autism@dds.ca.gov or calling 833-815-2337.

Celebrating Autism Month: April 2025

Resources

Autism is a developmental disability characterized by social, communication, and behavioral challenges. Autism is one of the developmental disabilities that qualify for services and supports in accordance with the Lanterman Act (Welfare & Institutions Code 4512(a)(1)). You can learn more about eligibility for services here: https://www.dds.ca.gov/general/eligibility/ .

  • California State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD)

    SCDD is established by state and federal law as an independent state agency. With SCDD, you can learn about self-advocacy through the Statewide Self-Advocacy Network for persons with disabilities, how to enroll in the Self-Determination Program (SDP) with your regional center, and you can access the Disability Thrive Initiative resource library.

  • California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR)

    DOR offers services for people with disabilities, including programs for students and youth, employment and independent living services for people with disabilities, and the California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities. DOR also offers the Voice Options program, which provides nonspeaking individuals with free speech-generating devices and applications.

  • California Connect Speech Equipment and Services

    California Connect, also called the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP), provides communication access for Californians with hearing, vision, cognitive, mobility, and speech-related disabilities. This California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) program includes accessible communication equipment and devices, relay service, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices.

  • Soluna (en Español)

    Soluna is a CalHOPE program that offers a free mental health support app for youth and young adults, featuring interactive tools, videos, forums, and 1:1 chat with professional coaches.

  • California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) Mental Health Resources for Youth and Young Adults

    CalHHS lists hotlines for youth from a variety of backgrounds and communities, as well as free videos, guides, tools, and educational resources for youth, parents, families, and friends. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is an easy to remember three-digit number that anyone can call, text, or chat to receive support when experiencing a mental health or substance-use-related crisis. You can also find Back-to-School mental health resources.

  • CalHOPE

    CalHOPE offers mental health and wellness resources for individuals of all ages and backgrounds, including the CalHOPE Connect warmline and chat available in multiple languages. CalHOPE also offers the RedLine phone, chat, and video chat resource line for Urban Indian and Tribal individuals.

  • Children and Youth Behavioral Initiative (CYBHI) Putting Our Kids First

    CYBHI supports behavioral health for California’s children, youth, and their families. Efforts focus on promoting social and emotional well-being, preventing behavioral health challenges, and providing equitable, appropriate timely, and accessible services for emerging and existing behavioral health, mental health, and substance use needs for children and youth ages 0-25.

  • Live Beyond ACEs (en Español)

    California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) and Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) partner to offer information, tools, provider directories, and resources that support healing from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. Resources are available in Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, and Tagalog.

  • Mirror Journal (en Español)

    Mirror is a free mental health journaling app that offers a private space for self-reflection via notes, voice recording, or video, as well as mindfulness prompts, mood check-ins, and personalized exercises. Mirror was created by a partnership between the California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, Department of Health Care Services, and the Child Mind Institute.

  • Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)

    ODEP’s mission is to develop policies and practices that increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for people with disabilities. ODEP’s Autism program provides Autism-specific information and resources for employment supports.

  • University of California Riverside (UCR) Autism Goes to College

    The UCR Autism Goes to College site includes a film, blog, and podcast series for autistic and neurodivergent students to learn about going to college.

  • Stanford Medicine – Neurodiversity Project Resource Database

    The Neurodiversity Project Resource Database is a collaborative effort to create access to resources for the neurodiverse community by the neurodiverse community.

  • Campaign for Disability Employment

    The Campaign for Disability Employment is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The campaign has resources for disabled job seekers and employees.

  • University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Disabled Advocate’s Guide to Relationships and Sexuality

    The UCSF Disabled Advocate’s Guide to Relationships and Sexuality is for individuals with disabilities to learn about relationships, sexuality, family planning, and health.

  • Office of the California Surgeon General – Reproductive Health

    The Office of the California Surgeon General hosts resources and information about reproductive health.

  • National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities: Parents Empowering Parents

    Housed at the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University, The National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities is a collaborative project that aims to support parents with disabilities. They conduct research and provide training and technical assistance to improve the lives of disabled parents and their families.

  • CalABLE

    CalABLE is a savings plan for Californians to save for disability-related expenses.

  • Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI)

    ICI at the University of Massachusetts Boston supports the rights of children and adults with disabilities to participate in all aspects of society with a focus on education, employment, community life, and healthcare.

  • Think College

    Think College is a national initiative dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disability. Students, families, and educators can use the College Search feature to locate a college or university that includes learners with intellectual disability. The website also features resources for families, information around training and technical assistance, archived webinars, and news about the latest developments in the field of inclusive higher education.

  • Think Work

    Think Work is the hub for an array of programs related to employment for people with IDD at the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

  • BrightLife Kids (en Español)

    BrightLife Kids is a CalHOPE program that offers a free mental health support app for parents, caregivers, and children (ages 0-12), featuring live coaching sessions, chat, and on-demand digital resources.

  • Soluna (en Español)

    Soluna is a CalHOPE program that offers a free mental health support app for youth and young adults, featuring interactive tools, videos, forums, and 1:1 chat with professional coaches.

  • California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) Mental Health Resources for Youth and Young Adults

    CalHHS lists hotlines for youth from a variety of backgrounds and communities, as well as free videos, guides, tools, and educational resources for youth, parents, families, and friends. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is an easy to remember three-digit number that anyone can call, text, or chat to receive support when experiencing a mental health or substance-use-related crisis. You can also find Back-to-School mental health resources.

  • CalHOPE

    CalHOPE offers mental health and wellness resources for individuals of all ages and backgrounds, including the CalHOPE Connect warmline and chat available in multiple languages. CalHOPE also offers the RedLine phone, chat, and video chat resource line for Urban Indian and Tribal individuals.

  • Children and Youth Behavioral Initiative (CYBHI) Putting Our Kids First

    CYBHI supports behavioral health for California’s children, youth, and their families. Efforts focus on promoting social and emotional well-being, preventing behavioral health challenges, and providing equitable, appropriate, timely, and accessible services for emerging and existing behavioral health, mental health, and substance use needs for children and youth ages 0-25.

  • First 5 California (en Español)

    First 5 California provides a comprehensive system of education, health services, childcare, and other programs for parents, caregivers, and children ages 0 to 5.

  • Office of the California Surgeon General ACES Aware Initiative

    The ACEs Aware Initiative hosts information about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Toxic Stress.

  • Live Beyond ACEs (en Español)

    California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) and Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) partner to offer information, tools, provider directories, and resources that support healing from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. Resources are available in Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, and Tagalog.

  • Mirror Journal (en Español)

    Mirror is a free mental health journaling app that offers a private space for self-reflection via notes, voice recording, or video, as well as mindfulness prompts, mood check-ins, and personalized exercises. Mirror was created by a partnership between the California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, Department of Health Care Services, and the Child Mind Institute.

  • Disability and Health Promotion

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide information on disability and health promotion including resources on inclusion, healthy living, and emergency preparedness for people with disabilities.

  • Positive Parenting, Thriving Kids (en Español)

    Positive Parenting, Thriving Kids is a free series of videos and resources with practical, evidence-based information and skills for parents to address the most common parenting challenges. This program is a partnership between Department of Health Care Services and the Child Mind Institute.

  • Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids (en Español)

    Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids is a free series of evidence-based video and print resources that caregivers and educators can use to teach children critical mental health and coping skills. This program is a partnership between Department of Health Care Services and the Child Mind Institute.

  • Covered California (en Español)

    Covered California is a free service where Californians can get health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Individuals and families can qualify for high-quality, low-cost health plans, or get insurance through the state’s Medi-Cal program.

  • California Civil Rights Department (CRD)

    CRD’s mission is to protect Californians from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, businesses, and state-funded programs, and from bias-motivated violence and human trafficking. California vs Hate is a project of CRD that connects people with culturally responsive resources and care coordination services to promote healing from experiences of discrimination, including individuals living at the intersection of multiple identities. The CRD non-emergency hate incident and hate crime reporting system and resources are available online and by phone in multiple languages.

  • Training

    If you are interested in the Autism Services Branch providing training to your group, please email autism@dds.ca.gov.

  • Help is in Your Hands (en Español)

    Help is in Your Hands is a free series of online video modules designed to teach simple strategies and activities for parents of young children on the autism spectrum. The site also hosts a resource center with supplemental information guides and materials for providers.

  • ASD Toddler Initiative

    The ASD Toddler Initiative provides free online modules for professionals to learn how to use evidence-based practices for teaching toddlers (ages 0-3) on the autism spectrum.

  • Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules (AFIRM)

    AFIRM provides free online training modules for professionals to learn how to implement evidence-based practices for teaching learners on the autism spectrum ages 0-22.

  • Positive Parenting, Thriving Kids (en Español)

    Positive Parenting, Thriving Kids is a free series of videos and resources with practical, evidence-based information and skills for parents to address the most common parenting challenges. This program is a partnership between Department of Health Care Services and the Child Mind Institute.

  • Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids (en Español)

    Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids is a free series of evidence-based video and print resources that caregivers and educators can use to teach children critical mental health and coping skills. This program is a partnership between Department of Health Care Services and the Child Mind Institute.

  • California Autism Professional Training and Information Network (CAPTAIN)

    CAPTAIN provides resources for families supporting autistic learners, including videos on navigating service systems (in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese).

  • The National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) Adaptive Strategies Video Series

    NASDDDS Adaptive Strategies is a free series of videos on mental health interventions and treatments highlighting modifications and adaptations for people with developmental disabilities.

  • Autism Internet Modules (AIM)

    AIM is funded by the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce and provides free, self-paced modules to help providers understand, identify, plan for, and support individuals with autism in their school, home, community, or organization.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Learn the Signs. Act Early (en Español)

    This CDC site provides information on milestones for how your child plays, acts, speaks, and learns to track your child’s development so that you can act early if you have concerns. The site has free materials, including a developmental milestone tracker app (en Español) and checklists translated into 11 languages.

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive

    This collection of resources by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services connects providers with tools focused on child development as well as developmental and behavioral screening.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Autism Spectrum Disorder (en Español)

    The CDC provides information about Autism, screening and diagnosis, prevalence data and statistics, and free fact sheets, materials, and media.

  • For more information about autism for providers: Information on Autism Spectrum Disorder for Healthcare Providers

  • Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)

    ODEP promotes policies and practices that increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The site includes information for employers of people with disabilities. ODEP’s Autism program provides Autism-specific information and resources for employment supports.

  • Relationships Decoded: Social-sexual education for young adults with I/DD

    A Mental Health Services Act funded project, Relationships Decoded is a curriculum that teaches people with developmental disabilities how to develop healthy and safe relationships while also giving them information about sexual abuse and coercion. The curriculum supports the use of evidence-based practices and is completely free to teachers, therapists, and other professionals.

  • UC Davis ECHO Autism

    ECHO Autism is an interdisciplinary learning network that offers free training and education on autism and intersecting topics like cultural competence, treatment, and co-occurring conditions.

  • Safe Spaces Training

    The Office of the California Surgeon General provides a free Safe Spaces training for early care providers, educators, and other care providers to recognize and respond to trauma and stress in children (ages 0-18). The training is provided in English and Spanish.

  • Seeds of Partnership

    Funded by the California Department of Education, this program supports educators, administrators, department staff, parent center directors/staff, technical assistance partners, families, and young adults with disabilities. They provide and share professional learning support tools, and parent and professional resources, as well as collaborate with regional, state, and national partners in the areas of family engagement, compliance, improvement monitoring, alternative dispute resolution, early learning, and youth leadership/self-advocacy.

  • California Department of Education (CDE) Inclusive Early Education

    The CDE provides resources that support inclusive policies and practices for early childcare and education.

  • Community Life Engagement (CLE) Toolkit

    The CLE Toolkit was developed by the UMass Boston Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) to help service providers develop and improve high-quality supports.

  • California Child and Adolescent Mental Health Access Portal (Cal-MAP)

    Cal-MAP is a CalHOPE pediatric mental health care access program designed to increase timely access to mental health care for youth throughout California’s communities, especially in the state’s most underserved and rural areas.

  • California Connect Speech Equipment and Services

    California Connect, also called the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP), provides communication access for Californians with hearing, vision, cognitive, mobility, and speech-related disabilities. This California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) program includes accessible communication equipment and devices, relay service, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices.

  • State of California Area Agencies on Aging (California AAA)

    The California Department of Aging (CDA) administers programs that serve older adults, adults with disabilities, family caregivers, and residents in long-term care facilities throughout the State. This webpage offers a directory of resources for those who provide or seek to provide a variety of aging services.

Please click the link to open and view the Frequently Asked Questions document: DDS Autism FAQs

Alphabetical list of all resources listed above, posted A-Z – links only.


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Last modified: April 14, 2025