Welcome to the DDS Autism Resource Hub

  • Information and tools related to Autism for self-advocates, families, caregivers, direct support professionals, providers, and other 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 will be added on an ongoing basis.
  • Connect with us and learn more by emailing autism@dds.ca.gov or calling 833-815-2337.

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/ .

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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: October 31, 2024