Join DSO Housing Navigators for a virtual discussion on Secondary Suites and Tiny Homes. Open to people with a developmental disability, their family members and/or support networks, as well as professionals in Ontario.

Topics covered will include:

• What is a tiny home and where can you place them
• Benefits of a tiny home and what to consider when making your plans
• Adding a secondary or laneway suite to your home
• Manufactured homes and where they can be purchased

Join us to explore the links and differences between ADHD and autism, and what to do after you or a loved on is diagnosed!

Project ECHO of CAMHA is hosting an upcoming webinar overviewing dementia and intellectual disabilities. Join them to participate in the discussion.

The Government of Canada is consulting Canadians on the new Canada Disability Benefit. You are invited to share your thoughts on benefit details, such as eligibility and benefit amount, which will help inform the development of the regulations for the Canada Disability Benefit.

The Canada Disability Benefit Act (the Act) became law when it received Royal Assent on June 22, 2023. The Act provides the framework for a new Canada Disability Benefit. This benefit is being created to reduce poverty and support the financial security of working-age people with disabilities.

Your feedback will help inform the development of regulations for the Canada Disability Benefit. Your answers are confidential. No personal information will be collected or reported.

Join family caregivers across Canada in a 6-week virtual program to learn about and practice mindfulness. This group is open to caregivers of people with disabilities or of people who are aging or experiencing a challenging illness.

The program will be led by Sue Hutton, a mindfulness teacher with 40 years of experience.

Chilling on the Spectrum is an autistic-led support and social group that aims to connect and empower young adults on the spectrum.

This weekly 8-session online group will offer peer support and social opportunities for young adults on the spectrum ages 18-29.

Join them for conversation on topics of interest to the autism community and meet other autistic people your age!

$180 for 8 weekly sessions

Rainbow Spectrum Pride is an autistic-led support and social group for 2SLGBTQIA+ autistic adults. This group is a place to discuss these intersecting identities and experiences. We hope to provide a space for people to connect and feel validated through sharing stories and perspectives.

Navigating Work is a unique group for neurodivergent job seekers across Ontario looking to get ahead in the workforce.

The group will help you harness your skills and talents to create a resume and LinkedIn profile to attract employers. You will learn how to present your neurodiversity as a work place advantage and become skilled at advocating for on-the-job accommodations.

$120 for the 8 week group

Autism Speaks Canada is looking for youth ages 15-30 who want to make an impact for autistic individuals across Canada. 

Autism Speaks Canada wants to give 25 youth between 15-30 years old funds (up to $5,000) to do good for their community.

Micro-grant project should fall under one or more of the following categories:

• Autism understanding and acceptance
• Supports and Services for autistic and their families
• Advocacy
• Community Engagement
• Research
• Intersectionality
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access
• Delivery in both official languages

What is Celebrate The Spectrum?

Celebrate the Spectrum offers a chance for positive engagement, creating supportive and advocacy spaces for our diverse communities. Through this initiative, we aim to improve understanding of autism and collectively contribute to making our communities more inclusive and welcoming for individuals with autism.

How do I participate in this year’s World Autism Day events?

There are so many fun ways to Celebrate The Spectrum with us on World Autism Day across Ontario! Find out how to get involved leading up to April 2, 2024, and throughout the month of April.

Autism Ontario is excited to have you participate and celebrate with us. Thank you for being part of this momentous day with us!

The journey from hospital to home can be a significant challenge, especially for individuals with a dual diagnosis, which means they have both a developmental disability and a psychiatric condition. This group faces a higher risk of being designated as Alternate Level of Care (ALC). An ALC designation is given when patients no longer require hospital-level care but remain there — sometimes for extended stays — due to a lack of appropriate community settings and support. This situation not only adversely affects the ALC patient but also results in delays for other patients in need of hospital resources.

Each vignette introduces you to the story of an individual with a dual diagnosis who experienced an ALC hospitalization and successfully transitioned to living in the community. Through their experiences and those of their families, we can understand some of the obstacles they faced and the strategies that paved the way to a successful transition. While the experiences of these individuals were far from perfect, they were guided by some key elements that made their transition smoother.

This recently published article features an international group of autistic individuals, scientists, and clinicians as they consider barriers and challenges to the identification of and supports for autistic people assigned female at birth (AFAB).

Suicide affects people of all ages and backgrounds. This line offers a space to talk, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Dial 9-8-8 to talk or text.