ACN identifies as an ally of the neurodiversity movement, promoting empowerment, connection, and communication within the autism community. Our staff engages in regular training regarding implementation of neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based practices, and many of us have lived experience of having a loved one on the spectrum.

ACN is led by professionals and a dedicated board, many of whom are parents or family members of neurodivergent individuals, ensuring first-hand understanding of caregivers' challenges.

You can get involved with ACN by attending events, participating in programs, volunteering, or making a donation to support our mission.

At ACN, we empower the family & caregivers to be the best providers they can be. We help guide you and help you show up for your autistic loved one. Families can also benefit from ACN's services by gaining access to early diagnosis, therapies, resources, support groups, and empowerment programs.

Yes, ACN provides assessments, therapies, and resources in both Spanish and English to meet the diverse needs of families. Sí, ACN brinda evaluaciones, terapias y recursos tanto en español como en inglés para satisfacer las diversas necesidades de las familias.

Tell your friends about us and the work we are doing. You can also support ACN's mission by making donations to help us continue providing high-quality services and resources to the autism community.

Just reach out! Send us an e-mail to info@acn-sa.org. We've got great things coming up and can always use your help!

Yes, quite a few actually! ACN prioritizes forming partnerships and alliances with like-minded organizations to create a broader network of support for the autistic community. Reach out if you think we might be a good match for you.

ACN strives to make the San Antonio community more accessible and supportive for individuals with autism and their caregivers. Our new inner west side campus is here to serve, and we welcome everyone to take part in raising the bar for autism care and inclusivity in South Texas.

ACN's programs, services, and events all work towards raising awareness and promoting acceptance of autism within the community. We encourage aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, and first responders, everyone to join our herd and create a circle of protection around the autistic individuals that make our world so special.

You can stay informed about ACN's events and programs by attending Coffee and Connections sessions, signing up for the blog, subscribing to our emails, following us on social media, or checking out our events page.

ECSE stands for Early Childhood Special Education. It is a program for children 3-6 years old that have received an educational evaluation and qualify for special education services to help transition into the school setting. Pre-K is typically provided to children 3-4 years old. Program admission is based on a variety of factors. If you are interested in your child attending either of these programs, you should speak to your local school district.

No. When a child with developmental differences qualifies through educational testing for a classroom called Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), they do not need to be toilet-trained to attend. In fact, goals related to your child’s education will be made specifically for them based on this educational testing, and often, toilet-training is one of those goals. This means that the school staff will partner with you to help get your child toilet trained as part of their individual education plan (IEP). Please note that the ECSE classroom is different than a Pre-K 3 or Pre-K 4 classroom because it falls under the special education umbrella, and children must qualify for the program through individualized educational evaluation.

Your child will benefit from having both a school diagnosis, which is called educational eligibility, and a confirmed medical diagnosis of autism. Educational eligibility will assure that your child is given the correct variety and intensity of educationally-focused therapies and supports, while a medical diagnosis helps your child gain further access to clinical supports that might be recommended. It is important to note that children do not have to wait for a medical diagnosis of autism to gain access to therapy, as even a determination of developmental or speech-language delay might open the doors for your child to begin intervention as early as possible.

At Autism Community Network, you will receive direct feedback from the doctor and other members of the diagnostic team at the end of your visit. During this conversation, your child’s unique profile will be discussed at length, along with recommendations for support, and you will have ample opportunity to ask any questions you may have. When you receive the full report, this diagnosis will be stated in the document, and you will have the opportunity to schedule a follow-up session with our LCSW to review results and any further questions you may have.

ACN offers strengths-based autism screenings and diagnostic evaluations tailored to each family's needs, available in both telehealth and in-person formats.

ACN offers specialized, evidence-based social-communication therapies.

ACN offers training, educational programs, and learning opportunities, such as Coffee and Connections sessions, corporate trainings, and professional conferences.

ACN's autism screenings aim to identify developmental differences and provide immediate feedback and recommendations for families.

ACN offers various diagnostic tracks and collaborates with a team of specialists to provide comprehensive evaluations tailored to each child. Usually, it starts with a screening request that is sent over from your child's doctor.

Unfortunately, at this time, we do not offer re-evaluations once a child receives an autism diagnosis.

Autism Community Network provides rigorously tested, developmental-relational, parent-mediated therapies, proven to support enhancements in child social-communicative functioning that generalizes to varied environments and interactive partners and sustains over time. ACN does not offer ABA therapy and respects each family and individual’s right to explore alternative, science-backed interventions that align with their preferences and values.

Autism Community Network does not provide traditional OT or ST services; however, our specialized services are completed by occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists trained to fidelity in their various autism-specific approaches that can therefore be billed as OT and ST. We do not provide PT at this time.

Yes! We offer group classes and individual therapies to support parent education. Please see our offerings in the Services section of this website.

While Autism Community Network does not provide respite care, we are officing with an organization that does! Please see this website about Special Reach for details. https://www.specialreach.com/

Absolutely! As a matter of fact, we often hear from families diagnosed elsewhere that they wish they would have known about all our offerings sooner. We would love for your family to be a part of our herd!

Autism is a difference in development which may impact communication, the sensory system, relationships, and social interactions. Autism is lifelong and it is of critical importance to address as early as possible due to the malleability of the brain during infancy and early childhood.

Common signs of autism may include challenges in social interaction, communication difficulties, repetitive behaviors, and sensitivity to sensory stimuli.

There is no known cure for autism, but early intervention and various therapies can help individuals with autism develop skills and improve their overall quality of life.

Many individuals with autism can lead independent lives with appropriate support, therapy, and interventions tailored to their needs.

This is a compelling question. While data suggests more boys are diagnosed than girls, girls often present quite differently which requires a very seasoned eye to identify markers typically present in the female phenotype. If you are concerned about your daughter, please reach out to info@acn-sa.com

Yes, autism is typically a lifelong condition, but early intervention and appropriate support can greatly improve an individual's quality of life.

Autism affects approximately 1 in 44 children in the United States, making it a relatively common developmental disorder.

Yes, autism severity differs based on the level of support the individual requires. The technical name for autism is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) because its signs and symptoms vary greatly along a spectrum.

No, although most autistic people people experience sensory processing differences, there are also many people with sensory processing differences who are not autistic.

Come see us. We can schedule your family for a screener where we can help discern your child’s profile and recommend further testing should the clinician deem it necessary. If you have found this website, you are already on your way! We can provide you with many other helpful resources once we get connected.