Impact Feature Issue on Supporting Success in School and Beyond for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Federal Programs Offering ASD Research and Resources

The following is a partial list of federal programs involved with research and information-sharing on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD):

  • Autism Information Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC funds state-based programs known as the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, and the Centers of Excellence for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Research and Epidemiology (CADDRE). The work of the programs includes tracking the prevalence rates of Autism and related disorders in different parts of the country, improving community and service provider awareness of ASD, identifying which factors increase the likelihood a child will have an ASD, and identifying other disabilities children with ASD may have. The Web site includes information about the research activities and findings of the networks, and resources for families, researchers, and youth.
  • The Association of University Centers on Disabilities. AUCD is a non-profit network of interdisciplinary, federally-funded centers nationwide advancing policy and practice for and with individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and communities. Its members are University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities); Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Programs (funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau); the Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (funded by the National Institute for Child Health and Development); and other university centers. Through its Web site (see http://search.aucd.org/, enter “Autism”) over 1,000 Autism-related publications, projects, services, and researchers from member centers are available.