Autism Society Of America

The Albany Chapter of the Autism Society of America (ASA) assists families in the Capital District who contact us looking for information on autism, services, and supports. Our board and members have begun to assist locally with advocacy in legislative matters and also have the full support of our national office, that for more than 40 years has been "the resource in the field of autism." We want to be seen as the autism resource to everyone who interacts with the autism community in the greater Capital Region.

Autism is a developmental disability that affects a person's ability to communicate, to reason, and to interact with others. It is a spectrum disorder that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees of severity. Here are some astonishing facts about this disability:

• Autism is more common than childhood cancer, cystic fibrosis and multiple sclerosis combined.
• One out of every 150 babies born will develop some form of autism.
• Autism is currently four times more common in boys than girls.
• Autism is a lifelong disability.

See our Calendar of Events for support group meetings for parents, dads and young adults. In addition to support groups, the chapter provides stipends to attend conferences, holds several family events per year, provides a lending library, updated website and weekly e-newsletters and more. Albany ASA's programs are made possible through the generosity of our members and donors.