Washington Autism Alliance - WAA

03/02/2026

March is Women's History Month! Our Founder/CEO, Arzu Forough, started the Washington Autism Alliance in 2007 (almost two decades!) out of necessity to fight for the right to autism health benefits for her family. Since then, she has spearheaded countless advocacy efforts and fostered an organization dedicated to expanding access to vital care, resources, and services to people with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are so grateful to have such a smart, driven, and passionate woman at the helm!

02/28/2026

As we near the end of February, we want to highlight a few organizations that support people of color in the autism community and their families! Do you know of other organizations? Give them a shout out in the comments!
- FOCS - Families Of Color Seattle connects families, caregivers, and children of color through peer-led parent support groups, spaces to share culture, skills, and resources, and racial justice education and advocacy.
https://www.focseattle.org/
- The Autistic People of Color Fund exists to provide direct support, mutual aid, and reparations by and for autistic people of color.
https://autismandrace.com/autistic-people-of-color-fund/
- Working at the intersection of disability support, cultural understanding, and community empowerment, Open Doors for Multicultural Families provides resources for multicultural individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families.
https://opendoorswa.org/

02/26/2026

Join us on March 9th for our next Supporting Parents of High-Masking Autistic Students session! Apraxia and Dyspraxia are common co-occurrences that impact balance, coordination, and motor skills. This session will dive into how this can impact your child and what supports are possible to put in place. Register now at https://washingtonautismalliance.org/events/supporting-parents-of-autism-spa-030926/?occurrence=2026-03-09

02/26/2026

We're celebrating major advocacy wins as key public policies—addressing student isolation, missing persons alerts, special education records, and student mental health—successfully passed legislative policy committees! Thanks to your support, proposed cuts to the vital Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) program were also blocked, and we now push forward through the final stages of the Washington State Legislative Calendar.

Today marked a significant cutoff in the Washington State Legislative Calendar. We are pleased to report that, with your collective support, several crucial

02/25/2026

The R-word causes real harm and reinforces painful stereotypes. Everyone deserves respect, dignity, and to be valued for who they are.

Let's choose language that empowers and includes.

Read more from Sara and join the movement: https://brnw.ch/21x0edS

Best Buddies International
Special Olympics Wisconsin, Special Olympics North America

02/25/2026

Join us at the Kirkland Library (308 Kirkland Ave) on Tuesday, March 3rd, from 12pm to 3pm! We will be addressing birthday cards for our autistic community members, and need extra hands. Stay for fifteen minutes or three hours! We will also have Day Out for Autism flyers on hand for anyone willing and able to share them around their neighborhood.

Please email engage@washingtonautismadvocacy.org if you have any questions. We hope to see you there!

02/22/2026

Some important reminders from a previous presentation on autistic burnout! Did you know you can access a wide variety of recorded workshops on our website with a FREE membership? See all we have to offer at https://washingtonautismalliance.org/online-academy/

02/21/2026

We are just under one month away from Blueprints to Special Education! This workshop, presented by special education attorneys, will provide in-depth training on understanding your child's program, needs, and rights. Learn more and register at https://washingtonautismalliance.org/events/blueprints-to-special-education-how-to-build-effective-school-services-2/?occurrence=2026-03-21

02/20/2026

We are looking for entertainers from the autism community to showcase their skills at Day Out for Autism on April 18th! If you or someone you know is a musician, singer, dancer, or another type of entertainer, please reach out to engage@washingtonautismadvocacy.org for more information!

02/19/2026

Just two months away from Day Out for Autism! We can't wait to see you there 💙

02/13/2026

As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, it is important to also acknowledge the racial disparities in access to care and services that the clients we work with face daily. Access to quality services is vital for autistic individuals and their families. According to a report by the Economic Policy Institute (2023), an estimated 29% of Black Americans rely on Medicaid to access the healthcare they need. Much of our advocacy work has historically focused on access to care and health insurance, so as our community faces uncertainties with access to Medicaid, it is more important than ever to make our voices heard!

02/12/2026

🚨TWO action alerts that we need community support for! Learn more about these bills and how to contact your representatives below:

Vote YES on SB HB175 to help protect students from harmful restraint and isolation practices
https://washingtonautismalliance.org/action-alert-support-hb-1795/

Vote YES on SB 6268 to strengthen transparency and access to information in Washington's special education system
https://washingtonautismalliance.org/action-alert-support-sb-6268/