Pursuing recognition, policy and solutions for the surging population of individuals, families and caregivers affected by severe forms of autism.
We are committed to improving the long-term welfare of individuals, families and caregivers affected by severe forms of autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. To that end, we
โข ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ about these disabilities, and how they require special attention and services.
โข ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ for think tanks and serious discourse addressing policy and services.
โข ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ about the impact of legislation and policy on our vulnerable, growing, and often overshadowed population.
โข ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต into therapeutics, neurobiology, and causes of severe forms of autism and related disabilities.
โข ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ of individuals, families, and caregivers affected by severe forms of autism by giving voice to their realities and needs. The nonprofit NCSA is the nation's leading voice pursuing recognition, policy and solutions for the surging population of individuals, families and caregivers affected by severe forms of autism and related disorders. More information: www.NCSAutism.org
๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐
โข Focus discussions on severe autism and related support needs
โข Respect the lived experiences of families and caregivers
โข Acknowledge the distinct challenges of severe autism versus other parts of the spectrum
โข Maintain civil discourse even in disagreement
โข Share personal experiences respectfully and constructively
โข These guidelines aim to create a supportive, focused space for our community.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ถ๐๐บ (๐ก๐๐ฆ๐) ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ผ-๐๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐๐บ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐. Our moderators have full discretion to take immediate action against any violations of our community guidelines, including but not limited to:
โข Harassment of families and caregivers
โข Dismissal or minimization of severe autism challenges
โข Hate speech or discriminatory comments
โข Trolling or intentionally disruptive behavior
โข Spam or promotional content
While warnings may be issued, moderators are not required to provide prior notice before taking action. Comments may be removed and users may be banned immediately based on the severity of the violation. This discretion is necessary to maintain a safe, supportive environment for our community.
๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ, ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐. All moderator decisions are final. NCSA reserves the right to modify these guidelines at any time to protect our community members.
12/17/2025
NCSA President Jill Escher on the Autism Weekly Podcast. They discuss severe autism, the rising prevalance of autism, and the need for long term care and housing. Jill has decades of experience and advocacy to share. Please take a listen to learn more!
This week, weโre joined by Jill Escher, president of the National Council on Severe Autism, a dedicated advocate, autism research philanthropist, and mom to two children with nonverbal autism. Jill has spent her life working to support individuals and families affected by severe autism. Sheโs fu...
12/16/2025
Is severe autism a superpower or a life-altering disability? NCSA knows the answer!
Watch Cristina Gaudio, NCSA legal and policy fellow, sit down with Victor Antรบnez, aka Miami Autism Dad, to unpack how inclusive terminology has obscured the reality of severe disability.
12/12/2025
There are many people in the autism community, self-advocates and professionals alike, who often say the 3 autism levels of support are often changing based on circumstances and environment. Level 1, 2, 3 depending on the day. That is not how the levels of support work. Yes, levels of support needs can change over long periods of time, but a support level is a baseline of support needs. If you are a level 1, and you have some setbacks, that doesnโt make you a level 2. It makes you an unsupported level 1. If levels were fluid, those on the severe side of the spectrum would be seeing some โlevel 1 daysโ and that doesnโt happen. Sure, our loved ones have better days than others, but it doesnโt change their baseline needs. They still have very substantial needs. Often just to stay alive. Which is, level 3 criteria.
12/12/2025
Tomorrow is the final day to submit! Take a photo or scan your child's favorite artwork to upload on our form. We want to share the beauty of expression beyond words in 2026 featuring the artwork of individuals with severe autism. One winner will receive $100 care package from Ark Products also!
The Justice Department has closed its long-running case with Texas after the state completed reforms in thirteen IDD facilities focused on safety, clinical care, and integrated services. ๐๐ป
NCSA supports strong oversight that protects people with significant disabilities. At the same time, this highlights a persistent national challenge. Many individuals with severe autism still lack access to the high-acuity residential and clinical services they depend on, and community programs alone cannot meet every need.
True progress requires both accountability and a full continuum of care, including specialized settings for those with the most intensive support needs.
Today, the Justice Department joined with the State of Texas in asking a federal district court to dismiss a long-running case that saw the State reform thirteen State-operated facilities for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). The Justice Departmentโs Civil Rights Divisi...
12/08/2025
Severe/Profound autism is never an individual experience; it touches parents, siblings, and extended family in different and often painful ways. We need to be able to have conversations that honor that reality while also recognizing how much support is often missing.
With the holidays coming up, what are ways you feel your family could use more support? What traditions have you had to modify to โkeep the peace?โ Are there new traditions you have implemented that work for your unique family needs? Please share in the comments below!
She helped raise this man, but as he grew physically violent, she convinced her husband to have him move out.
12/08/2025
12/05/2025
Letโs shine a light on the incredible work of artists who express what words cannot.
๐จ๐ Enter Today! The Voices of Autism Artwork Campaign is LIVE! ๐๐จ Enter here: NCSAutism.org/art
We are celebrating creativity, individuality, and the beauty of expression beyond words.
2026 NCSA fundraisers will feature artwork made by people with severe forms of autism and related disordersโand we want to highlight YOUR artist.
Families are invited to submit:
1. A piece of original artwork
2. A photo of the artist
3. A short 150-character bio
โข Optional story or inspiration behind the piece
โญ One winner will receive a $100 care package from ARK Therapeutic
โญ Winner announced January 6, 2026
โญ Artwork submissions may be featured in our 2026 fundraising projects
๐ Deadline to submit: December 13, 2025
๐ Submit here: NCSAutism.org/art
Please share this widely to help reach families across the country.
Please see submission guidelines and more details on form here: NCSAutism.org/art
12/04/2025
โจ50 Years of U.S. Special Education and the Global Recognition of Persons with Disabilities! โจ
This week, NCSA recognized the 50th Anniversary of U.S. Special Education as well as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities! In celebration of this momentous week, Cristina Gaudio, NCSA Legal and Policy Fellow, gives a brief history of U.S. Special Education laws and outlines the legal protections that they bring to our community.
This week, NCSA recognized National Special Education Day and International Day of Persons with Disabilities! ย What better way to close out this week than by understanding the legal rights and protections that these events have historically helped bring to our community. Letโs get into it.
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to National Council on Severe Autism:
many millions of people have traits associated with autism. The NCSA, however, focuses on the burgeoning population of children and adults affected by severe forms of autism or related disorders. This population includes those who, by virtue of any combination of cognitive and functional impairments, require continuous or near-continuous, lifelong services, supports, and supervision. Individuals in this category are often nonverbal or have limited use of language, have intellectual impairment, and, in a subset, exhibit challenging behaviors that interfere with safety and well-being.
We face an urgent, mounting crisis. Due to its rapid increase in prevalence and the severity common in this disability, severe autism has developed into an urgent public health and social services crisis. Pragmatic policy reform to address the lifespan needs posed by severe autism-associated disability is needed, including empowering the nonprofit sector to provide a full continuum of programs, facilitating family and private investments in a wide array of housing and long-term care options, and crafting more efficient federal and state funding mechanisms.
We believe in the importance of treatment and intervention. Individuals and families affected by severe autism and related neurodevelopmental disabilities often suffer very low quality of life due to disruptive and dangerous behaviors and emotional, physical, and financial stress. Innovation in treatment across the lifespan is urgently needed, both to improve autism-associated functional deficits and also the variety of co-morbidities and health conditions affecting the majority of people with severe forms of autism.
What We Do
We are committed to improving the long-term welfare of individuals, families and caregivers affected by severe forms of autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. To that end, we:
Educate the public about these disabilities, and how they require special attention and services.
Provide a platform for think tanks and serious discourse addressing policy and services.
Educate policy makers about the impact of legislation and policy on our vulnerable, growing, and often overshadowed population.
Promote research into therapeutics, neurobiology, and causes of severe forms of autism and related disabilities.
Promote acceptance and awareness of individuals, families, and caregivers affected by severe forms of autism by giving voice to their realities and needs.
For more information, please see our FAQs and Position Statements.
