A Question of Autistic Spectrum Resources, US residents only

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I'm curious about something (duh!): What kind of resources are available in your area (city, town, hamlette... whatever) and what is it's general population?
What has prompted my question is reading the various threads about people who attend AS(?) meetings. I live in Bakersfield, California, the 57th largest city in the US. There are no groups or meetings to attend. In fact, my doctor has said I'm the ONLY adult-diagnosed client she has for her entire office (which is a county-run organization). I find that sorta strange since Kern county has a general population of over a half million people.
So if you don't mind:
If you go to any kind of AS meeting, what is the city in which you attend and it's population?

(Why US residents only? I don't want the results of this thread to become convoluted by varying degrees of available resources between continents. We all know that some resources are far easier to come by in other countries).

We might need a forum or sub-forum for all the countries out there.

Which is why I wanted to concentrate on the only country of concern to me at this time: Mine.
It might be of interest to broaden the scope of this at a later date. But then it might simply be a reminder of how backward and puritanical the US really is... *sigh*

I live in Shreveport, Louisiana, population approximately 200,000, metro population approximately 400,000. In my search for a professional skilled in PDDs, I went through the local chapter of the ASA. They told me that if I am diagnosed as on the spectrum, they have gatherings they do in my local area for people all over the spectrum, from group meetings for adults to summer camp for kids. I was very glad to hear that the ASA is so active here, but I am VERY surprised that you can't seem to find much in Bakersfield! Have you tried the ASA's local chapter in your area?

Until recently, there was only C.A.R.D. (Florida State University's Center for Autism Related Disabilities). http://autism.fsu.edu The people who work there are wonderful, dedicated people who do everything in their power to help. Unfortunately, they are limited in what they are allowed to do.

Recently, a friend of mine (NT with 3 autistic children) formed an autism support group. This is a support group that is geared to family members of autistic children. His wife is working on putting together a local autism education center http://autismeducationcenter.net. Another person involved in the center has started an Asperger's support group. It met for the first time this month (at C.A.R.D.). This group is geared to adults who have Asperger's. In addition, we are putting together a local autism society.

I am involved in various degrees with all of these projects. I'm doing whatever I can to help people get all of these going strong. As far as government services for "higher functioning" autistic adults is concerned, there are essentially none. If
autistic adults and or families affected by autism want services, we have to put together our own and pool resources. We cannot depend upon government. All of this is in the Panama City - Bay County, Florida area.

Last edited by cyberscan on 28 Jan 2009, 3:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Beaumont, TX population of about 114,000. There's a support group for mothers of austic kids around here, but that's about it. So, basically nothing at all.

I know there's stuff in Houston, but 80+ miles away is not local.

This is why we need to get back to the principles on which the U.S. was founded. These principles include taking care of ourselves and each other. Yes, it can be done. I know, because we are doing it in our area.

I find this hard to believe and I think your doctor is mistaken. I think you need to do some investigating. Surely there are groups in your town.

Here in Flagstaff, AZ a town of 60,000 there are oodles of Aspergers adults. We have a local chapter of ASA that includes adult Aspies though few of the adult AS I know will attend. We also have a yearly Autism Conference. There is an Autism Coalition that involves AS groups in neighboring communities mainly Phoenix and Tucson that create meetings between all the AS groups in the state to try to work together. Phoenix has 3 Aspergers groups that I've heard of plus a couple groups for parents and a school for autistics, Cornville which is a super small town has a ranch for autistic men and Tucson has an adult AS group. Most folks in town are familiar with Aspergers now and know what it is if you mention it.

Try this: http://www.kernautism.org/. It's your local ASA chapter's website. Maybe this will be of some help to you... I hope so. The members of my local chapter have all been very easy to work with and we don't even know yet for certain if I have AS. I feel I am not neurotypical but for all they know I could be, yet they have still wanted to help me.