Our mission is to provide specialized outreach through support, education, and resources to increase awareness of the unique challenges caused by co-occurring Down syndrome and autism.
Our goals are to empower families, educators, healthcare providers, researchers, and the community to maximize the full potential and care of individuals with co-occurring Down syndrome and autism.
The Down Syndrome-Autism Connection® was founded in 2007 in Denver, Colorado as a collaborative project by parents and professionals seeing a great need to reach out to families and individuals affected by DS-ASD. In 2011, the Connection became the only nonprofit organization dedicated solely to co-occurring Down syndrome and autism spectrum disorder (DS-ASD) in the United States.
The Connection has grown from a local collaborative project to the sole national nonprofit and worldwide resource dedicated to DS-ASD issues. We continue to forge relationship with organizations to build DS-ASD awareness, advocacy, and support for our families. Our partnership with the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group's DS-ASD committee provides access and expertise to a group of medical and healthcare professionals who work with individuals with Down syndrome across the life span. Through this important collaboration we have worked with clinicians and researchers in support of DS-ASD research, outreach, education, and increased awareness across all stakeholder groups. Additionally, we continue to build relationships with Down syndrome clinics across the US and provide DS-ASD resources through our Information Kits for newly diagnosed families. Our outreach efforts help to discover new families and professionals and provide needed resources and support.
