Manitoba Autism Organizations

Do you have a family member on the autism spectrum, and you’re looking for places to find help and advice? There isn’t just one agency or organization in Manitoba – there is a patchwork of services that often work together. They include:

Nonprofit and Volunteer Organizations
Government-Funded Services
Private Businesses and Professionals
Charities (these can help fund services you might find privately)

Browse this list to see what might be helpful to you.

Nonprofit Organizations – Information and Support

Autism Manitoba

Website: Home (autismmanitoba.ca)
Email: info@autismmanitoba.ca

Autism Manitoba provides resources and supports to individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), their families and their communities. They offer free support groups, complimentary family intake meetings, and financial support for needed services including respite care, therapeutic recreation programs, educational programs, vocational programs, and therapies such as counselling, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.

Asperger Manitoba

Website: http://asperger-manitoba.ca/

Asperger Manitoba Inc. (AMI) works to support increased awareness, understanding and ongoing supports, specific to the needs of adults and children with Asperger Syndrome living and working successfully within the community, and their families.

AMI provides limited support to individuals and their families as well as information sessions.

Autism Spectrum Disorders Manitoba

Website: http://asdmb.ca/

This website was created as a collaborative effort to help individuals with autism and their families find information about programs and services for autistic people. It is organized to help people find support through a person’s lifetime.

Community Living Manitoba

Website: www.aclmb.ca

#6 – 120 Maryland Street, Winnipeg, MB R3G 1L1
Phone: 204-786-1607
email: aclmb@aclmb.ca

Community Living Manitoba is dedicated to the full inclusion of persons of all ages who live with an intellectual disability. They categorize their advocacy work under three pillars; family engagement, inclusive education and inclusive employment.

Inclusion Winnipeg

Website: inclusionwinnipeg.org

1 – 120 Maryland Street Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 1L1
Phone: (204) 786-1414
email: info@inclusionwinnipeg.org

Serving the city of Winnipeg and surrounding area, Inclusion Winnipeg is a registered charity which, for almost 60 years, has been dedicated to making life better for children and adults living with developmental and intellectual disabilities. They do this by connecting people, assisting families to navigate systems and providing advocacy.

Family Advocacy Network of Manitoba

Website: www.fanmb.ca
email: families.caregivers@gmail.com

The Family Advocacy Network of Manitoba (FAN) is a grassroots group of parents, siblings, support network members of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. FAN provides family support, information and resources, as well as encouragement to help families advocate for their loved one.

Membership with FAN is free. You are invited to view FAN’s video and become a member by visiting their website at or by contacting them.

Continuity Care

Website: http://www.continuitycare.ca

Continuity Care is a not-for- profit organization dedicated to supporting families in Manitoba to plan for an enriched quality of life for their family member with an intellectual disability. Their work helps families achieve peace of mind by planning for the future and creating connections that last a lifetime.

Inspire Community Outreach

Website: inspirecommunityoutreach.ca

Inspire Community Outreach Inc. is an incorporated non-profit social services agency providing evidence and culturally informed, family-centered education and programming, designed to meet the needs of those living with mental health issues and neurological/cognitive differences.

Social Media Groups

Facebook groups can be a great way to ask questions and connect with others with similar situations.

Public Agencies and Services

Specialized Services for Children and Youth (SSCY)

Website: sscy.ca

1155 Notre Dame Avenue, Winnipeg, MB
Phone: (204) 452-4311

Specialized Services for Children and Youth (SSCY) Centre is an alliance of families, community agencies, regional health authorities and government that provides specialized community‐based services for children and youth to support them in reaching their full potential.

A number of services are located in the same building, including the Rehabilitation Centre for Children, SSCY Family Resource Centre, Child Development Clinic, and others.

Rehabilitation Centre for Children

Website: https://rccinc.ca/

The Rehabilitation Centre for Children supports children with special needs in Manitoba and surrounding areas in reaching their goals and participating in their communities. The website gives detailed information regarding services, programs, research, and events. They periodically offer parent support seminars for children on the autism spectrum. Upcoming opportunities are posted on their website calendar.

They also modify equipment such as bicycles, swings or chairs to meet the needs of autistic children.

SSCY Family Resource Centre

Website: https://sscy.ca/caregivers-families/family-resource-centre
Phone: (204) 258-6533

The SSCY Family Resource Centre is located on the main floor of the SSCY Centre. In this family-friendly space are located harder-to-find resources about special needs and general health issues, including 1400 books, videos and DVDs about specific disabilities or conditions. They are able to mail print and video resources to Manitoba locations outside of Winnipeg. The Take-Out-Toy Services (TOTS) toy lending program is also located in the SSCY Family Resource Centre. TOTS has over 400 toys for use by children with special needs, including electronic, switch-adapted and developmental toys.

Manitoba Possible

Website: https://www.manitobapossible.ca/about-us

Manitoba Possible is the home of Provincial Outreach Therapy for Children, which provides Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech Language Pathology Services to children until they enter school. They also offer a range of services, supports and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities of all ages.

Manitoba Adolescent Treatment Centre’s Neurodevelopmental Autism Program

Website: https://sharedhealthmb.ca/services/mental-health/child-youth-services/nds/

This service provides assessment, education, consultation, and support to families and community caregivers who are involved with school-aged children with neurodevelopmental issues. The interventions will be individually based on identified needs, and are consultative and time limited.

St. Amant Autism Services

Website: https://stamant.ca/services/children-youth/

St.Amant’s Early Learning Program and St. Amant School use Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) principles to teach children with the goal of improving socially important behaviours.

St. Amant also provides case management for families of autistic children, respite, and clinical services.

Open Access Resource Centre

Website: http://www.oarc.ca/
316 Tache Avenue, Winnipeg
Phone: (204)-949-2430

The Open Access Resource Centre (OARC) aims to improve the lives of Manitobans with speech challenges through the use of communication devices. OARC helps individuals throughout Manitoba receive long-term systems as well as providing the supports needed for successful implementation of a device as a communication tool. Every summer they host a summer camp for children using AAC.

Government of Manitoba: Information for Manitobans With Disabilities

Website: https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/imd/index.html

This web page has links to “Fact Sheets” providing information on the services available to people with disabilities in Manitoba, from early childhood to adulthood.

Children’s Hospital Family Library

Address: CK204 – 840 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1S1
Phone: (204) 787-1012

A resource centre with books, pamphlets, magazines and videotapes relating to the health of children, available to all citizens of Manitoba. Books circulate for two weeks; videos for two days. Library hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 1 to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 10 to noon, and 2 to 4 p.m. (Closed weekends and statutory holidays.) Books can be borrowed via mail.

Professional Services and Private Businesses

Autism Learning Centre

autismlearningcentre.ca
3525 Roblin Boulevard, Winnipeg
(204) 226-7247

Autism Learning Centre is an agency of autism specialists dedicated to helping clients reach their unique individual goals. Services include speech and occupational therapy, education consulting, group programs and camps, tutoring, respite, and recreational programs.

Charities and Funding Organizations

Variety: The Children’s Charity

Website: https://varietymanitoba.com/

Variety’s mission is: “Stepping in where government, healthcare, and other funding ends to provide direct assistance to children in Manitoba living with special needs and experiencing economic disadvantage.” Variety’s Special Needs Program provides support to children and their families by covering costs related to specialized equipment, supplies, and services not covered by any other source.

Examples of things Variety might purchase include hearing aids and sport wheelchairs, assistive communication devices, specialized strollers, speech therapy, physiotherapy and more. For continuing supports, you will have to apply at annual or semiannual intervals. Check the website for the application instructions and form.

Jordan’s Principle

Website: Government of Canada – Jordan’s Principle

Jordan’s Principle makes sure all First Nations children living in Canada can access the products, services and supports they need, when they need them. Funding can help with a wide range of health, social and educational needs, including the unique needs that First Nations Two-Spirit and LGBTQQIA children and youth and those with disabilities may have.

A list of potentially eligible services and instructions for application can be found on the Jordan’s Principle website.