Talk About Curing Autism

Our mission is to provide education, support and hope to families living with autism. 

The Autism Community in Action (TACA) was founded in 2000 as a support group serving ten Orange County families. After 24 years of service, TACA has transformed into a national organization, providing services across the country. When TACA was established, 1 in 500 children were diagnosed with autism. Today rates of autism diagnoses are at epidemic proportions. It is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) most recent report states that 1 in 39 children has autism.

Autism is a devastating neurological disability usually diagnosed in children between 18 months and 3 years of age and can cause severe impairment in language cognition and communication. In addition, children with autism are at a greater risk for co-occurring medical issues including epilepsy, gastrointestinal issues, sleep disturbances, and immune dysfunction.

When a child is diagnosed there is no specialty medical provider that establishes a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary treatment plan. Since each instance of autism is unique, families do not know where to begin, what treatments to try, or even how to access them.

TACA’s focus is to fill the gap and need, uniquely bringing families together to engage in social-educational activities that positively impact the long-term health, well-being, and quality of life for their children with autism. Through a series of relevant and targeted educational, social, legal, and financial assistance programs, TACA is providing families with guidance, support, referrals, and access to current resources and treatments, enabling families to make informed decisions to better the lives of their children and youth. TACA’s vision is for every individual diagnosed with autism to lead an independent life.

Since our founding in 2000, TACA has served over 90,000 individuals. This past year we achieved the following accomplishments and results:
• 15,767 families affected by autism attended TACA’s Autism Education Programs
• 98% of the families reported learning new skills, resources, and information to better support their child’s health, wellness, and quality of life.
• 95% of the parents and caregivers who attended TACA conferences feel more prepared to navigate the autism journey.
• 49,536 families living with autism engaged in TACA support networks or initiatives.
• 508 parents new to TACA’s Parent Mentorship program were matched with a mentor.
• 64% of these parents stated they gained a minimum of two tools, methods, or resources to support their child.
• $166,915 in medical scholarships were distributed to families in need.
• 93% of the recipients reported they saw improvement in their child’s health, development, and behavior.
• 95% of the recipients stated they were able to increase their knowledge of and access to new treatments.
• 80% of the recipients continued with treatments/medical care after scholarship funds had been spent.

TACA’s constant challenge is to maintain and expand programs to meet the growing demands of the families we serve.
With community support TACA will:
• Continue to provide youth/adult support and resources for families caring for youth or adults diagnosed with autism.
• Provide free seminars to help parents with newly diagnosed children understand autism spectrum disorders (ASD). When a parent first receives an initial autism diagnosis for their child, they feel overwhelmed and confused. Through TACA’s Newly Diagnosed Initiative, they receive critical resources and support.
• Maintain and grow TACA’s Mentorship program to provide experienced, trained, supported, and qualified mentors to guide new parents on the autism journey. Funds underwrite the recruitment and training of the mentors.
• Provide multiple Orange County family support events . The events encourage interaction and camaraderie among families by providing an inclusive, safe, and supportive environment.

TACA is a national organization serving families across the country through online resources, webinars, and in-person meetings. To see a list of current events go to https://tacanow.org/events/

TACA is 24 years old. In the past two decades, we have transformed as a foundation. We started in a living room with 10 families and are now supporting in-person and virtual meetings across the country serving over 90,000 – more than 8,000 families right here in Orange County, California.

Our goal is to change the perception of autism from hopeless to hopeful and that a diagnosis does not predict the future. We have seen first-hand when families get the help they need, the sky is the limit for their children’s future. Our vision is for every individual diagnosed with autism to lead an independent life and be a valuable member of their community.

With your help, TACA will be here for the new families finding us every month and for the families who have ongoing support needs. By investing in TACA, you allow us to be there for these families until we are no longer needed.

Thank you for being an autism hero and helping TACA families.

Lisa Ackerman, TACA Executive Director, and Co-Founder