The Autism Housing Network: Turning Parents into Project Starters

From time to time, we like to invite guests to share their perspectives here in our magazine. Today’s guest blog is written by team members from the AUTISM HOUSING NETWORK–Ed.

Madison House Autism Foundation is excited to unveil a project that has been in the works for over a year now: the new and improved Autism Housing Network (AHN).

“The AHN is the first interactive online housing community for adults with special needs and their families,” says Desiree Kameka, national housing expert at MHAF. “It serves as a hub of ideas and resources to help project starters create new housing options for thousands of adults with autism and related disabilities across the nation.” JaLynn Prince, President of MHAF, explains, “The AHN is an answer carefully planned and implemented with a delicate sensitivity for adults, young and old, on the autism spectrum.”

The AHN offers various features that can make navigating and understanding the housing landscape much easier. For example, the AHN Housing Directory gives users the ability to explore emerging and existing housing models through an interactive map and a user-friendly catalog.

If you create an account on the site, you can save your favorite housing ideas to your Favorites page to refer back to when you’re ready. You can also submit your own projects to be added to the directory and map for other users to see and share.

The AHN Resource Directory is a collection information, videos, presentations, and other media to educate parents, self-advocates, and project starters on the best practices in creating housing for adults with autism and related disabilities. Users can also submit their favorite resources to share with others.

Do you have a specific question or comment about your housing project? The Discussions Board is a great place to connect with others. The AHN community would love to help you find the answers you need to make your project a success.

We welcome and invite you to join this exciting new network that aims to make housing a reality for adults with autism and other disabilities around the country.

Visit www.autismhousingnetwork.org to sign up.