TACA :: Talk About Curing Autism

Our Mission

Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) provides information, resources, and support to families affected by autism. For families who have just received the autism diagnosis, TACA aims to speed up the cycle time from the autism diagnosis to effective treatments. TACA helps to strengthen the autism community by connecting families and the professionals who can help them, allowing them to share stories and information to help people with autism be the best they can be.

What is Autism

Autism is a devastating neurological and biological disorder that typically affects children between the ages in 18 months to five years of age. Autism currently affects 1 in every 91 children today. It is estimated there are over 1 million people in the United States alone with autism. Autism affects each individual differently and at different levels of severity. Some people with autism are severely affected, cannot speak, require constant one-on-one care, and are never able to live independently. While others who have less severe symptoms, can communicate, and eventually acquire the necessary skills to live on their own.

Typically, autism affects individuals in five key areas:

• Communication (verbal and non-verbal)
• Social skills
• Behaviors
• Learning
• Medical issues

What TACA Provides

Since 2000 Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) has been providing support services to Californians. Beginning in 2007, TACA expanded its services throughout the United States. Ninety-five percent of what TACA provides to families affected by autism is free.

TACA provides support and education for families affected by autism through the following efforts:

Outreach & Parent Education: TACA has chapters in Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Parent Education, Monthly Meetings, & Coffee Talks: TACA offers parents many educational opportunities such as Autism Journey seminars, Real Help Now Conferences, as well as monthly TACA meetings that focus on topics like advocacy, medical issues, and feature special expert guest speakers. Monthly meetings and our informal Coffee Talks also bring together experienced and new parents alike to learn and discuss new information and autism best practices as well as share stories about their children’s hurdles and triumphs.

Parent Mentors: Families affected by autism can be matched with a personal TACA parent mentor who will offer one-on-one support and general advice about various autism-related subjects such as medical insurance, behavioral issues, navigating school district issues, biomedical treatments, common dietary intervention, and more. TACA parent mentors receive on-going monthly training and support regarding the autism journey best practices from the TACA foundation office.

Autism Journey Guides: Our Autism Journey Guides provide parents a comprehensive overview of best practices following the autism diagnosis and throughout the autism journey. Guides are available for free for new families at any TACA chapter meeting nationwide. They can also be purchased for a nominal fee from Shop TACA and shipped anywhere in the U.S.

Loaner Resource Libraries: Each TACA Chapter maintains a Loaner Resource Library with the latest autism books, CDs, and DVDs that can be borrowed for free.

Professionals & Services Directory: TACA maintains and continuously updates a free directory listing of autism professionals and various vendors who provide services to the autism community nationwide.

Website, E-newsletters & Live Chat: TACA provides up-to-date autism news, helpful information for parents, and information about upcoming TACA events at www.tacanow.org and in our e-newsletters. Subscribe to the TACA e-newsletter for free. Families affected by autism can also receive instant support and advice on their autism journey by talking with TACA parent mentors through Live Chat. TACA’s Live Chat offers families Real Help Now!

Family Scholarship Program: TACA understands how difficult it is to stretch the family budget to include all the treatments necessary for your child. The Family Scholarship Program was developed to provide limited assistance to qualified families for appointments with DAN doctors, and lab work not covered by insurance. Depending on funding, there may be scholarships for independent evaluations, and registration for educational conferences, please check for availability. Due to our limited funding, this application process is competitive and not all qualified applicants will receive funding. Applications are reviewed monthly by an anonymous committee; scholarship funds are not given directly to families.

Adopt-a-Family Campaign: Since 2006, our Adopt-a-Family Campaign has provided families with autism in need of additional help each holiday season and has provided each family with gifts, food, and other necessities.

Autism Cares: TACA is a proud partner of Autism Cares, a consortium of leading autism organizations who have come together to support individuals with autism and their families during natural disasters and other catastrophic life events. Applications for families in need are reviewed monthly.

Pacific Life Grant: In 2009, TACA launched new services through generous funding from the Pacific Life Foundation. These services include Spanish language outreach in the autism community, Spanish-transcreated TACA materials and autism resources, legal advocacy support and seminars for families with autism, and independent assessment scholarships. This restricted grant is available via TACA’s offices in Orange County, California.

Read more information about TACA’s education/support group meetings