Autism Association 2025 Annual Report

Collaboration with Healthcare

In the last 12 months we have made substantial progress with our systemic advocacy project, aiming to improve access to and quality of health services for people with Autism. The project includes collaboration with Autistic individuals and primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare providers to drive holistic change in the health sector. Funding from the Department of Communities has made this project possible. We have now delivered training to staff at Fiona Stanley Hospital and advised on the development of sensory rooms for the facility’s adult and paediatric emergency departments. We also provided consultancy to St John of God Hospital Midland around potential familiarisation appointments within their Emergency Department. Additional workshops and training were delivered to various other WA health service providers including Royal Perth Bentley Group, WA Country Health Service, Child and Adolescent Community Health, and North Metro Health Services.

As part of this project, we have worked with a co-design team to produce four advocacy videos to raise awareness of Autism within the health sector, provide service as a training resource for health professionals, and promote systemic change. Our ongoing partnership with the Curtin University School of Oral Health is now in its fifth year, and we were again invited to deliver Autism workshops for students to facilitate understanding and inclusivity in clinical settings. Following these workshops, we continued to bring theory into practice by supporting with student-led dental familiarisation clinics – offering adapted appointments where children and adults with Autism can familiarise themselves with a dental clinic environment at their own pace. These clinics have seen interest and attendance grow year on year, with additional clinics running later in 2025 already at capacity.

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