Autism Association of WA 2026 Annual Report

Healthcare Advocacy and Collaboration This year, we continued working alongside healthcare providers and Autistic individuals and their families, to improve access to health services and improve health outcomes. Now in its fourth year, the project has made significant progress in strengthening God Midland Mental Health Unit, St John of God Murdoch, Royal Perth Hospital, and Rockingham General Hospital. At Fiona Stanley Hospital , we

deliver inclusive Autism-affirming care. In recognition of its innovation and impact, the Oral Health Familiarisation Clinic received the 2026 WA Disability Support Award for Excellence in Innovation. This program also hosted a delegation of dentists from Indonesia to learn more about the approach.

Looking ahead, we are working with St John WA to co-create accessible and engaging online learning modules focused on developing St John WA’s workforce to understand Autism and University School of Oral Health entered its sixth year, with demand for Oral Health Familiarisation Clinics continuing to grow. We worked with more than eight clinics to deliver low-sensory dental care tailored to the person’s individual needs. In addition, a suite of resources was developed to help individuals prepare for appointments, make procedures more predictable, and support them to communicate their needs and preferences with confidence. This program is helping shape the future of oral healthcare by equipping emerging oral health professionals with the skills and experience to communication approaches. Our partnership with Curtin

provided consultation and advice on the development of sensory rooms. We also developed communication board resources for children and adults to assist in communication between medical staff and Autistic patients. We also began work on two co designed online toolkits featuring training and practical resources for healthcare staff. The Health Professionals Toolkit will build the knowledge, skills and capacity of health workers to deliver Autism affirming care, while the People and Supporters Toolkit will enhance the health literacy and self-advocacy skills of Autistic people, their families and their supporters.

the knowledge and skills of health professionals and advancing access to inclusive healthcare experiences for Autistic people. Grounded in systemic advocacy, the project is creating lasting change by reshaping healthcare around people —making inclusive healthcare the standard, not the exception. Throughout the year, we delivered a range of training and capacity building workshops on Understanding Autism and Autism and Co-occurring Mental Health Conditions to more than 220 healthcare workers across 10 organisations including the WA Country Health Service, St John of

WINNER of the Excellence in Innovation Award

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