The Waisman Center is committed to providing high-quality services to children and adults with autism and their families.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs social interaction, communication, and behavior. It affects approximately one out of every 54 children.
The scope of the Waisman Center’s autism-related activities continues to expand as we actively pursue research into the causes, consequences and treatments of this complex disorder.
We are uniquely positioned to make major advances in the understanding of autism through our multidisciplinary approach and expertise in effectively combining research, training, service, and outreach programs under one roof.
Clinic
The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic is an interdisciplinary clinic that provides diagnosis and clinical care for children with or at risk for a developmental disability including autism spectrum disorders.
Autism Treatment Program
The program provides focused behavioral treatment services for children, teens, young adults and their families.
Working Together
Working Together is a multi-family group psychoeducation intervention for young adults with autism and their families.
UCEDD
The mission of the Waisman Center, University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) is to support the full inclusion and self determination of people with developmental disabilities and their families. Autism is a major area of focus.
WISADDS
WISADDS is a multi-source public health surveillance project that monitors the prevalence of autism spectrums disorders (ASDs), cerebral palsy (CP), and co-occurring intellectual disability (ID) in 8-year-old children within a 10-county area in southeastern Wisconsin.
Southern Regional Center for CYSHCN
The Wisconsin Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) Program regional center located at the Waisman Center.
Training
Autism Day with the Experts
Since 2004 the annual Waisman Center Day with the Experts: Autism has featured presentations about advances in autism research and answers to audience questions. Visit the archives page to view past presentations and download handouts.
Autism and DD Community of Practice
The Community of Practice on Autism Spectrum Disorders and other Developmental Disabilities (CoP ASD/DD) meets as a statewide group three times a year and then practice groups will meet throughout the year to further their action steps. View videos of past presentations and PowerPoints.
Autism Facebook Live Series
April is Autism Awareness Month! Join us for a series of Facebook live chats about autism with clinicians from the Waisman Center Clinics.
ECHO Autism WI
Learn best practices and evidence-based care for children with autism and developmental behavioral concerns while getting your clinical questions answered by University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center autism experts.
Autism Events
Our Partners
The Waisman Center works in collaboration with community partners to serve the autism community through outreach and training.
Waisman Autism News
Building bridges between disciplines: Marsha Mailick’s interdisciplinary research and leadership at the Waisman Center
Multiple angles of vision all focused on a common question is what attracted Marsha Mailick, PhD, emeritus vice chancellor for research and graduate education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to the Waisman Center more than 35 years ago.
Transitioning Together helps adolescents with autism and their families gear up for adulthood
The Transitioning Together curriculum is adaptable to different settings, including clinical settings and school settings. Because of its unique design and positive impacts, it has been adopted in 11 states outside of Wisconsin, and Canada.
Understanding autism from the minute to the masses: Autism research at the Waisman Center
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an intricate and complicated diagnosis. The spectrum of presentations and severity is as expansive as the theorized causes. Autism’s complexity and breadth of impacts on a person’s life means that it has a multitude of facets to investigate.
Sensory responses in autistic children are linked to a small under-explored region tucked deep down in the brain called the brainstem
The same external sensory stimulus – a flashing light, a hug, or hearing one’s name – can provoke a different reaction in every person.
From clinics to treatment: Waisman works to help families with autism
For many individuals with autism and their families, their first experience with the Waisman Center may be through the center’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities (A&DD) Clinic. The A&DD Clinic’s primary focus is providing diagnostic evaluations and follow-up care for to individuals suspected of having autism or other developmental disabilities.
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Autism-Related Research at Waisman
- Adolescence and adulthood
- Brain imaging
- Epidemiology
- Family outcomes
- Health and Aging
- Molecular basis of ASD
- Quality of life
- Speech, communication and language
Resources & Services
Research Participation | 800.965.9205; 608.263.5192; registry@waisman.wisc.edu; Participate in Research
The Waisman Center’s Research Registry links individuals and families to research projects at the Waisman Center. The Waisman Center maintains a confidential registry of families and individuals who would like to be contacted about upcoming research projects. Enrollment in the Research Registry does not obligate an individual or family to participate in any study.
Community Outreach for Children with Challenging Behaviors | 608.265.9438; cow.waisman.wisc.edu/ties
Community Training, Intervention and Evaluations Services (TIES) is an outreach program for children and adults with developmental disabilities who present various challenging behaviors, including withdrawal, aggression and self-injury. The mission of Community TIES is to address behavioral, psychological, and emotional needs using therapeutic approaches that insure continued participation in the community. TIES provides counseling, crisis response, psychiatric consultation, parent education and support, and training for personnel and program consultation in local human service agencies. Directed by Josh Lapin, MSW, and funded by Dane County, this program maintains an active caseload of approximately 250 children and adults in Dane County.
Well Badger Resource Center | 800-642-7837; text: (608) 360-9328; help@wellbadger.org; https://www.wellbadger.org/
When you have questions about health and social services, figuring out where to go when you need help can be overwhelming. We’re here to make it easier. Well Badger Resource Center is your one-stop connection to community, social, health, and government programs — a place to find what you need, when you need it.