What we’re about
This group is built around peer-run support groups for adults who are on the autism spectrum or have neurodiverse conditions or learning disabilities with similar social effects (e.g. nonverbal LD, social-emotional LD or social communication disorder.)
- No formal diagnosis necessary to join.
- Groups are lead by an adult on autism spectrum or with other neurodiverse conditions.
- No therapist or other professional support is present at meetings.
The site currently features the GRASP Chicago Support Group, Autism and Neurodiversity in the Workplace Group, and other social gatherings in Chicago and its suburbs.
Given that restrictions and health risks related to COVID-19 made in-person indoor support groups impractical for the near future, the group has transitioned to online support group meeting and in-person gatherings at local parks/forest preserves.
Basic policies for meetings are posted in the group discussion section of this site. Once you have joined, please read the "Basic Online Policies: GRASP Chicago-Evanston Support Group" post on the Chicago Asperger Adults & Friends Discussion Forum or you can access it here: https://www.meetup.com/aspergerchi/messages/boards/thread/52791986
Chicago Asperger Adults & Friends welcomes relatives, professionals, and other friends of adults on the autism spectrum to join this site in hopes that we forge new connections between autism spectrum adults and other parts of the autism community.
Members are welcome to use this site’s message boards and other messaging services to connect with each other.
Additional note on privacy: Although members can join the Meetup site under an alias, members are required to share their full name and a piece of contact info (either email or cell #) with the Meetup organizer in order to receive Zoom links or exact locations to in-person events. This information is not shared with other group members, but the organizer needs it for accountability purposes.