Table 3.

Families’ single greatest identified service need (open-ended question; N = 143).

Theme	Example(s) of contributing data	Responses (%)
1. Respite	“Breaks,” “Periodic free time for myself,” “Sleep – I have the skills, I need the energy”	26
2. Long-term planning for adulthood; Availability of adult programs and supports	“Security for his future – vocational and housing,” “Transitional supports after high school”	20
3. Transparent information about available supports and how to access them	“To know what services are available so I can choose to access them”; “Not to have to fight for each service”	19
4. Seamless access to supports and services over time	“Predictability in services from year to year”	8
5. Community integration and societal acceptance of persons with ASD	“People who understand,” “Community awareness”	6
6. Availability of social skills programs for my child	“My programs only focus on academics and routines. Social groups have long waitlists.”	6
7. Parent and sibling emotional supports	“Time for our other child,” “A peer group for ME”	5
8. Funding and local expertise in biomedical treatments	“Paradigm shift to understand that autism is medical, and funding for biomedical treatments”	4
9. Services for difficult behaviors/aggression	“Strategies for aggression. He’s getting stronger”	3
10. Better qualified professionals/more ASD-specific training for professionals	“Autism specific training for teachers and aides”	3

ASD: autism spectrum disorder.