Autism Case
Support Guidance Connection
Advocacy With Purpose
Autism Case Management & Advocacy For The Journey Into Adulthood
When your young adult needs support, knowing where to begin can be difficult. Unlocking Gems provides personalized autism case management and autism advocacy to help young adults and their families understand available resources, communicate their needs, and take the next steps with greater confidence.
Based in Chesapeake, VA, we serve autistic youth and young adults with lower support needs throughout Hampton Roads. Our support is centered on the individual, their goals, and the practical needs that come with moving into adulthood.
Navigating What Comes Next
Support When The System
Feels Complicated
Families can spend hours searching for programs, completing paperwork, contacting providers, and trying to understand which resources may be appropriate. Even after finding support, keeping everything organized and making sure needs continue to be addressed can become another responsibility for parents.
Our autism case management gives families a knowledgeable point of support as they navigate these challenges. We take time to understand the participant’s circumstances, identify areas where support may be needed, and help connect families with relevant community and professional resources.
We also recognize that advocacy is an important part of adulthood. Young adults need opportunities to understand their options, express their preferences, and participate in decisions that affect their lives. Our approach encourages families and participants to become more confident in speaking up for what they need.
How We Can Help
What Our Case
Management Can Include
Personalized Resource Guidance
Every family’s situation is different. We help identify resources that may be relevant to a participant’s goals, needs, and stage of life rather than providing a generic list of services.
Autism Resource Coordination
Keeping track of different providers, programs, appointments, and community resources can be difficult. Our autism resource coordination helps families organize information and better understand how available supports may fit together.
Individualized Advocacy
Our autism advocacy focuses on helping participants and families communicate their needs and understand the options available to them. We encourage young adults to take an active role in decisions about their future.
Community Connections
Moving into adulthood often means becoming more connected to resources outside of school. We help families explore appropriate community-based opportunities and services that may support their young adult’s goals.
Ongoing Guidance
Needs can change as young adults gain new skills, explore employment, or take on greater responsibilities. We remain attentive to those changes and help families consider appropriate next steps as circumstances evolve.
Finding Their Voice
Helping Families Advocate
With Confidence
Disability advocacy services can be especially valuable when families are trying to understand systems that may feel unfamiliar or difficult to navigate. At Unlocking Gems, advocacy is about helping young adults and their families understand the choices they have and feel more prepared to communicate what they need.
For young adults, this can include learning how to express preferences, ask questions, participate in conversations about their support, and become more comfortable making decisions. For parents, it can mean having guidance as they learn how to support their young adult while encouraging greater self-advocacy and independence.
Our goal is not to speak over the young adult. It is to help create space for their voice, preferences, strengths, and goals to be recognized.
Connected To The Right Resources
Finding The Right Support Starts
With Knowing Where To Look
Families may need help identifying professionals, programs, assessments, or other services that address specific needs. Rather than expecting parents to search through countless options on their own, we help organize the referral process and identify resources that may be worth exploring.
Our autism resource coordination may include connections to community resources and appropriate professional services. When families are seeking behavioral or developmental support, we can also help with ABA therapy referrals when appropriate. Referrals are intended to connect families with qualified providers; any diagnosis, treatment recommendation, or clinical decision remains with the licensed professional providing that service.
Support That Works Together
One Service Can Open The
Door To Another
Case management and advocacy can work alongside the other services offered through Unlocking Gems. A young adult may need advocacy while developing independent living skills, coaching while preparing for employment, or specialized referrals while working toward personal goals.
Our broader autism support services include:
Individual & Parental Coaching
Functional Life Skills
Personal Growth & Community
Vocational Readiness
Specialized Referrals & Testing
FAQ’s
Answers To Help You
Understand Our Support
Find helpful information about our program, services, eligibility,
and how Unlocking Gems supports young adults and families.
What is autism case management?
Autism case management provides personalized guidance to help autistic young adults and their families identify resources, coordinate support, understand available options, and navigate the transition into adulthood.
What does autism advocacy include?
Autism advocacy focuses on helping participants and families communicate needs, understand available options, and participate more confidently in decisions about their support and future.
What are disability advocacy services?
Disability advocacy services help individuals and families understand systems, choices, and rights so they can communicate needs and preferences with greater confidence.
Can Unlocking Gems help with ABA therapy referrals?
Yes. When appropriate, we can help connect families with qualified providers for ABA therapy referrals as part of our broader resource coordination support. Any diagnosis, treatment recommendation, or clinical decision remains with the licensed professional providing that service.
Who can receive case management and advocacy support?
We serve autistic youth and young adults with lower support needs, along with their families, throughout Hampton Roads from our base in Chesapeake, VA.
Get Connected
Ready To Find The Right Next Step?
You don’t have to figure out every resource, question, or decision on your own. Connect with Unlocking Gems to learn more about our autism case management, advocacy, and other support services.
