Understanding Autism and Supports Within Canadian Systems of Care

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition where people’s experiences and needs vary on a spectrum (Baron-Cohen, 2017). Our understanding of autism has evolved over time and there are peculiarities depending on how clinical, sociological or community perspectives are at play. With the aim of respect for the lived experiences of the autistic community, we have opted to employ identity-first language (autistic people) over person-first language (people with autism) in this chapter. This introductory chapter has two sections covering autism history, neurology, and range of support required by autistic people, followed by an overview of Canadian health, education and social care systems and the challenges facing them, along with analytic frameworks developed to derive better health policies and practices. The goal of the chapter is to foster a better understanding of how to support and include autistic people in society.