Event: The 2026 Southwest Washington Autism Conference
One of the things I value most about serving families in Southwest Washington is being part of a community that continues to grow, connect, and learn from one another. This fall brings a wonderful opportunity to do exactly that. On Friday, October 3o, 2026, the Lewis County Autism Coalition will host the 15th Annual Southwest Washington Autism Conference at Great Wold Lodge on Grand Mound. This year’s theme, “The Space Between: Where Systems End, Community Begins, and Connection Creates Possibility,” feels especially meaningful.
Families often find themselves navigating many different systems at once: healthcare, schools, developmental disability services, behavioral health, therapy providers, community programs, and more. Each of these systems may offer an important piece of support, but they do not always fit neatly together. Those spaces between services can feel difficult for families to navigate. They can also be where some of the most important conversations happen.When families, autistic and neurodivergent individuals, educators, healthcare professionals, therapists, advocates, and community organizations have opportunities to learn from one another, we can build stronger connections between those individual pieces of support. That spirit of collaboration is at the heart of this year’s conference.
Conference Details
15th Annual Southwest Washington Autism Conference
Friday, October 30, 2026 from 9am to 4pm
Great Wolf Lodge
Grand Mound, Washington
The conference is open to autistic and neurodivergent individuals, parents and caregivers, educators, students, professionals, advocates, and other community members. Registration and other information are available through the Lewis and County Autism Coalition. A limited number of conference scholarships are also available for individuals who need financial assistance to attend.
What to Expect
The Southwest Washington Autism Conference is a full-day event bringing together members of the autism and neurodivergent community from across the region. The Lewis County Autism Coalition has announced that the day will include educational presentations and breakout sessions, autistic and neurodivergent perspectives, practical strategies, opportunities to meet community organizations and professionals, and a Resource and Exhibitor Hall.
Planned topics include family autism education, medication and co-occurring diagnoses, DDA services and advocacy, special education advocacy, culturally responsive autism navigation for Latino families, behavior and parent empowerment, and collaboration across systems.
The conference will also feature an interdisciplinary lunch panel exploring how different systems and perspectives can work together when supporting individuals and families.
Building Stronger Local Connections
Events like this are particularly important in Southwest Washington. Families living outside major metropolitan areas may have fewer providers and specialized resources nearby. Sometimes accessing support means long drives, long waitlists, or trying to piece together services across several different communities.
One of the reasons I created Juniper Path Behavior was to help make high-quality behavioral services more accessible to families in the communities I serve, including families who might otherwise have to travel significant distances to find care. But no single provider or organization can meet every need a family may have.
Strong communities are built when families know what resources exist, and professionals know who else is available to help, and organizations are willing to work together rather than operate in isolation. That is why I am excited to see an event like the Southwest Washington Autism Conference happening right here in our region.
I am looking forward to seeing our community come together this October to learn, share resources, strengthen partnerships, and continue building better connections for autistic and neurodivergent individuals and their families throughout Southwest Washington.