Creating Space for Connection: Supporting Mental Health and Wellness for Autistic Youth and Their Families
August 14, 2026
By Rainee Selby, MHA, and Jaimie Sigesmund, MAT, Case Managers and Family Advocates, Seattle Children’s Autism Center
As case managers and family advocates at Seattle Children’s, we see firsthand how challenging it can be for families to navigate mental health and wellness resources. In supporting children and families, we hear about the same barriers again and again — long waitlists, limited providers, cost, stigma and simply not knowing where to turn. These challenges can make it difficult for families to find the right support when they need it most.
For autistic youth and their families, these challenges can be even greater. Research shows that approximately 70–80% of autistic individuals have at least one co-occurring mental health condition, such as anxiety, depression, ADHD or obsessive-compulsive disorder. At the same time, nearly one in five children experiences a mental health condition each year. These numbers reflect what we see in our work: there is a significant need, but finding and accessing the right resources can be overwhelming.
As colleagues who have spent years helping families navigate resources and connect with support, we recognized an opportunity to make that process a little easier. That is what inspired us to organize Seattle Children’s Magnuson Youth Mental Health and Wellness Resource Fair on August 15. We brought together more than 45 community organizations, providers and partners with one goal in mind: to help families discover resources, make connections and learn about the support available in their communities — all in one place. Rather than simply handing families a list of resources, we wanted to create an opportunity for them to meet organizations face-to-face, ask questions and begin building connections that could continue long after the event.
We also wanted the experience to feel different from a traditional resource fair. Mental health and emotional wellness can be supported in many ways, and connection, creativity, movement and meaningful experiences can all play an important role. Families will be able to explore music therapy, art therapy, movement-based activities, animal-assisted therapy and other sensory-friendly experiences.
Hosting the event at Seattle Children’s Magnuson feels especially meaningful. Magnuson is our behavioral health hub and is home to the Autism Center, Outpatient Psychiatry and other behavioral health programs supporting children and families across Washington. It is also home to Seattle Children’s Psychiatric Urgent Care Clinic, which provides same-day in-person and virtual visits for children and teens ages 4 through 17 who need urgent mental health support but do not require an emergency department. Bringing community resources together in a place dedicated to behavioral health reinforces our shared commitment to helping families access support before they reach a crisis point.
In partnership with Public Health – Seattle & King County, we are also providing free safety resources, including medication lock bags, trigger locks, gun lock boxes, medication disposal mail-back envelopes and Narcan, along with education on overdose prevention, firearm safety and injury prevention. These resources give families practical tools to support safety and well-being at home.
This event would not be possible without the incredible organizations, volunteers and community partners who have come together to support local families. We are grateful to everyone who recognized the importance of creating more accessible pathways to mental health and wellness support and helped bring this vision to life. Ultimately, this event is about connection. We hope families leave with new resources, meaningful relationships, and a better understanding of where they can turn for support. Most importantly, we hope they leave knowing they are not alone.
If you are in the Seattle area, we would love to welcome you on Saturday, August 15. And if you aren’t able to attend, we hope you will share information about the event with your friends, family and community.
Event Date, Time and Location
- When: Saturday, August 15, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Where: Seattle Children's Magnuson, 6901 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
Mental Health Resources