Employment and related services for adults with autism spectrum disorders

Abstract

The past decade has seen a general consensus regarding an increase in the prevalence of autism and related disorders (ASD) and, subsequently, steadily growing numbers of adolescent and young adults on the autism spectrum. With this increase has come an increased demand for appropriate services for adults with ASD in the post-school years. Unfortunately the employment, day, community, and residential needs of these individuals continue to far exceed the available resources leaving a generation of individuals with autism and their families in a programmatic, financial, and personal limbo (e.g., Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 50:441-451, 2012; American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 117:478-496, 2012).