When the School Bus Stops Coming: The Employment Dilemma for Adults with Autism (continued)

But what can be done to mitigate such conditions? First, it is important to get the federal government and Congress’ attention regarding the seriousness of the matter.

Recently, the Combating Autism Act was passed to find the root causes of autism. This landmark legislation is a huge step forward in attempting to find the causes and cures for autism. However, as important an effort as that is, for adults living with autism today, having appropriate services now can mean the difference between a life fulfilled or a life wasted.

In response to the “epidemic proportions” of autism and the “tsunami effect” of youth graduating from school and entering the adult workforce, the federal government’s Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC ) developed a roadmap for autism under President Bush’s Executive Order #13217, “Community Based Alternatives for Individuals with Disabilities.” One of the constructs that came from this effort was entitled, “Youth Transition to Adult Services Work and Independence.” The goal for this construct is that “all individuals with autism spectrum disorder will receive the services necessary to make transitions to all aspects of adult life, including adult health care, work and independence.”

Coupled with this construct was another entitled, “Appropriate Financing of Care.” The goal of this construct is “to expand and standardize public and private finances of autism spectrum disorder related services so that individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families have access to early and continuous screening, comprehensive diagnosis and needed health, mental health, and education and social services.” This “road map” and its respective constructs were signed off by all of the federal agencies responsible for autism spectrum disorder through the lifespan of a person with autism. A complete copy of the “Autism Spectrum Disorders Road Map for Services” can be found at the Autism Society of America’s Web site, www.autismsociety. org. Advocates can use the road map as they advocate to get their respective states to identify adults with autism, create employment opportunities for them and adequately fund these initiatives.

Adult Employment Options

What are some of the employment expectations that one should have for an adult with autism? First would be post-secondary educational opportunities where people can learn a trade or engage in advanced educational pursuits leading to a profession.

Next, competitive employment would be the ultimate goal for all people with autism. Competitive employment means not having extraordinary supports while engaging in meaningful and comparable employment pursuits available to those without a disability.

If competitive employment is not a reasonable expectation, then supported employment must be considered. Supported employment has many configurations. The less supported approach entails a job coach visiting the employee on a weekly or semiweekly basis and offering guidance as to what areas may require improvement and reinforcement where success has been noted.

However, for most adults with autism requiring supported employment, a more intimate relationship with a job coach is necessary. Here, a job coach is with the employee on a permanent basis, guiding and directing as needed and running “interference” when “damage control” is required.

If, due to cognitive or behavioral issues, supported employment is not indicated, then secure employment must be available. Secure employment is a setting where people with autism perform meaningful work activities in group or individual stations with significant support by highly trained staff. Secure employment is the “safety net” for those with autism if they lose their competitive or supported position for lack of work or behavioral challenges. A secure employment setting must be dynamic to ensure that the “safety net” does not become a “hammock” (Holmes, 1998).

Finally, of course, for some people with autism, employment may not be an option, but should be a last resort, as work is therapeutic and enables those with autism to actively participate in life and become productive members of adult society. Unemployment must only be reserved for those with chronic health concerns and those who are advanced in age or otherwise too frail to engage in the rigors of active employment. If a person his independent financial resources and doesn’t need to work, then volunteering to help others is a good alternative.

Planning for the Future

While arguing for increased resources for adults with autism, you also can access a variety of employment support services. However, although the framework for accessing these services is straightforward, it is inconsistently employed. Under the IDEA, a transition individual education plan (IEP) must take place no later than the student’s 16th birthday. This does not mean that a transition IEP can’t occur prior to the 16th birthday, but it must occur no later than that.

For those with autism, it is recommended that a transition IEP occur no later than age 14. In the transition IEP planning process, it is critical to have representation from the state’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services and its Division of Developmental, Disabilities/Mental Retardation. IDEA is clear about such representation, and for the sake of the student with autism, having a clear understanding of what must transpire for employment preparation over the remaining educational years, as well as what services are available post-education, is critical (Holmes, 2005).

When an appropriate transition IEP is developed and implemented, the outcome for the individual can be remarkable. For example, Joshua Galperin joined the staff of the Colonial Bank in Dallas, Texas, after years of preparation during high school. The transition services program in his high school trained him to use public transportation, exposes him to a variety of jobs, and taught him interview skills, activities in daily living and impulse control. He now is an expert in creating reports and is seen as a critical member of the team at the bank (Jeremy Roebuck, the Dallas Morning News, 2/27/2006).