CT Pilot Program for ASD Adults in Danger
November 23, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Connecticut’s Pilot Program For Autistic Adults which “adults of normal intelligence with diagnoses on what is called the autism spectrum” is in danger due to budget cuts. Today’s New Haven Register reports that Governor M. Jodi Rell has ordered all state government agencies to submit proposals that will cut up to 10 percent from their upcoming budgets. Prior to the program’s inception in 2006 (with $1 million from the state), no services were provided to autistic adults of normal intelligence (adults with diagnoses of both autism and mental retardation did receive services). The program received an additional $500,000 in July 2008 and is financed through June 2009. Currently, 52 people with autism and Asperger’s syndrome in in the greater New Haven and Hartford areas are served under the progam and it’s changed their lives, as the New Haven Register reports:
After her son became too old for the public school system, Eileen Horan paid for him to attend a private vocational school for two years, but the cost became unbearable and Paul had to leave. He spent his days alone in his apartment, unable to find a job. He had no friends and nothing to do.
“When he would get bored, he’d get depressed. And then he’d get meltdowns — just thinking all bad things,” Eileen said. She said it’s common for individuals with Asperger’s syndrome or autism to have “meltdowns,” where they have suicidal thoughts or urges to hurt themselves.
As the sole provider for Paul, Eileen wasn’t able to get away, even for a weekend visit to her daughter’s home out of state.
“My whole time was just spent helping Paul shop and cook. It was just really, really rough going,” she said.
According Rosenwald, nine out of 10 adults on the autism spectrum are unemployed or underemployed. Most live with their families, “if they’re fortunate enough to have families that will keep them.” When parents get too old to care for them or die, they often end up in institutions or on the streets.
Living on the streets, autistic adults, whom Rosenwald characterized as “very gullible and very much the victim,” are often sexually abused.
“We hear one horrendous story after another,” Rosenwald said.
When living at home, autistic adults often spend their days home alone watching television and getting “seriously depressed.” This year, three young adults who belonged to the Autism Spectrum Resource Center committed suicide.
At last Friday’s IACC meeting, I heard Kathy Reddington, Autism Coordinator for the Division of Autism Spectrum Services, speak. She noted the impending budget cuts and also that they’d keep trying to do what they can.
There’s a couple of unresolved references to “Rosenwald” in the news story excerpt you quoted above, Kristina… can you insert a square-bracketed descriptor identifying who Rosenwald is, before the first one?
Up here in Massachusetts, the Asperger’s Association of New England likewise has lost some anticipated funding for a pilot program for adults that it is just now starting up. The program will move forward, but will have to charge fee-for-service in situations not originally anticipated.
For the last year and a half, a group of us (university faculty, corporate trainers and coaches) have been working with young adults with Asperger’s, ADHD and a variety of other diagnoses. We conducted a pilot program that consisted of group sessions and individual coaching. We spent hundreds of hours to develop a curriculum around key skills needed to get and keep a job. During the pilot program, we offered these services at no charge. When the pilot ended last summer, we began to charge modest fees.
This sort of education and support is absolutely necessary for the young people with whom we work. As your article notes, there is otherwise a 90% chance they’ll end up underemployed or unemployed.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Aspergians may need support in one form or another during much or all of their lives. But they can have a fulfilling career if they’re given appropriate assistance. If parents want to find out more, they can reach me by email, and I’ll be happy to help.