The Costs of Autism or, Why We Need Jobs For Autistic Persons
November 19, 2007 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
One hears about the costs of autism and about how much autistic persons cost society: Almost £28 billion a year, according to an article in The Scotsman today; $35 billion a year, as Mike Stanton noted in October, but please also read his analysis of how to understand these numbers. He points out that the costs attributed to an autistic person and to their carers seem to be “almost entirely based upon loss of earnings and lost productivity”:
But where are the measures that account for the positive impact of autism on the economy in terms of employing such a vast array of therapists and stimulating so much research into the human brain with unquantifiable impact on the whole area of neurological reasearch? ……..Yes we do need more money for autism reasearch. But we also need more money for autism services. Presenting autism as a drain on the economy to frighten governments into funding more research into possible prevention and cure does nothing to help existing autistics and their families find support services in the here and now. And if the lifetime costs are so high where is this money going? Why are autistic people and their families so often left leading miserable lives?
With this in mind, denying work to autistic people is expensive seems so obvious as to not need stating at all. Watching my son help out around the house, carrying and putting away and dumping and folding, and with such earnestness, I feel quite confident that he will one day be as glad to go to a job as he does now to school. As for what kind of work he’ll do, I’ve no clear idea. But then, many a college student I’ve advised to schedule classes for the spring semester has said “undecided” in response to my asking what they’d like to major in: I assure them that they will “figure it out” (and they do). And I am hopeful that Charlie and we will too, when the time indeed comes.
On the subject of costs and money: The Autism Society of Illinois is facing a $50,000 budget shortfall, the November 5th Chicago Tribune reports. It has trimmed its staff down to its Executive Director, Kimberly Maddox; go to the Autism Society of Illinois’s webpage to find out how to support it and help autistic persons and their families in Illinois.
I suggest reviewing the articles about the autism society of Illinois & what they were saying about recent murders downstate before helping them go on as they are.
Families in IL and autistic PEOPLE in IL need support certainly (and people dont get such currently) but not what AS IL currently provides.
I remember their comments about what happened downstate. Are there other autism organizations in IL that provide services and support?
If there are, they aren’t statewide and I only know about where I lived.
I DO know that the programs the Central IL Special Recreation Association offered were excellent. The different counties all had programs through which parents can get respite and home services. And never underestimate the ability to get a GOOD BABYSITTER (an amazing feat) by posting at the psychology or education corkboard at a local college.
Thats how I got started in college. Corkboards.
I declared “undecided” for so many years that they finally gave me a degree in it. I minored in “I’ll get back to you on that”. I was still, however, able to get work…at a Place of Uncertainty, making Whatever and selling it Elsewhere.
The downside: on my paycheck, where it should list a dollar amount, it reads, “undecided”. Cruel irony.
According to the Tribune article they were unable to hold their annual fund raiser due to “internal disagreements”. Office Politics!
Why would they expect support for their internal politics and callous remarks about autistic children.
M: An Un-good situation!
Corkboards were how we found our first therapists, and email lists for college students.
Once again, the feedback comments following the article provide a lot of background information to the Illinois situation.
I’m not involved with the Autism Society of Illinois, but I know our local Autism Society (McLean County IL) has provided lots of activities/support for both families and individuals. We’ve had respite camps, day camp, team sports, and all sorts of other things. My daughter is accepted there and has had the chance to be part of a team and try new things in a comfortable environment. The money raised goes to these activities, not to making political or “cure” statements. On another positive note, my employer has just introduced a program to employ individuals with developmental disabilities in partnership with the local MARC center. I could see Megan employed with the proper support; our kids have so many strengths which potential employers need to recognize!