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The Adusu Advocacy Framework: A Strategic Model for Advancing Policy Reform in Developmental Disability Services
Across many countries, systems supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are experiencing significant pressure. Workforce shortages, increasing service demand, and funding constraints have created fragile service environments that test providers, policymakers,...
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A Roadmap to Wellness
“John” is a person with autism. And he was driven by a goal. John wanted to learn to drive a car, get his license, and have a greater level of independence in his life. For John, this was critical to his emotional wellness. Many had told John that driving would never be an option. But...
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Strategies for Navigating College for Students with Autism
College is a transformative period in a young adult's life, offering a platform for growth, self-discovery, and academic achievement. However, for students on the autism spectrum, navigating the challenges of college life can be particularly overwhelming. College students with autism spectrum...
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When College is Not an Option
College is generally considered the best path to a successful career, but the classes and structure of college can present a daunting challenge to individuals on the spectrum. The description of a “good job” might include factors of salary, stability, and the ability to grow; such jobs are not...
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The Alien World of Work for Adults with Autism
After college, one is confronted with the confounding world of job searching. Unlike anything one has experienced before, a job search is filled with resumes, cover letters, and interviews, salary negotiations, networking, and writing that looks nothing like the work just finished to earn a degree....
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The Benefits and Challenges of Housing for People with ASD in a Post-Facility World
Group Homes, a housing model that began in the 1960s and ‘70s, were a tremendous improvement on the dismal institutional settings that they largely superseded. Created by a partnership between the state and “voluntary” agencies, the goal of the group home model was that people with autism and...
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The Creation of a Model Independent Living Program: The POINT Program of White Plains, NY
One of the most perilous times in the lives of young adults on the spectrum is the transition from the stability and structure of school to lives away from their parents’ homes - lives with as much independence as possible. I know this road well because I am the mother of a young man with an...
