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Navigating Medical Decision-Making and Insurance for Autistic Children in Divorced Families
Managing the care and needs of a child on the autism spectrum can be a full-time job. In addition to addressing the day-to-day care, educational, and behavioral needs of an autistic child, managing the therapeutic and medical visits can be quite involved, including such challenges as scheduling and...
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Living and Aging Independently on the Autism Spectrum: An Inside View
Having been diagnosed late in life at the age of 44, I lived for the better part of my life on the autism spectrum without myself or anyone else being aware of it. During the time in which I finally knew about this, I was already an older adult and, most recently, a senior citizen. Unlike so many...
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Navigating Legal Challenges in Autism Healthcare: Ensuring Access to Services and Insurance Coverage
Prevalence rates of autism are at an all-time high, and we know that early and intensive treatment produces the optimal outcomes for autistic individuals. According to the CDC, “most children (85%) identified with ASD had concerns about their development noted in the records by 3 years of age.”...
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The Promise of Quality ABA: What Value-Based Care Means for Families
As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to rise, parents of children with autism face significant challenges in obtaining high-quality and appropriate care and services. Delays in diagnosis, waitlists for treatment, shortage of available providers, high staff turnover, and a...
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Autism Spectrum News Spotlight on Excellence: An Interview with Rita Gardner, President & CEO of Melmark
Overview David Minot, Executive Director of Mental Health News Education, the non-profit organization that publishes Autism Spectrum News, interviewed Rita Gardner, President and CEO of Melmark, a multi-state, non-profit human service provider with premier private special education schools,...
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Virtual Reality: A Tool for Making Healthcare More Accessible to Patients with Autism
For patients with autism, getting healthcare is often a struggle. My views in healthcare were heavily influenced by watching my brother, who was non-verbal and autistic, and my mother navigate the healthcare system with much difficulty. He, like many patients with autism, struggled with doctor...
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A Call to Action: The Need for Advocacy in Healthcare Access in Autism
Although specific estimates vary substantially, autistic children and adults have a higher prevalence of comorbid medical conditions than those reported in non-autistic individuals. Among the most commonly reported comorbid medical conditions are neurological disorders, including epilepsy,...
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Forbes Lists AHRC New York City as One of America’s Best Employers
AHRC New York City was recently named one of Forbes America's Best Midsize Employers for a second consecutive year. Founded in 1949, AHRC NYC has grown into the state’s largest nonprofit organization supporting children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. AHRC NYC was...
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International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement Launches the First-Ever Global Standard Set to Enhance Care For Autism Spectrum Disorder
On September 7, 2021, the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) launched a standardized Autism Spectrum Disorder Standard Set (ASDSS). The rollout of this set marks an important, proactive step towards promoting data quality and availability across the industry. The ASDSS...
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Community Living in the Era of COVID-19
As we cope with the disruption of this pandemic, many of us are wondering what our new normal will look like on the other side. Before COVID-19, many people with disabilities went to day programs or had individualized 1:1 staff supporting them at work or in activities in the community. Now, because...
