Local services for adults with AS

Post Reply New Topic

Has anyone had any luck?

Because this is VERY difficult to find.

Nearly all the autism organizations I've looked up (in my state and out) mainly cater to parents of families of kids with AS.

I wasn't diagnosed with AS until I was 18 and I know there are people out there who dont get diagnosed until late into their 20s or even in their 30s.

What are we supposed to do when the autistic/AS services provided are only for kids?

Just wondering.

I
I don't like to work, and I don't like what I do, necessarily, but I am not conflicted in morality by it, and I have done worse. I do well in my job, and my supervisor likes me because I have stellar statistics and it brings up the whole team.

I did get an intermittent Leave Of Absence from my job from the Family Medical Leave Act. That means I get 12 weeks a year (84 days, 682 hours)to intermittently take off from my job when I just gotta get out of there. If I have vacation days, then I get paid out of my vacation days, if I have used all my vacation days, then I don't get paid for time I have to take off of work.

But I only work it because it pays the bills and with out it I would be still living in that garden shed behind a lady's house with an extension cord running out to it. Sometimes in my life are better than other times in my life and I either sit and suck my thumb or I get off my duff and DO something for my benefit.

That is the only break I have found being an adult with AS.

Anyone else? What is there out there??

Merle

There's (in Oz anyway):

-job placement services; they find you a job that suits your skills and disabilities
-job "fairness"; government institutions need to hire a certain amount of "disabled" people
-residential housing if you can't live with parents/family
-other disability services like rent assistance, income assistance, medical assistance (cheap fees)
-private government transport if you can't drive

I get medical and income assistance for my ASD (AS or AD depending on who you are).

are you Ozzies accepting AS Yanks?

Merle

Most states in the US probably have similar services (well, I know some do), it's just that they aren't advertised, and for an adult with an ASD, it's probably hard to get around to organizing it all. This is where parents without an ASD come in handy.

I wouldn't be receiving help if it wasn't for my mother getting it for me, for example.

I was only recently diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome as an adult after years of anquish since I was twelve years old in the mental health system. There is no "care" in the mental health system in the USA...

I am lucky to have a great facility for BOTH children and adults in my area of the USA, in Upstate New York between the cities
of Syracuse and Albany, New York. It is called the "Kelberman Center for Autism." Check out their website if you would like to
learn more about this great facility.

There is not much out there in terms of help specifically for ASDs if you are otherwise going well in life (ie you can hold a job). You may find support groups where you can meet other people but for the most part, there are little/no services aimed at you.

The guy who diagnosed me actually said the only thing I could really do was to keep reading and learning about it.

In Phoenix I have heard good things coming out of Melmed Center. They do diagnosis, only. However, that IS one of the services that are difficult to find for adults. They do diagnosis for both adults and children, and you have a choice between a doctor and nurse practitioners, depending upon how long a waiting list you can tolerate (2 to 5 months). I have not tried them, yet, but after trying a few independents who list "autism" as a specialty, I am thinking that it must be WAY better to have somebody who specializes in autism.

Also in Phoenix, the Southwest Autism Research Center (SAARC), has some services for job habilitation for adults with a diagnosis. They list some therapists who provide social skills workshops for adults, mostly teens. And the Clinical Psychology Center at Arizona State University also does some social skills workshops (10 weeks at night) for adults. There are some peer support groups that can be found on Meetup.com. AZ has limited financial services thru DES-DDD for adults diagnosed with Autistic Disorder (AD), if they can document that they "had it as a child", which is pretty ignorant wording, if you ask me. What I have heard from insurance so far is that a law mandates coverage for children but adults may be restricted from ALL behavioral health coverage once they are diagnosed on the spectrum (weird and I do not understand it yet).

Finally, vocational rehabilitation thru DES can "work miracles"; however they are extremely bureaucratic. You have to qualify as either highly or medium disabled (4 or 5 deficiencies on their list of , wait for approval and funding, show them that you are employable from the beginning, show up for every appointment, do "everything" they say, and it is hit or miss as to how understanding your counselor is, but they do have good resources that can help you get stable employment. This is advice from a counselor who told me about it.