The document discusses employment challenges for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and proposes a solution. It notes that while programs exist for children with ASD, employment support ends after high school leaving a less than 20% employment rate for adults with ASD. However, many jobs are well-suited to the talents of adults with ASD such as attention to detail and preference for repetitive tasks. The document proposes establishing partnerships to evaluate, train, and place young adults with ASD in jobs providing work experience and social skills to lead to self-sufficiency through cooperation of individuals, service providers and businesses. It also outlines using existing local resources to pilot a program placing 10 adults with ASD in suitable jobs and training employers

1. Employment for Adults with
Autism Spectrum Disorder
The Problem
There isa growingpopulationof youngadults, ages18-32,withAutismSpectrumDisorder(ASD)
whoare unemployedandnotproductive.Toa large extent,the reasonthese adultsare
unemployedisdue toaspectsof theirdisabilityandemployersorbusinesseslackingknowledge
of adultswithASDandtheirunique qualities.
Assessingthe Needs
 ASD isthe fastest-growingdisabilityinthe country.The CenterforDisease Control estimates
that one in68 birthsisa childwithASD (one in58 is male).There are more than1 million
Americanslivingonthe autismspectrum.Manyorganizationshave emergedto focusonearly
diagnosisandintervention,andpublicschoolshave adaptedcurriculumsandservicestosupport
thisrapidlygrowingpopulation.However,the majorityof these programsendathighschool
graduation,preciselythe time amanor womanenters the workforce.The employmentrate for
individualswithASDislessthan20 percent.Existingjobplacementorganizationslackthe ability
and resourcestoservice thispopulation.
 Many employersandbusinessesinthe Upstate have jobstofill thatare uniquelysuitedfor
adultswithASD.IndividualswithASDexhibitagreat attentiontodetail andare inclinedto
preferrepetitive tasksforextendedperiodsof time. Examplesof these jobsincludemanual
labor,assembly,dataentry,librarian,mechanic, software development, orcomputerIT.
Solution
The communityneedstoformpartnershipstoevaluate,trainandplace youngadultswithASD
injobsthat will give themthe social skillsandworkexperiencethatcanleadto self-sufficiency.
Thiswill take the combinedcreative effortsof individuals,service providersandbusinesses.
Employers,fromsmall businessestolarge manufacturers,needspecializedtrainingtolearnhow
to workwithand supervise employeeswithASD.
Benefits
Employmentisabasichuman need.Employmentleadstoa bettermood,higherself-esteem,
and improvedphysicalhealth;anditallowsautisticadultstodeveloptheirskillsand
understanding. JobtrainingandplacementforadultswithASDwill make ourcommunity — and
the worldin general — a betterplace.AdultswithASDwill have accesstomore trainingand
jobs,businesseswill have asource fordependableworkers,andthe communitywillbe
recognizedasa leaderinthiseffort.
Employmentnotonlybenefitsthe individual withhigherself-esteemandaproductive life,butit
benefitsthe governmentbyremovingmore individualsfromthe rolesof Social Security
supplemental payments.AsDr.Temple Grandin,the authoranddesignerof livestockhandling
facilities(whohappenstohave Asperger’s),emphasizesatherconferences,“CollectingSocial
Securityisnota jobdescription!”

2. Resources
Variousprivate,nonprofitandgovernmentresourcescouldbe utilizedtojump-startthiseffort
inthe Upstate.These include
 Private foundationssuchasthe Barbara Stone Foundationthathave disabilitiesand
special needsasa focus.
 Nonprofitservice providers:Goodwill Industriesof Upstate/Midlands;AutismSocietyof
SouthCarolina;Greenville CountyDisabilitiesandSpecial Needs Board
 SouthCarolinaVocational RehabilitationDepartment
 State and federal grants;
 WalgreensCorporation
A Plan
UsingexistingresourcesinGreenvilleCounty,developapilotprogram withspeciallytrained
experts toaccess,trainand place 10 adultswithASDin jobsthat fittheirtalentsandcapabilities.
Developaworkshoptoeducate andtrain employersonhow to workwithautisticadults.
Establishamethodof evaluation.