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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF VRA CANADASUMMER 2019
A different drummer:
AUTISM in the workplace
Autism Primer • Autism and entrepreneurship • Autism funding in Ontario
2 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ Summer 2019
➤➤CONTENTS
VRA CanadaP.O. Box 370
Renfrew, ON K7V 4A61-888-876-9992
www.vracanada.com
PublisherMegram
2-555 Hall Ave. E., Renfrew, ON K7V 4M7
1-613-432-9491www.megram.com
Managing EditorBob Cross
Editor/WriterPaula Roy
Graphic Design/LayoutPatti Moran
Rehab Matters is published four times annually. Opinions expressed herein
do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Vocational Rehabilitation
Association of Canada.
UPCOMING ISSUE DEADLINESFall 2019 Mid-Aug. Winter 2019 Mid-Nov.*Dates are subject to change without notice
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF:
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President’s Message 3
Message de la Président 4
Message from the Editor 5
SPECIAL ISSUE ON AUTISMAn autism primer 6By Paula Roy
Additional reading 7
The benefits of neurodiversityin the workplace 11By Paula Roy
Autism and entrepreneurship – Another route to career success 12By Paula Roy
Tips for understanding and integratingemployees with autism 14By Paula Roy
The implications of changes toautism funding in Ontario 14By Paula Roy
Best practices for supported employmentprograms for adults with autismspectrum disorder 20By Kelly Mitchell and Wendy Lau
Am I Safe: Exploring fear and anxiety with children 16By Anitia Kennedy
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Summer 2019 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ 3
➤FROM THE PRESIDENT
Welcome to this edition of Rehab Matters focused on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Approximately 1 in 66 children and youth have been diag-nosed with ASD in Canada. For fam-ilies, an ASD diagnosis can involve significant emotional and financial challenges. For those in the health, education, and social services sectors, ASD is an important issue, due to both the resources those living with ASD require for intervention and treatment as well as the on-going impact on the health and well-being of Canadian children, youth, adults and their fami-lies and communities.
Adults with ASD have some of the poorest employment outcomes in comparison to others with disabili-ties. While data in Canada is limited, roughly 25 per cent of Americans liv-ing with ASD are employed and no more than six per cent are competi-tively employed. Research by Autism Ontario of 480 youth (16+) and adults living with ASD showed that only 13.9% of participants with autism 20 years and older relied on full-time em-ployment as their primary source of income, while 6.1% relied on part-time employment. Also, the majority of people (58.2%) depended on Ontario Disability Income Supports (ODSP) as their primary source of income. Most earn less than the national minimum hourly wage, endure extended periods
of joblessness and frequently shuffle between positions, further diminish-ing their prospects. Poor employment outcomes result in lower quality of life and often lead to steep economic costs.
Many people with ASD are capa-ble of employment and have valuable contributions to make in the workforce and in their communities. The vulner-abilities that young adults with autism face, however, as they struggle with the transition to adulthood, can make it difficult to find and maintain a job.
Governments are wise to pay at-tention to these poor employment outcomes; improving employment outcomes for those living with ASD should be an important policy objec-tive. Work opportunities improve qual-ity of life, economic independence, so-
cial integration, and ultimately benefit all. Adults with ASD can succeed with the right supports.
Vocational rehabilitation services are essential for people with autism who not only experience difficulty successfully transitioning into em-ployment but also experience a dra-matic decline in supports and services after high school and into adulthood. Research on autism spectrum disor-ders and employment has shown how important it is that vocational rehabil-itation professionals develop a thor-ough understanding of the individ-ual’s unique characteristics, learning style, strengths and, most importantly, interests. Many individuals with ASD have characteristics that could make them attractive to potential employ-ers, including punctuality, attention to detail, consistency, reliability, or good visual-spatial or mechanical skills. Re-search also indicates that engaging an individual with an autism spectrum disorder directly in the job search and in job placement as quickly as possible leads to better employment outcomes.
We hope you find this edition of Re-hab Matters to be a good resource.
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17FALL ISSUE
SPECIAL FEATURE
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4 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ Summer 2019
➤➤MESSAGE DE LA PRÉSIDENTE
Bienvenue dans ce numéro de Rehab Matters traitant du trouble du spectre de l’autisme (TSA). Environ 1 enfant ou adolescent sur 66 reçoit un diag-nostic de TSA au Canada. Pour les fa-milles, un diagnostic de TSA amène des défis importants d’ordre émotion-nel et financier. Pour les individus œu-vrant dans les secteurs de la santé, de l’enseignement et des services sociaux, un TSA est un problème important en raison des ressources dont ont besoin ceux et celles vivant avec un TSA en matière d’intervention et de traitement et en raison de l’impact continu sur la santé et le bien-être des enfants, des jeunes et des adultes canadiens, ainsi que de leurs familles et communautés.
Les adultes vivant avec un TSA ont l’un des plus faibles revenus d’emploi en comparaison avec ceux et celles aux prises avec un autre type de handicap ou de limitation fonctionnelle. Les données au Canada sont limitées, mais environ 25 pour cent des Américains vivant avec le TSA ont un emploi et pas plus de six pour cent ont un salaire concurrentiel. Une étude menée par Autisme Ontario sur 480 jeunes (16 ans et +) et adultes vivant avec un TSA a démontré que seulement 13,9 % des participants autistes de 20 ans et plus pouvaient compter sur un emploi à temps plein comme première source de revenu, alors que 6,1 % avaient un emploi à temps partiel. De plus, la majorité des individus TSA (58,2 %) tirent leur source de revenu prin-cipal du Programme ontarien de sou-tien aux personnes handicapées (PO-SPH). La plupart gagnent moins que le salaire horaire minimum national, doivent vivre des périodes prolongées de non-emploi et des changements de
poste fréquents, diminuant encore da-vantage leurs perspectives de carrière. Un faible revenu d’emploi occasionne une moins bonne qualité de vie et mène souvent à une forte augmenta-tion des coûts économiques.
Plusieurs personnes vivant avec le TSA peuvent occuper un emploi et apporter une contribution remarqua-ble à la main-d’œuvre locale et au sein de leur communauté. Cependant, les vulnérabilités auxquelles doivent faire face les jeunes adultes TSA, alors qu’ils affrontent la transition vers le monde adulte, peuvent leur compliquer la vie quand vient le temps de trouver un emploi et de le conserver.
Les gouvernements font la bonne chose en portant attention à ces faibles revenus d’emploi et l’amélioration des revenus d’emploi de ceux et celles vivant avec le TSA devrait être un ob-jectif important à atteindre. Les occa-sions d’emploi améliorent la qualité de vie, l’indépendance économique, l’intégration sociale et sont en défini-tive bénéfiques pour tous. Les adultes ayant un TSA peuvent obtenir du suc-cès s’ils peuvent compter sur un sout-ien adéquat.
Les services de réadaptation profes-sionnelle sont essentiels pour les per-sonnes vivant avec l’autisme qui non
seulement rencontrent des difficultés dans leur transition vers le milieu du travail, mais doivent également sub-ir un déclin drastique des soutiens et services après l’école secondaire, au moment d’entrée dans le monde adulte. Les recherches sur le trouble du spectre de l’autisme et le niveau d’emploi ont démontré à quel point il est important que les professionnels en réadaptation professionnelle dévelop-pent une compréhension approfondie des caractéristiques uniques de l’indi-vidu, de son style d’apprentissage, de ses forces, et surtout, de ses intérêts. La plupart des personnes TSA possèdent des caractéristiques qui peuvent les rendre attrayants aux yeux d’employ-eurs éventuels, par exemple la ponctu-alité, le souci du détail, la constance, la fiabilité ou de bonnes aptitudes con-crètes ou visuo-spatiales. Les recherch-es indiquent également qu’impliquer un individu aux prises avec un trouble du spectre de l’autisme directement, et le plus rapidement possible, dans la recherche d’emploi ou un placement d’emploi mène à des revenus d’emploi supérieurs.
Nous espérons que ce numéro de Rehab Matters vous sera utile.
Summer 2019 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ 5
➤While there is still no medical test that can diagnose autism nor is there a cure, awareness
of autism spectrum disorder is grow-ing, and that is a very good thing for us as vocational rehabilitation profession-als. A 2015 survey by the Public Health Agency of Canada revealed that one in 66 Canadian children and youth have an ASD, which for many will impact their working lives as adults.
Given that the unemployment rate among adults with autism is estimated to be approximately 80%, there is tre-mendous opportunity for progress in vocational rehabilitation. Of note, about half of those identified as being on the spectrum having average or above-av-erage intellectual ability and as a result, progressive organizations both small and large are beginning to realize the competitive advantages that a neurodi-verse team can offer, as you’ll read about in this issue. Individuals with autism offer unique talents, perspectives and skills that can be beneficial to many busi-nesses. The companies who hire them are also contributing to breaking down
the stigma that has caused this group to be underemployed for generations.
One exciting new pathway which is proving to be ideal is entrepreneur-ship, given that persons with ASD have often spent many years adapting to the challenges and opportunities presented by their disability, making them ideal candidates to succeed into the entrepreneurial world.
Helping individuals with ASD to successfully navigate the interview pro-cess is only one part of our job as vo-cational rehabilitation professionals. Of equal importance is ensuring that once hired, they are appropriately integrat-ed into the workplace. This issue offers practical tips so you can help compa-nies understand how to effect necessary changes in their corporate culture to cre-ate and maintain a supportive climate at work for neurodiverse employees. This will benefit everyone and allow the or-ganization to leverage the many skills that employees with ASD have to offer. In addition to ‘outside the box’ think-ing and attention to detail, among the rewards that await firms willing to hire adults on the spectrum are high rates of retention and low absenteeism.
If this issue of Rehab Matters gets you excited to learn more about the im-portant role that we can play in helping adults with ASD find and retain mean-ingful employment, be sure to check out the additional reading list to learn more about autism spectrum disorder and neurodiversity.
MESSAGE FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF VRA CANADASUMMER 2019
A different drummer:
AUTISMin the workplace
Autism Primer • Autism and entrepreneurship • Autism funding in Ontario
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6 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ Summer 2019
➤ FOCUS ON AUTISM
By Paula Roy
While awareness of what au-tism is and which interven-tions are proving helpful to
families navigating the complexities of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), surprisingly little is known about its causes. There is no medical test that can diagnose autism nor is there a cure. Families who feel their child is not hit-ting the appropriate developmental milestones typically seek the services of experienced therapists who admin-ister diagnostic assessments, examin-ing a child’s behaviours (particularly repetitive, restrictive patterns of be-haviour), communication techniques and social interactions using a variety of autism-specific tools.
What we do know is that autism is four times more common in boys than in girls and is not limited to any racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. A 2015 survey by the Public Health Agency of Canada revealed that one in 66 Cana-dian children and youth have an ASD. ASD is present from birth and can be diagnosed as early as 24 months al-though the hallmark symptoms may not be clearly evident until a child is older than that, when the delta between his or her abilities and social norms is more apparent.
In the psychiatric community, think-ing about autism has changed and the new approach is reflected in current DSM-5 guidelines. In in the past, chil-dren were diagnosed as having either autism, Asperger’s disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD) or per-vasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). To-day, this collection of pervasive devel-opmental disorders is now considered as one disorder that presents along a spectrum of symptoms and behaviors of varying severity, hence the preferred use of ASD.
ASD is a complex condition that im-pacts brain development and affects a person’s social relationships, commu-
nication, interests and behaviour. ASD presents itself in a wide range of com-binations with individuals exhibiting many different combinations of the be-haviours in varying degrees of severity. It is therefore important to understand that as it is a spectrum, the needs, skills and abilities of each person are different.
Family income, lifestyle, or educa-tional levels do not affect an individ-ual's chance of being autistic. In ad-dition, about 50% of children on the spectrum have average or above-av-erage intellectual ability. Unfortunate-ly, this doesn’t always translate into education or career success. In fact, the unemployment rate among adults with autism is estimated to be approx-imately 80%.
In general, a person with ASD typ-ically has difficulty with communica-tion and social interaction. This can include being nonverbal or being ver-bal but with a tendency to respond in-appropriately in conversations. Some-one with ASD may have an inability to understand non-verbal cues, includ-
ing body language and tone of voice (for example, sarcasm). They may also have challenges forging or maintain-ing age-appropriate friendships. Many people with ASD tend to be extremely dependent upon established routines and can be highly sensitive to changes in environment, or maintain intense at-tachment to objects.
As mentioned, there is no cure for ASD. There are, however, highly effec-tive treatment and intervention meth-ods to help children and their families address the characteristics of this dis-order. Proven methods of early inter-ventions can help children with ASD develop skills, learn to communicate effectively, share in family life and en-joy success at school, setting them up for future accomplishments in life.
Sources:Autism Information Services of British ColumbiaChildmind InstituteWebMD
An autism primer
Summer 2019 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ 7
Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Atten-tion Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood by Edward Hallowell and John Ratey
Odd Girl Out: My Extraordinary Autistic Life by Laura James
Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger Syndrome by Rudy Simone
The Power of Neurodiversity: Unleashing the Advantages of Your Differently Wired Brain by Thomas Armstrong
Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant by Daniel Tammet
Additional readingHere’s a list of books that may be helpful should you wish to learn more about autism spectrum disorder and neurodiversity.
Look me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison
Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism by Temple Grandin
Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism by Roy Richard Grinker
Asperger's on the Job: Must-have Advice for People with Asperger's or High Functioning Autism, and their Employers, Educators, and Advocates by Rudy Simone and Temple Grandin
NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman
Note: some of these books were pub-lished prior to the widespread adoption of autism spectrum disorder as the preferred diagnostic name, hence the titles which include words like Asperger syndrome and savant.
8 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ Summer 2019
By Paula Roy
An effective team – whether in business, sports or even families – relies upon each of its mem-
bers to contribute different skills and strengths. Most companies thrive by having certain individuals who excel at marketing, for example, while oth-ers focus their energies on accounting, production, communications, custom-er service, sales and so forth. Leaders in many fields of endeavour would agree that a diversity of skills is essential, so why aren’t more companies looking at neurodiversity as well?
It’s an idea whose time has come, as organizations both small and large are beginning to realize the competi-tive advantages that a neurodiverse team can offer. Several years ago, Mi-crosoft launched an Autism Hiring Program which is intended to bring a wider range of perspectives, work styles, creativity and analytical abil-ities into the company. At the same time as filling key technical positions, Microsoft is also developing a work-force that better represents the gen-
eral population of its own customers. Currently offered in several U.S. cities where Microsoft has offices, the com-pany plans to pilot an international expansion in 2019.
Studies suggest that while the num-ber of individuals diagnosed with autism is rising, it is not necessarily because autism is on the increase; it is just that awareness of it is, and there-fore more families are seeking profes-sional assessments. There’s an inter-esting correlation in that, as a result of more diagnoses of individuals on the spectrum, there is also a growing pool of business owners and executives with autistic children. These individ-uals often have a keen interest in pro-viding work opportunities and envi-ronments in which autistic people can succeed. They recognize the value in allowing those on spectrum to capi-talize on the skills and traits that they have – such as being extremely me-thodical and detail-oriented – which many of which those who are neuro-typical do not. An added bonus is that many people with ASD have a high tolerance for routine and repetitive
tasks, something which is valuable in many different work environments.
Large corporations such as IBM, SAP, Ford Motor Company and Hewl-ett Packard are also among those which have come to recognize the benefits of neurodiversity and have been work-ing to update their traditional hiring practices to make them suitable for non-neurotypical individuals.
Some hiring managers are describ-ing the challenges of hiring today amid a shortage of skilled workers – a trend happening across many industries – as fighting a ‘war for talent’. While hir-ing non-neurotypical individuals is not happening in big numbers yet, it is happening enough to show that indi-viduals with autism offer a competitive advantage due to their high reliability, creativity, attention to detail and tech-nical prowess. If everyone on a team thinks the same way, the number of solutions that are likely to be proposed will be less than if there are divergent thinkers in the group, and that’s some-thing at which individuals with ASD tend to excel.
If, as a VR professional, you are
The benefits of neurodiversity in the workplaceX
➤ FOCUS ON AUTISM
Summer 2019 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ 9
The benefits of neurodiversity in the workplaceX
working to place a client who has ASD and you encounter someone who ques-tions their ability to make valued con-tributions in the workplace, it might be helpful to offer them a list of some of the many talented people on the spectrum who have had remarkable career suc-cess. Here are a few to get you started:➤ Professor of Animal Science and
influential autism spokesperson Dr. Temple Grandin – mute until she was almost four years old, Dr. Grandin has been described as the most accomplished and well-known adult with autism in the world.
➤ Pokémon inventor Satoshi Tajiri – while his name may not be familiar, his creation certainly is and it stemmed from his in-tense childhood obsessions with Nintendo’s Game Boy and insect collecting.
➤ Actor Sir Anthony Hopkins – this Oscar-winning actor has spo-ken openly about being on the spectrum and how it negatively impacts his social life. Despite that, he is an extremely successful
actor, beloved by millions.➤ Actress Daryl Hannah – while she
too has struggled with feeling so-cially awkward and uncomfort-able, the award-winning Hannah has starred in many popular films and plays.
➤ Actor, comedian and musician Dan Aykroyd – he notes that har-nessing the obsessive traits of his autism helped him in his career.
➤ Singer Susan Boyle – after burst-ing onto the world stage thanks to a stellar appearance on the TV show Britain’s Got Talent, Boyle attributes her uniqueness to ASD.
➤ Nobel Prize-winning Professor of Economics Dr. Vernon Smith – credited with the invention of experimental economics, this pioneer says that much of his success is due to autism because he does not feel any pressure to do things the way other people are doing them. Experts also believe that while they
were not diagnosed with ASD during their lifetimes, scientist and mathema-tician Albert Einstein, artist Andy War-
hol, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mo-zart and poet Emily Dickinson likely owed much of their success to autism.
An informative article in the Harvard Business Review highlights how some progressive companies are tapping into the competitive advantag-es of hiring neurodiverse individuals. These include accessing an untapped talent pool, productivity gains, quality improvement, increased innovation, enriched employee engagement, im-proved hiring and management prac-tices, reputational enhancement and being seen as true leaders in their in-dustries. Clearly, the benefits of hiring employees with autism go far beyond just feeling good about giving a job to someone with a disability.
Individuals with autism see and experience the world differently than those of us who are neurotypical, of-fering unique talents, perspectives and skills that can be beneficial to many businesses. Companies who choose to hire individuals with autism are also contributing to breaking down the stigma that has caused this group to be underemployed for generations.
10 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ Summer 2019
By Paula Roy
Given that the pathway through education and eventual em-ployment can be a complicat-
ed and even convoluted one for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is little wonder that some excel as entrepreneurs. By the time they reach early adulthood, they have already spent many years adapting to the chal-lenges and opportunities presented by their disability and learning coping strategies beyond what many of us can imagine. Their perseverance and obliv-iousness to social norms also make them ideal candidates to jump boldly into the entrepreneurial world.
Just as some individuals on the spec-trum are proving themselves to be ca-pable employees in many different in-dustries, so too are others capitalizing on their strengths and finding ways to run their own start-ups. According to Dr. Temple Grandin, one of the most well-known advocates for those on the spectrum like herself, many autis-tic people can run businesses if they’re given the chance to discover something they like and develop skills around their interests.
In the majority of cases, entrepre-neurs with autism do rely on the sup-port of family members or trusted business partners who assist with tasks such as interacting with the public, taking orders, doing marketing or han-dling invoicing and banking. Advo-cates suggest this is no different than other entrepreneurs who focus on de-livering a service or creating a product, with administrative support provided by other employees.
A quick internet search reveals im-pressive examples of entrepreneurs with ASD. Canadian success story An-dreas Souvaliotis describes himself as an ‘incurable misfit’ who could never quite find his place in the corporate world, despite being a mathematical genius whose computational skills were valued in the loyalty points in-dustry. It was not until he was diag-nosed with ASD in his 40s that he fi-nally felt brave enough to embrace the idea of becoming an entrepreneur. His second successful business, Carrot Re-wards, is a mobile app that allows Ca-nadians to earn free loyalty points in exchange for making healthy choices, such as increasing their step counts or
quitting smoking. The name is inten-tionally chosen; rather than shaming or making people feel guilty for not meet-ing their step targets, if it dangles a car-rot that more points can be earned if a person gets moving a little more. Sou-valiotis is the first to admit that his idea for Carrot was completely unorthodox and unique, yet over 750,000 Canadi-ans have embraced the app and it is encouraging many of them to become more physically active. With his keen interest in numbers, Andreas eagerly monitors the metrics of how users are engaging with the app and with focus-ing on healthier living; his prowess at math allows him to make quick busi-ness decisions in a very dynamic, fast-paced industry.
Businesswoman Eileen Parker founded a company called Cozy Calm, which makes weighted sensory blan-kets and sells them online. Eileen grew up not knowing she had autism, despite having been nonverbal until she was five years old. Diagnosed when she was around 40 years of age, it was the in-tervention of an occupational therapist that put Parker on her path to success. The therapist covered Parker with a
AUTISMAND ENTREPRENEURSHIP:Another route to career success
➤ FOCUS ON AUTISM
Summer 2019 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ 11
weighted blanket and its calming ef-fects were quickly evident. When Park-er went to buy a blanket for her own use, she discovered that there were few manufacturers, leading her to start her own company, which is extremely suc-cessful.
By creating their own companies, people on the spectrum can establish a work environment and comfortable task-based routines which they can execute well and which bolster their self-confidence. It is exciting to wit-ness entrepreneurs with autism who are thriving in self-created workplaces with a network of supporters helping to fuel their success.
While some people with ASD may not be ready to start their own busi-nesses, there are an increasing num-ber of neurotypical entrepreneurs who value the skills that someone on the spectrum has to offer. Whether their willingness to embrace neurodiversity stems from their own experiences with siblings or children with ASD or sim-ply from general awareness, they rec-ognize that employees with ASD can add much to an organization, whether filling an existing role or thriving in one
created especially for them. Some have dubbed these employers ‘autism entre-preneurs’ and while their numbers are small at present, many advocates for individuals with ASD hope their ap-proach to changing the future of adults with autism becomes a growing trend.
Stories abound of families who choose to take matters into their own hands and create businesses so their own children with autism can have meaningful employment, knowing that school does not prepare them ad-equately for the world of work. One such company is New Jersey-based Popcorn for the People, where almost 70% of the employees are on the spec-trum. The family-owned business was initially launched to provide employ-ment for the owners’ adult son, who was their first employee. He exempli-fies the kinds of characteristics that can make a person with autism a great em-ployee, in that he is extremely punctual, hard-working and follows directions explicitly. The company has intention-ally created roles to suit a wide variety of abilities for their employees with au-tism, including creating the flavoured popcorn, labelling bags and selling it at college football games. Part of what’s being called the autism economy, com-panies like Popcorn for the People, as well as car washes, landscaping firms and bakeries, are applauded by advo-cates for leveraging the power of fam-ily businesses to change the way indi-viduals on the spectrum look at their employment prospects.
Should you, in your vocational re-habilitation work, have a client on the spectrum who is interested in entre-preneurship, it may be beneficial to share some advice from Rosalind A. Bergemann, an entrepreneurial busi-ness consultant who also happens to be autistic. She is the author of a book entitled An Asperger’s Guide to Entrepre-neurship: Setting up Your Own Business for Professionals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Here are her tips:➤ Ensure that the vision for the
product/service and its unique selling point can be shared clear-ly with others, including inves-tors, colleagues and customers. This includes what competitive
differences or advantages the business may have.
➤ Conduct a thorough and honest assessment of your personal strengths and weaknesses. Do-ing this will enable you to iden-tify areas where you may need support and develop strategies to address those needs.
➤ Consider sharing your diagnosis with those working closest to you. As an entrepreneur you will likely have a small team, at least in the beginning, upon whom you need to rely heavily at times. Sharing the fact that you have ASD may foster greater un-derstanding and communication and will likely enable them to better support you in the areas where you have weaknesses.
➤ Don’t allow your new business to take over your life. Many people on the spectrum tend to throw themselves into new projects wholeheartedly. While it is important to devote sufficient attention and energy to your company, it is equally important to make sure other parts of your life (health, family and friends, for example) do not suffer as a result.
➤ Be prepared to experience change. Most of us on the spec-trum tend to prefer following routines and doing things in the same way consistently. As a small business owner, however, it’s im-portant to be open to change and spend time developing coping strategies to better handle change when it needs to occur. Starting a business can be challeng-
ing, but it can also be very satisfying and rewarding. As VR professionals we should not discount the entrepreneur-ial option as we work to help adults on the spectrum find meaningful work.
Sources:MaRS Discovery District Inc. The autism siteEntrepreneurJessica Kingley Publishers
Just as some individuals on the spectrum are proving themselves to
be capable employees in many different industries, so too are others
capitalizing on their strengths and finding ways to run
their own start-ups.
12 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ Summer 2019
➤ FOCUS ON AUTISM
By Paula Roy
If an organization is open to adjust-ing its hiring process to accommo-date individuals with autism, that is
a great start but it is only the beginning of what needs to be done. Welcoming neurodiversity in the workplace offers the potential of having engaged em-ployees who can bring new ideas, new solutions and new energy to any team. The results have been shown to include improved productivity and profitabili-ty. As VR professionals, we may play a role in helping companies interested in employees with autism so it is helpful to have some tips in our toolkits to en-sure a successful integration.
The need to retool aspects of recruit-ing and employment to better suit the needs of neurodiverse individuals was the driver behind the creation of Spe-cialisterne, a global not-for-profit ded-
icated to ensuring that every autistic and other neurodiverse person who wants a meaningful career gets one. The organization has developed a com-prehensive and multi-tiered change management approach to recruitment and on-boarding and is available to provide support for planning, training, sourcing, assessing and transitioning employees. Specialisterne can help change not only a company’s process-es, but also ingrained attitudes, there-by creating an environment in which diversity has the ability to thrive.
Changing corporate culture is one of the key components and it is therefore recommended that training be provid-ed not just to those who will be manag-ing an employee with autism, but also any colleagues likely to have direct in-teraction. Pairing a worker with autism with a ‘work buddy’ – ideally someone on the same internal team – can provide
invaluable assistance with daily tasks, workload management and prioriti-zation. In addition, it is a good idea to assign a mentor to help with things like navigating work-related social situa-tions, understanding the social culture and hierarchy of the workplace, access-ing company benefits, understanding performance review procedures or how to participate in difficult conver-sations with colleagues or bosses.
At work, employees with autism may display some of the characteristics typical of those on the spectrum. These can include a reluctance to make eye contact, a tendency to pursue seeming-ly unrelated conversational tangents or to speak rapidly, but it is important that those traits be accepted as part of what makes that person unique. Com-panies should remember that because these individuals have been hired for their skills, to benefit from them means
Tips for understanding and integrating employees
with autism
Summer 2019 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ 13
accepting the things about them that cannot be changed. A good analogy is that accepting the behavioural traits of someone with ASD is just the same as accepting the need for someone with a physical disability to use a wheelchair or someone with hearing impairment to use assistive devices. It is neither re-alistic nor appropriate to expect some-one on the spectrum to behave like someone who is neurotypical; by al-lowing individuals to behave normal-ly, they can better focus on the tasks of their job. Embracing neurodiversity means understanding that people can-not all be slotted into the same boxes.
The Rochester Institute of Technolo-gy runs a Spectrum Support Program designed to help students with au-tism navigate college, succeed in co-op placements and find meaningful em-ployment after graduation. The pro-gram has developed a comprehensive guide for employers which explains what they might expect from an em-ployee with autism and how to best guide and support them to succeed in the workplace; it is full of valuable tips and suggestions.
In endeavouring to provide an opti-mal work environment, it is important to understand the typical challenges a person with autism deals with on a daily basis. Organizational skills is one area that may pose problems; this may manifest itself in terms of time manage-ment issues, having difficulty knowing how or where to begin on a project and what the deliverables are. It is a good idea to consider offering detailed, writ-ten instructions for tasks to be complet-ed as well as working with the individ-ual to develop a daily schedule they can follow to stay on track.
Another common challenge for indi-viduals with autism is difficulty read-ing social cues, understanding someone else’s point of view or picking up on non-verbal communication. They tend to take things literally and not under-stand the hierarchical deference that most people observe when speaking to supervisors or executives. They may be unintentionally blunt or appear self-cen-tred when speaking; a lack of eye contact or smiling is also common. Frustration and impatience may result in outbursts or interruptions; this is behaviour that is ingrained and difficult to change but
awareness among others in the organi-zation may make it easier to accept.
When it comes to communication, it is a good idea to encourage a neuro-diverse employee to ask questions as they need on a regular basis, so they can understand what the priorities are and what is expected of them. When providing information of any kind to an employee with autism, it is imper-ative to only use clear, direct language as they will not typically understand clichés, indirect wording, implied meanings, and idiomatic expressions. Asking the employee to repeat instruc-tions back is a great way to ensure the message has been understood.
In addition, the physical environ-ment on the job can post challenges, with things like lighting, room tem-perature, noises, textures and smells potentially proving distressing to a person with autism. Bearing this is mind, it is often best to offer a struc-tured work day that gives an employee with autism the extra time they may need to complete some tasks as well as scheduled breaks so they can reset af-ter times of sensory overload. Change is often difficult for individuals with autism, so it is important to communi-cate in advance if adjustments are to be made to work location, schedule, rou-tine, etc. On that note, even if a com-pany has an open-plan environment without assigned desks, an individual with autism may prefer to have a con-sistent place to work, to increase the sense of a familiar routine which may help them settle into each workday
more quickly and comfortably. To enable an employee with autism
to flourish in their job, some accommo-dations may be necessary, depending upon their individual needs. For exam-ple, they may need to minimize senso-ry stimulation. This could be achieved by offering them a workspace which is located away from the bulk of the of-fice traffic and away from noisy equip-ment; noise-cancelling headphones might also be useful. Rather than an open-concept setting, they may prefer an enclosed cubicle or office. It is im-portant to find out whether being near a window would be a detriment or an enhancement to their productivity, and if any particular lighting strategy, such as task-based lighting they can control, would be helpful.
The United Kingdom’s National Autistic society provides additional tips for managing an employee with autism. These include making sure instructions are concise and specific. A non-neurotypical individual will appreciate receiving clear instructions right from the start about exactly how to carry out each task from start to fin-ish. Frequent and brief performance reviews are also a good idea; these should take place in one-on-one meet-ings during which overall performance is discussed, accomplishments are praised and specific feedback and sug-gestions are offered. Any information discussed in the meeting should also be supplied in writing.
Should corrective feedback be re-Continued on page 14
Welcoming neurodiversity in the workplace offers the potential of having engaged
employees who can bring new ideas, new solutions and new energy to any team.
14 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ Summer 2019
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quired, it should be deliv-ered in a manner that is honest, concise and direct. A tactful and specific expla-nation of what the employ-ee did that was not up to standards and what specific things they should instead be doing should conclude with a checkback to ensure the employee understands. It is important to be aware that many individuals with au-tism experience bullying in academic and workplace set-tings which can hinder their self-esteem; therefore being sensitive and giving positive feedback in addition to con-structive criticism is crucial.
It is important to be cog-nizant that an employee with autism may need re-assurance in stressful sit-uations, whether it is late arrival due to a missed bus, problems completing tasks due to a technical glitch or lost work time due to a power failure. It could be helpful to discuss some of the situations they may en-counter before they happen and let them know that they will not be chastised for un-avoidable delays. If they are assigned a work buddy or mentor, encourage the em-ployee with autism to speak with them anytime they are feeling confused or anxious about work issues.
The experts may have sound advice, but it is em-ployees with autism who know best what they need. One such individual, Ashley McKay, wrote an interesting article which outlines what the autistic person needs in the workplace. Her advice? Ask, listen and be open. It starts with accepting and understanding that because it is a spectrum, no two au-tistic people are the same. Working with one person with autism does not mean that you know exactly how
everyone with autism will function in a work environ-ment. Hand-in-hand with recognizing individuali-ty is a recommendation to ditch assumptions and ste-reotypes. Just because one autistic person has certain capabilities, it doesn’t make them ‘less autistic’ that someone else. Rather than assuming an understand-ing of their needs, ask the individual to explain their strengths and weakness-es and communicate those with colleagues as needed.
Communication is key and the best way to foster a productive working relation-ship is to initiate a conversa-tion with the employee with autism to discuss their spe-cific needs. Recognize that it may be an ongoing con-versation as their needs may evolve over time. Speaking of evolving, it is also import-ant to provide opportunities for career progress if desired, just as is done for neurotypi-cal employees.
With the appropriate hir-ing and management prac-tices, shifts in corporate culture and a commitment to maintaining a supportive climate at work, neurodi-verse employees can lever-age their skills and abilities to excel in many different fields of employment. In return for the efforts made to accommodate employees with autism, the company can reap rewards that in-clude high rates of retention and low absenteeism. Orga-nizations interested in be-coming a part of the solution for individuals with autism have a growing selection of tools and trailblazers at their disposal.
To access additional resourc-es to assist with integrating employees with autism into a work environment, please contact Specialisterne Canada.
Continued from page 13
Summer 2019 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ 15
➤ FOCUS ON AUTISM
By Paula Roy
Funding models for autism thera-pies vary across the country. Pro-posed changes recently announced
and then revised by the Ontario gov-ernment have been grabbing headlines as parents try to come to terms with what the funding changes will mean for their children. Clearly, families have made their concerns heard as the gov-ernment agreed in early April to hold off on making any changes until after extensive public consultation takes place across the province this spring.
After the consultation, an adviso-ry panel composed of parents, autistic adults and experts such as psycholo-gists and behavioural analysts will re-view the results over the summer and make recommendations regarding how to better support children with complex needs, which may include additional direct funding.
The Ontario government has pub-licly stated that its objective is to re-duce the number of children with ASD currently on wait lists for treatment, however it would appear that cutting costs associated with autism services could be a secondary objective. Inten-sive therapy can cost up to $80,000 per year, an amount that is out of reach for many families. The proposed changes could see some families’ funding cut by as much as 88%, which explains the uproar.
So what does funding for children with autism have to do with the world of work? Ensuring children with au-tism get timely and effective treatment can have long lasting impacts. Simply put, intervention has been proven to be successful at helping many children grow up to have meaningful, produc-tive and satisfying adult lives.
Less expensive physiological inter-ventions are sometimes suggested as way to reduce the cost of providing treatment for children on the spec-trum; these include medications such
as selective serotonin receptor-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antidepressants, an-tipsychotic drugs, stimulants, dietary supplements and herbal medications. Some believe that special diets, hyper-baric oxygen therapy, stem cell therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation might also be effective treatments for children with ASD. However, none of these alternatives have been proven effective – particularly in comparison to behavioural therapy – nor have the long-term implications of such treat-ments been studied adequately.
The impacts of reduced funding to help children with autism are well documented. Numerous studies have shown that the earlier the child with au-tism starts treatment/intervention ther-apy, the better the outcomes are. Many children diagnosed with autism who embark at a young age on an intensive program of behavioral therapy – often called Applied Behaviour Analysis or ABA – can made remarkable progress, to the point where they are almost in-
distinguishable from their peers. Oth-ers gain improved cognitive and lan-guage skills plus adaptive behaviours that improve their ability to function in the mainstream world in many settings.
By contrast, without sufficient in-tervention, the typical hallmarks of autism spectrum disorders will persist into adulthood. These include difficul-ties with communication, socialization, processing emotions, repetitive behav-iors, sensory processing dysfunctions, disordered sleep, speech and language impairments, seizures, irritability, gas-trointestinal issues, aggression, hyper-activity and more. It is easy to under-stand how an individual with these challenges could have problems thriv-ing in most workplaces.
The implications of changes to autism funding in Ontario
Sources:Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social ServicesSpectrum
16 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ Summer 2019
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The PGAP® is considered one of the most empirically supported interventions for targeting psychosocial risk-factors for disability. This training workshop is designed to equip rehabilitation professionals with skills in psychosocial intervention strategies such that they may be better able to assist their clients in overcoming the challenges associated with debilitating health/mental health conditions. To date, clinical trials have supported the effectiveness of the PGAP for reducing disability and promoting return to work in individuals who have sustained work injuries, individuals with whiplash injuries, individuals with fibromyalgia, and individuals with mental health conditions such as depression and PTSD. The demand for the PGAP has increased dramatically over the
past few years and is considered a preferred service by many injury and disability insurers in North America. The PGAP has been included in the Official Disability Guidelines (Work Loss Data Institute) as an evidence-based approach to the management of disability.
April 26-27, 2019 Ottawa, Ontario June 2-3, 2019 Calgary, Alberta
Instructor: Psychologist, Michael JL Sullivan, is a Professor of Psychology, Medicine, Neurology, Neeuroscince, Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill University, (Montreal, Canada) and Honourary Professor in the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences at The University of Queensland, (Brisbane, Australia). He holds a Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Health.
Preventing Needless Disability
Registration forms, Speaker CV,
Journal References:
www.PGAPworks.com
A 2-Day Skills Training Workshop for the Progressive Goal Attainment Program (PGAP®)
Written by Tim J Huff & Iona Snair and il-lustrated by Tim Huff. The book includes a Discussion and Activity Guide and special feature from singer Steve Bell. Published in 2018 by Castle Quay Books.
Am I Safe? Is the fourth book in the Compassion Series, written for children and the adults that
are in their lives. This book explores fear and anxiety leading the readers to a place of empathy and courage. This book includes a discussion and activity guide that helps parents, grandparents, and teachers to explore these important topics alongside children, helping them to discover how to stand well together. For a child with anxiety this book will help them, with the assistance of the adults exploring this book together, to stand against fear’s “bullying” power. For family and other supportive adults this book can provide a window into the common experiences and impact of fear.
I have known Tim Huff for many
years and can attest to the experience and cre-dentials he brings to this series. Having worked in the service industry for most of his life, Tim’s impressive resume in-cludes serving as Staff Director of the Ontar-io Camp of the Deaf, founding Director of Frontlines Youth Centre, founding Director of Youth Unlimited Light Patrol street outreach, co-founder of The Hope Exchange StreetLevel Net-work, member of the boards of direc-tors for The Daily Bread Food Bank and Hockey Helps the Homeless, and chair-person for several national social-justice conferences and campaigns. Tim is the founder of and currently serves as the creative and development lead of Youth Unlimited Compassion Series. Tim trav-els around North America speaking at schools, agencies, government events,
and companies discuss-ing the Compassion Series. Tim is a talented artist, musician, speak-er, and advocate, mak-ing him a credible
Iona SnairFor the past 30 years, Ms. Snair has been involved in the lives of vulnerable young
people and the adults who care about them. She was the city of Abbotsford’s first youth services coordinator for the Abbotsford Youth Commission.
She has served as a drop-in centre director, foster parent, probation coun-sellor, and college instructor – always focusing her efforts on creating path-ways for marginalized young people to find belonging and hope.
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!
Anitia Kennedy Access Work Service
Am I Safe: Exploring Fear and Anxiety with Children
Summer 2019 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ 17
➤ FOCUS ON AUTISM
By Kelly Mitchell, Trainer and Analyst, and Wendy Lau, CEO, Leads Employment Services(With special thanks to the front-line staff for their hard work)
‘Mom wakes me up now because I have nowhere to go,” Michael told his
new employment specialist (ES) when asked about the coping strategies he was using to attend appointments and meet commitments. A 20-year-old, self-identified male, Michael was one of many unemployed or underem-ployed young people trying to make the often difficult transition from school to work. Though he’s admitted-ly “not much of a talker,” in interviews, he tells hiring managers that he’s a hard worker and a good organizer. He’s a fast learner and is dependable and reliable. Most of all, he enjoys working with his hands. Michael was looking for work stocking shelves at a grocery store or cleaning at a fast food restaurant. He says that one day, he might like to become a police officer or a video game developer.
Like many young people, Michael’s work experience had consisted pri-marily of co-op placements at school
and odd jobs for friends and family members. Unlike many job seekers his age, Michael has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He experiences sensitivity to light and sounds, dislikes crowds, and some-times has trouble focusing on tasks. In the summer of 2017, he and his family reached out to Leads Employment Ser-vices for assistance with skills develop-ment and job placement.
For almost 35 years, Leads has been providing person-centred, specialized skills development and employment support services to people with disabil-ities and barriers throughout South-western Ontario. Using Michael’s story as a case study, this article outlines best practices in supported employment programs for people on the spectrum.
Start from a place of common understandingFirst impressions matter. In the initial phases of service, it is important that all involved parties are on the same page with regards to the person’s goals
(skills development and employment), capabilities (physical, intellectual, and social), disabilities and barriers, train-ing and transportation needs and life, community access, employment, and transferrable skills. Program expec-tations plus roles and responsibilities for the ES and the person whom they are working with must be carefully and clearly defined. In many cases, individuals and their families are in-troduced to the concept of supported employment, as explained in Wendy Lau’s Streetwise Guide to Supported Employment (2013):
“Supported employment represents a particular approach to helping peo-ple with disabilities find and hold jobs. It is founded on the belief that people with disabilities should work, and that this work should be the same as that done by others, both in terms of job responsibilities and locale. At its heart is the commitment to facilitating the entry of people with disabilities into the broader community – vocationally,
for supported employment programs for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Best practices
Continued on page 18
18 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ Summer 2019
physically, and socially.”A wrap-around support philosophy
where intensive skills development services are offered concurrent to em-ployment placement and support ser-vices has generally delivered the best placement and retention outcomes for persons on the spectrum.
Establish networks of supportTo ensure necessary wrap-around sup-ports are provided, the ES connects with community service providers and partners who might also assist persons on the spectrum. In Michael’s case, familial support and open and direct communication with his network were critical to his success. Michael’s moth-er, Jane, was a part of every step of the process. In fact, she attended every appointment, consulted on all job ap-plications, assisted with skills develop-ment and interview preparation, and provided Michael with transportation to work. Engaging Jane early in the process assisted Michael to ultimately actualize his goals.
Individualize services to fit the specific needs of the participantA customized, person-focused ap-proach to service promotes the de-velopment of an individualized em-ployment action plan (EAP). Based on the common assessment process, the EAP offers a comprehensive as-sessment and critical analysis of an individual’s needs, barriers and goals then outlines the steps necessary to accommodate these identified barri-ers and achieve goals. To assist Mi-chael to actualize his goal of work-ing in a grocery store or a fast food restaurant, career exploration activi-ties were completed to identify skills and strengths, communication and interviewing skills were developed and practiced and cover letters and resumes were created for job search. Michael accessed these pre-employ-ment services for approximately 6 months prior to gaining paid em-ployment. During that time, he also secured a volunteer placement at a local non-profit and played an active role in the job search process, some-times accompanying his ES to make connections with employers.
Skills development should also focus on skills generalizationIn one-on-one sessions customized to address the specific needs of each per-son, a number of skills modules that fo-cus broadly on the development, appli-cation, and retention of the following life, employment, community access, and transferrable skills are delivered. These include: personal life manage-ment; self-awareness; motivation; en-gagement; self-esteem; social skills; coping with change; self-advocacy; problem-solving; critical thinking; re-siliency and functional independence. In experiential learning activities, in-terviews, volunteer placements, and paid employment placements, these skills are first practiced, then refined. Michael completed a number of self-as-sessments in which he identified com-munication, social skills and teamwork as areas in which he could improve. His volunteer placement offered a great opportunity to practice these skills in an experiential learning environment.
Experiential learning is critical to skills generalizationAt his volunteer placement, Michael worked in a warehouse, cleaning and organizing materials. On-site coaching supports assisted Michael to adapt to his new routine, learn job duties, and become socially integrated at work. Strong natural supports in the form of supportive coworkers, supervisors, and managers were quickly estab-lished. Lucy was a motivated and un-
derstanding supervisor who was often eager to discuss Michael’s progress and performance. Though Lucy had no is-sues with Michael’s work, she was con-cerned that he was not enjoying his vol-unteer placement. She told Michael’s ES, for example, that he was often quiet and reserved. He seemed unwilling to engage in small talk and banter, which Lucy interpreted as a general dislike or disinterest for the role. When Lucy be-came determined to “pull Michael out of his shell,” an opportunity for em-ployer education was presented.
Engage employers face-to-face and educate about autismEmployer education and engaging em-ployers face-to-face in frank and open discussions about employing persons on the spectrum is an important part of debunking the myths surrounding autism. Some employers assume, for example, that people with autism are not employable, that their disabilities are too difficult or costly to accommo-date. Others imagine that their em-ployment will be disruptive or even unsafe. Many employers simply have very limited experience working with and supporting employees on the spec-trum. To meet Michael’s goal of paid, part-time employment, no less than 42 employers were approached. Michael was finally hired as a cleaner at a fast food restaurant. At that time, the hiring manager indicated that they did not have much knowledge or experience when it came to autism or ASD. Of its
Continued from page 17
Summer 2019 ➤ Rehab Matters ➤ 19
40 employees, Michael was the only one on the spectrum.
Advocate for alternative hiring methods
Many employers approached on Michael’s behalf were also unaware of the barriers creat-
ed by traditional hiring practices, such as the use of on-line applications and standardized face-to-face interviews. Small to medium-sized businesses, such as the local fast food restaurant that hired Michael, were often more receptive to the use of alternative hir-ing methods. The supported interview and the working interview are the two
most effective types of interviews for persons on the spectrum.
Supported interviewMany people on the spectrum struggle in traditional interview settings which emphasize verbal communication eye contact, and an ability to understand and respond to often subtle social cues. During his job search, Michael partic-ipated in three supported interviews that were attended by his ES. Though Michael took the lead in responding to each employers’ questions, the ES supported Michael by prompting and re-phrasing questions and responses and probing for greater details when needed. The ES also elicited feedback from the employer to gain insight into hiring decisions.
Working interviewWorking interviews create a more nat-ural working environment and offer candidates the opportunity to demon-strate that they can successfully per-form tasks associated with the role. Michael participated in one working interview that involved stocking and
facing shelves. Though the experience increased Michael’s confidence in his ability to complete the job, he was ulti-mately not hired for the position. When Michael did secure paid part-time em-ployment cleaning at a local restaurant, the employer adapted their traditional hiring practices and expressed inter-est in job carving for Michael, which would involve modifying the tasks assigned so that he could successfully perform them while meeting the em-ployer’s needs.
Finding the right fit is essentialFinding the right fit between employer and employee is essential. Job carving
work best when an employee’s skills and abilities match an employer’s specific need. In Michael’s case, addi-tional cleaning support was a desired service sought after by Michael’s em-ployer. When hiring managers express values that are consistent with inclu-sivity and respect for diversity, there is also a greater likelihood of a success-ful employment placement. Indeed, in Michael’s case, the hiring manager indicated that he “believes in working with people who have disabilities” and was receptive to accommodations and on-site coaching supports. When asked in a recent follow-up survey to indicate what they learned from employing a person with ASD, Mi-chael’s employer noted that they felt well-equipped to hire, train, provide accommodations for, and retain em-ployees on the spectrum. When asked in a follow-up survey what he thought of his work, Michael indicated that he was very satisfied with his job.
On-site coaching supports must be flexible and availableAs is the case with most employers who
hire participants in supported employ-ment programs, Michael’s employer incurred no financial costs as a result of Michael’s employment. Accommo-dations consisted primarily of adjusted work schedules, modified job tasks and training supports. Michael’s employer rated on-site coaching supports as the most critical to their employee’s suc-cess. A job coach attended at least a portion of all of Michael’ shifts in his first few weeks of employment and as-sisted in the following ways:➤ Assisted training and orientation
by modelling job tasks, prioritiz-ing job duties and problem-solv-ing work-related issues
➤ Supported communication between the manager and the employee
➤ Initiated the development of nat-ural supports with other employ-ees
➤ Provided positive reinforcement plus direct and clear feedback to increase motivation and confi-dence at work
When working with people on the spectrum, successful placements are often retained as a result of commu-nication with all parties, flexible and available coaching supports, the es-tablishment of natural supports, and the provision of appropriate accom-modations. In Michael’s case, though on-site supports began to fade after the first month of employment, over a year later, regular follow-up and direct com-munication with Michael, Michael’s family, and Michael’s employer remain consistent.
Supports should not be linear or short-termFlexible, ongoing support is critical to maintaining job opportunities for people on the spectrum. Outcomes are optimized when communication is clear, direct and consistent plus concurrent skills development and employment support services are per-son-centered. Over the last 35 years, Leads has found these strategies to be the most effective when assisting peo-ple on the spectrum to find and main-tain employment.
