Autism Community Connection autism and adulthood resources

Autism Community Connection

Connecting Illinois Resources, Family, Community and Hope

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Adulthood and Aut= ism

From our online community, parents of family members on the autism spectrum have expressed an interest= in these topics and a desire to learn more.&n= bsp; We have created a list of resources that may assist your child in ho= me, classroom, community and workforce.

For information on transition planning, see our IEP Resource section.

Adulthood and Autism

Services quickly diminish once your family member reaches adulthood and sadly there = are not a lot of Internet resources dealing with this subject. These links cover some of the basi= cs.

A Guide for Transition into Adulthood – from the Organization for Autism Research, this 86 page pdf provides an overview of the process with = an emphasis on early planning beginning no later than age 16, importance of collaboration between the transitioning individual, their family and friend= s, community, school staff and representatives from adult service systems, importance of community-based instruction in the development of skills and = that effective transition planning will provide as fulfilling a life for an adult with autism as possible.

Illinois Parents = of Adults with Developmental Disabilities – Once your child reaches adulthood, issues of services and support become less autism specific and m= ore general to everyone with developmental disabilities. Autism Community Connection create= d this Yahoo group as a way for Illinois parents to network and empower themselves= to work for better funding for services and supports in Illinois.

Life Center – from t= he Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, this is the website to go to for information, organizations and agencies on the key areas of life: Medical I= nformation and Care, Caregiving and Equipment, Housing and Transportation, Education a= nd Employment, Support and Wellness, Recreation and Leisure, Finance and Law a= nd Inspiration and Hope

State of Illinois Department of Developmental Disabilities

TOTAL – Transition Outreach for Adult Living Training Videos – fr= om the Illinois State Board of Education, a series of videos in Real Video format. It takes you through = the IEP process, promoting self-determination, personal perspective videos and more.

Advocacy

How to Run your Own Support Group – this is not autism specific but t= he information pertains to any support group.

Partners in = Making Your Case – a self-study course designed to help people with developmental disabilities and their families create positive change through advocacy.

College

College Living Experience – Organization that assists students with special needs in completing college= and transitioning into independent adults.

College Planning for the High Functioning Student with Autism – from the University of Southern California – Includes a survey of colleges with experience serving students on the autism spectrum.

Students = with Disabilities Preparing for Post-secondary Education: Know your Rights and Responsibilities – From the U.S. Department of Education

University Students = with Autism and Asperger’s – This website is from the UK but has articles on college and autism, many written by students.=

Univer= sity Tailors a Program for Autistic Students – 2004 Associated Press article written by Jennifer Bundy

Community

Best Practi= ce of Inclusive Services – from NCPAD, including inclusion as a value, barriers to inclusion, overcoming barriers, inclusion process, community involvement and more. Includes video clips.

Institute for Community Inclusi= on – ICI promotes inclusion of people with disabilities in school, work = and community activities. They ha= ve a wealth of articles and resources on a variety of issues faced by adults with developmental disabilities.

Disability Benefits

A Case = for Inclusion – from UCP, an analysis of Medicaid and Americans with Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 2006

How do I Apply for Disability Benefits? – from Social Security Online=

SSI Benefits - SSI bene= fits are available to individuals with disabilities who have limited income from= the Department of Rehabilitation Services.

Supplemental Security Income FAQs

How to Contact your So= cial Security office

Employment

The 30 Day Placement Plan: A Road to Employment – In this article by = the Institute for Community Inclusion you will learn to break the job search process down into a series of tasks that will lead to employment, develop a= plan for employment and include the job seeker’s personal and professional support networks in the job search process.

Asperger Syndrome Employment Workbook – a workbook to help those with AS understand their own abilities and limitations. You must purchase it.

Autism Employment Video – from the ASI Oakland County Chapter, a success story of employment

Autistic Owned Busine= sses and other Self Employed Autistics – Christschool video on You Tube gi= ving people examples of successful business people who are on the autism spectru= m.

Autistic Traits – A Plus for Many Careers – About.com’s autism channel article on redefining the workplace for autistic teens and adults

CareerTracks – fro= m JVS Chicago – a program for young adults, ages 18-24 who are having difficulty making the transition from high school to employment.

Career Planning Begins with Assessment – a Guide for Professionals Servi= ng Youth with Educational and Career Development Challenges, a 145 page planni= ng guide developed by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability f= or Youth.

Choosing the Right Job for = People with Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome – by Temple Grandin=

Developing Talen= ts – Careers for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning autism – by Temple Grandin and Kate Duffy

Disability Friendly Companies – from eSight – scroll down to get to fu= ll list

Employability FAQs – The Auti= es.org website has a series of frequently asked questions on autism and employment= .

Getting the Most from the Public Vocational Rehabilitation System

G= oing to Work – from the Institute for Community Inclusion, this guide provides a basic overview of information on social security and employment including work incentive programs and tips for managing benefits. Although targeted to tenants in subsidized housing, this guide can be useful for anyone who receives SSI or SSDI.

Life Skills for Vocational Success – Discusses communications skills, anger management, conflict resolution, friends, getting along with co-workers, leisure skills, decision-making skills, employability, first day on the job= , social skills in the workplace, adapting to change, telephone skills, money management, transportation, health and more.

Making Networking Easier for Job Seekers – This article by the Institute= for Community Inclusion addresses common reasons why people might not be comfortable networking and offers possible solutions.

Making the Transition= from the World of School into the World of Work – by Temple Grandin, P= h.D.

Partners in Empl= oyment – a self-study course designed to help people with developmental disabilities find meaningful jobs and jumpstart their careers. From the Minnesota Governor’s council on Developmental Disabilities.

R= esource Directory for Disabled Persons Starting of Owning a Business – detailed 69 page report from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Econom= ic Opportunity

Succeeding at Wo= rk with Autism

Swimming in the Mainstream – helpful advice for prospective employers of people with disabilities and for job seekers.

TV 411 – This is a tele= vision series for adults who want to strengthen their literacy skills. But they have these incredible lin= ks of learning practical life skills using still from the movie and clicking thru= the story. Some sample lessons in= clude Preparing to Get a Job, Filling Out a Job Application, Tips for Multiple Ch= oice Questions and more. This webs= ite could benefit those in middle school and up. TV411 is available in parts of Ill= inois.

Work Support – Information, resources and research about work and disability issues

Housing

Housing and Employment –= from GRASP Advocacy, a list of available housing and employment by state. Also has various support groups.

Illinois Life Span – On = this website there is a housing project that assists people with disabilities in buying homes in Chicago. Ther= e is also a site that allows people to meet and form mutually supportive living arrangements. There are many = other resources and service providers available on this website as well.

Research and Training Center on Commu= nity Living – provides research, training and technical assistance to support the aspirations of persons with developmental disabilities to live full, productive and integrated lives in their communities.

Recreation

Adult Tricycle with Pneumatic Tires – designed for riders ages 10 and up. Similar design to a regul= ar tricycle.

Adult Trike from Walmart – in the Walmart search, enter Schwinn Adult Trike

Autism and Considerations in Recreation and Physical Activity Settings – from NCPAD, includes sensory, behavioral, societal, cognition and communication considerations, inclusion, exercise guidelines, physical activity schedules= and references along with video clips.

Au= tism and Museum: A Perfect Match – from About.com’s autism chann= el, an article that also includes DuPage Children’s Museum and Brookfield Zoo.

Factory Tours in Illinois – Celebrating American Imagination and Industry, tours a= ll over Illinois

Museums in Illinois

Recreatio= n Visual Supports – from PictureSET – a series of visuals for bowlin= g, horseback, going to the movies and swimming.

Recreational Programs for People with Disabilities – from NCPAD, tons of instructional programs to crea= te successful inclusive recreational programs for people with disabilities including video clips.

Self-Determination=

T= he 411 on Disability Disclosure – from the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability, this workbook for youth with disabilities will te= ach them about disability disclosure and help make the decision whether to disc= lose their disability in regards to education, employment and their social lives= .

Equip for Equality – Il= linois self-advocacy organization for people with disabilities. They offer training, assistance and legal and public policy advocacy.

Independence Bound – T= wo books written by Jacquelyn Marquette, Independence Bound: A Mother and her Autistic Son’s Journey to Adulthood and Becoming Remarkably Able: Wal= king the Path to Independence and Beyond.

I= t’s My Choice – from the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, this 90 page planning guide will help you throu= gh the transition process, planning for employment, housing and self evaluatio= n.

Workbook for Your Personal Passport – for people with developmental disabilities and their friends and family who want to learn more about person-centered planning. The person thinks a= bout his life goals, what is important and what kind of support is needed. This can then be shared with careg= ivers, service providers, etc. =