Vocational Rehabilitation and Autistic Young Adults: Characteristics, Service Use and Outcomes
Evidence | Publications

Vocational Rehabilitation and Autistic Young Adults: Characteristics, Service Use and Outcomes

Published: May 31, 2023
Publisher: Mathematica
Health Disability Employment and Training Transition to Adulthood Employment Youth Employment
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Associated Project

Research Support Services for Employment of Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum

Time frame: 2021—2026

Prepared for:

U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy

Authors

Marisa Shenk

Key Findings
  • During 2017–2019, 86,616 young adults on the autism spectrum applied for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services.
  • VR counselors identified several barriers to autistic young adults attaining employment; having low household incomes was the most common barrier.
  • Among autistic young adults who exited VR during 2017–2019, about half had employment, and most of them had competitive integrated employment.

This infographic highlights findings from a data analysis examining the way young adults on the autism spectrum ages 16 to 28 engaged with state VR agencies’ services, their characteristics, and their employment outcomes.

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