New Guide Advises State Agencies on Autism Jobs – An Autism Resource

Autism can affect a person’s ability to communicate and interact socially – two skills that are usually intertwined with employment success. Because of this, many people on the spectrum have difficulty finding and maintaining a job.

A guide written by Scott Standifer, clinical associate professor in the School of Health Professions at the University of Missouri, will help change that. The guide mainly addresses employment issues for people who have little or no communication skills, but “…what works for them should also be relevant for people with Asperger’s,” he said.

Standifer had previously helped write a guide called “The Handbook of Disabilities,” but realized it contained a lack of information on adults with autism spectrum disorders and their struggles in the workplace and so he wrote this one, “Adult Autism and Employment: A Guide for Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals.” It mainly provides information for vocational rehabilitation agencies.

“Ultimately, the goal is to help the folks with autism get jobs and live out in the community,” Standifer said. “These folks want to work, and it’s our job to help them achieve that.”

Read the original article here.