The Services Cliff and Autism

As autistic individuals transition from adolescence to adulthood, they encounter a new and unique set of challenges. Yet, at this critical time, the support available to them drops dramatically. This is known as the “services cliff.”

In this one-hour continuing education course, we’ll begin by looking at the journal article “Service Needs Across the Lifespan for Individuals with Autism.”

Then, to discuss how your occupational therapy skills can help bridge this service gap, we’ll invite Debora Davidson, PhD, OTR/L to discuss the research and her own experience providing transitional services in her private practice.

1. You will be able to describe the unique challenges that autistic individuals face as they transition from adolescence to adulthood.

2. You will be able to identify the unmet service needs of autistic adults (based on the findings in the research).

• Intro

• Breakdown and analysis of journal article

  • What we know (and don’t know) about the service needs of autistic adults

  • Why was this paper written?

  • What were their methods?

  • What were the results?

  • Authors’ conclusion and recommendations

  • Takeaways for OT practitioners

• Discussion on practical implications for OTs (with guest Debora Davidson)

  1. What were your initial impressions of the article?

  2. Did you observe the “services cliff” in your own work?

  3. In what ways do you think OTs could be supporting our autistic clients as they enter into and navigate adulthood?

  4. What business models do we need as OTs to provide those kinds of services?

  5. How do we navigate the high frequency of co-occuring conditions?

  6. We’ve been talking a lot in the Club about listening to our clients and supporting them in choosing the life that is meaningful to them. Do you have experience with this in your work?

  7. What future do you envision for OTs serving autistic clients (and other clients) as they transition into adulthood?

Primary

• Service Needs Across the Lifespan for Individuals with Autism

Additional

• Quality of life and its related factors for adults with autism spectrum disorder

• Characterization and Utilization of Preferred Interests: A Survey of Adults on the Autism Spectrum

It is the policy of OT Potential to disclose any financial and non-financial interest the provider or instructor may have in a product or service mentioned during an activity. This is to ensure that the audience is made aware of any bias of the speaker.

OT Potential pays guest speakers an honorarium for their participation, either directly or to an institution of the speaker's choosing at their request. We invite guests whose expertise often comes from practices, programs, or building products in their field. Where a speaker has a financial interest in the subject of a course, we disclose it below so you can weigh it for yourself.

OT Potential's interest in this topic: We have no financial stake in this topic.

Speaker interests: Debora Davidson has no financial interest in this topic to disclose.