Most of us have heard of someone or know someone who has a child with autism. Some of us work with people we feel fit that diagnosis.
For parents whose child has that disorder, it can be very challenging. For adults, it's perhaps more of a mystery because many have not gotten a formal diagnosis, and they've worked over a lifetime to mask symptoms.
Still, in Nevada, an estimated 52,000 people live with autism; in the U.S., it's five million people. And the numbers are rising fast. The CDC estimates that one in every 36 children has autism. In 2021, it was one in 44. In 2006, it was one in 110.
Part of that increase is recognition. More healthcare providers are getting better and spotting what has always been there. But once it's recognized, what does Nevada have in place to help adults and families?
The hard truth is that there aren't a lot of options or resources available to autistic adults.
Robin Kincaid is the Educational Services Director with Nevada PEP, an organization dedicated to helping families with neurodivergent loved ones better understand the resources available to them.
She told State of Nevada that many families face a transitional cliff once they graduate or age out of school.
"All of a sudden, the parents are becoming the case manager," she said. They are the ones helping to plan that young adult's future. And they have those high expectations. So they're looking at ideas about work, further education, and ways that they can help that individual continue to become this lifelong learner.
Adults with autism also face challenges regarding meeting new people. A study published last year in the journal Autism in Adulthood found that neurodivergent people report higher rates of loneliness than their neurotypical counterparts.
It was something that concerned Lauren Abercrombie and her family after her autistic brother, Mason, left school.
"Seeing him grow older, looking into his adult future, we didn't see any programs available for socialization in the way of a naturalistic environment," she said. I think after high school, your socialization kind of comes to an end or college. And it is really important just to be around other individuals, have that sense of community, and have the people you can connect with."
In that vein, Lauren and her friend Mia Fortunato created Inclusion Fusion, an organization that provides various programs for teens & adults with disabilities in Southern Nevada. That includes lessons and programs that help clients to achieve an independent life. Those programs include social events like Promapalooza, cooking classes, dating seminars, and social groups.
"We want to be a third place for people on the spectrum and people with disabilities," said Fortunato. "We want to create a space where they can come hang out, find a community and feel like they belong.
Of course, neurodivergence takes many shapes and forms, and not everyone who identifies as neurodivergent is willing to share that knowledge.
Cady Stanton is the founder of Facilitate Joy in Reno, a consulting firm that helps organizations and groups better collaborate with the neurodivergent community.
"We have learned throughout our lives that we are supposed to get up every day and pretend to not be autistic. As a community, we are really working to create safe spaces for us to unmask because that creates so much harm to us as individuals. But the reality is that you almost certainly know autistic people, and you do not know that they are autistic."
Unsurprisingly, hiding who you are from the world is exhausting and uncomfortable and can lead to its own set of poor health outcomes, including increased anxiety and stress. According to Stanton, it's often the underlying reason why so many neurodivergent people commit suicide.
"The suicide rates, especially for autistic women without an intellectual disability, are 13 times higher than that of the neurotypical population," she said. "So you may not see what they're facing, but they are really struggling inside."
Neurodivergent folks also often face barriers to steady employment and are disproportionately affected by homelessness.
Stanton, who identifies as autistic, says it's often challenging to work in a field where so many people are struggling daily. While she says there has been a growing acceptance and better recognition of people with autism, more needs to be done to ensure that autistic people have access to work and housing.
"There are nights I curl up in a ball and I scream and rock because I'm in so much pain, and my wife, who is amazing, wants so desperately to help but the pain we are in, it's not something other people can solve. But what they can do is give us a freakin' chance at employment and housing. So at least we can do those meltdowns privately and not on the street."
SERVICES/RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE CONVERSATION:
Las Vegas
Inclusion Fusion
https://www.inclusionfusion.org/
FEAT of Southen Nevada
https://featsonv.org/
Reno
Facilitate Joy
https://www.facilitatejoy.com/
Dr. Suzanne Aberasturi (Reno, NV)
http://www.saberasturi.com/
Dr. Amara Brook - Flow Neurodiversity Affirming Psychological Services
Website: https://www.flowps.com/
Dr. Jennifer Highsmith (Reno, NV)
Phone: (775) 386-2189
Ethan Steever, Ph.D.
https://www.ethansteeverphd.com/adhd-testing
J.P. Crum, Psy.D.
https://renopsychologicalservices.com/bio
Statewide
Dr. Brandee Shipman, DNP, BS, BSN, PMHNP-BC (Reno-based but can see people via telehealth if they live elsewhere in Nevada)
Solidarity Mental Health
Phone: 775-657-9991
http://solidaritymentalhealthservices.com/
Nevada PEP
https://nvpep.org/
Online
Wilderwood Equine Therapy and Rescue, Online Autism Assessment
https://wilderwoodequinetherapy.org/autism-assessment/
Guests: Robin Kincaid, director of educational services, Nevada Pep; Mia Fortunato, director of operations and marketing, Inclusion Fusion; Lauren Abercrombie, owner and CEO, Inclusion Fusion; Cady Stanton, founder, Facilitate Joy
