BLOOMINGTON - What to do when the school bus stops coming is job one for an increasing number of young adults with autism. | Autistic worker a great fit for local employer | Video

With one in 150 American children and teenagers having some form of autism, a rising societal concern is what happens to them when they graduate from high school or college and need work.

With better diagnosis, more children and teens have been identified as having autism since the 1990s, said Linda Kunce, a licensed clinical psychologist involved in autism services, including a local autism social group. More than 350 children in McLean County alone have autism, said the Autism Society of McLean County.

"Services in schools have improved," said Kunce, an associate professor at Illinois Wesleyan University.

But people diagnosed several years ago are looking for work or soon will be doing so. The question is whether those young people can hold down a job.

"Eighty to 95 percent of people on the autism spectrum are unemployed," Kunce said. Some of those employed are underemployed, meaning they are working limited hours at jobs below their capabilities.

Unemployment often leads to anxiety, depression and behavioral problems, Kunce said. Unemployed people don't pay income taxes and society ends up paying for services they need.

"That's not good for anyone," she said.

The Autism Society of America has estimated that the cost to care for people with autism will exceed $200 billion in the next five years.

Autism Spectrum Disorders refers to a group of developmental disabilities that cause impairments in social interaction and communication and the presence of unusual behaviors and interests. People with autism may repeat certain behaviors and talk about the same things over and over and may have trouble changing their daily routine.

Autism symptoms range from profound to mild. People with mild symptoms should be able to find and retain work with appropriate training, support and strategies, said Kunce and two Bloomington mothers (Kari Sandhaas and Hope Montes) of young adults with Asperger Syndrome, a higher-functioning form of autism.

Strategies to help workers with autism

Strategies to help people with autism in the work place include:

Early training: Children who learn the importance of following directions, interacting with others, completing tasks, checking their work and asking for help are learning skills they need in the workforce. Students nearing graduation should work on achievable career goals and a portfolio that showcases their skills and experiences.

Employment services: Agencies that may help to secure employment for people with autism include the Illinois Office of Rehabilitation Services (309-662-1347), Occupational Development Center (309-820-0723) and Marcfirst (309-451-8888).

Adapted workplaces: Some people with autism have trouble filtering ambient noise. Allow them to use headphones. If the person is annoyed by fluorescent lighting, consider alternate lighting at their workstation.

Altered instructions: People with autism do better in a structured, consistent environment. Breaking down work into achievable tasks and providing simple and clear instructions help.

Checks: After a certain number of tasks are completed, or at the same times every day, employees should check with their boss to make sure work is proceeding as expected.

Engaging co-workers: Co-workers should be briefed on the new employee's condition, strengths and limitations. One or two understanding co-workers should become mentors to help the new employee when questions or problems arise.

Deliberate communication: People with autism take things literally and may not understand sarcasm and metaphor. Bosses and co-workers should say what they mean. If a person with autism is talking too much or too loudly, co-workers should know it's OK to listen for awhile, then say it's time to get back to work and to ask the person to use his or her quiet voice.

While people with autism require more training, they generally stay at jobs longer and are dependable, loyal and honest employees. The reduced turnover saves the company money. They have a high capacity for repetitive work that some employees find tedious and their accuracy rate is high. They are task-focused and less likely to get involved in workplace politics, Kunce said.

Having an employee with a disability also increases workplace diversity, making workers more understanding and improving their communication skills.