Autism Speaks to host policy discussions at Transition to Adulthood summit

NEW YORK - Joined by an invited group of researchers, policy experts, family members, and self-advocates, Autism Speaks will host a Thought Leadership Summit on Transition to Adulthood on Oct. 2-3 in Washington, D.C.

The two-day meeting will feature facilitated discussions around employment, education, access to needed services including healthcare, transportation, and housing for teens and adults with autism.

“We want to bring together the people who can help move our understanding and knowledge forward to make systemic improvements to support adolescents with autism,” said Arun Karpur, director of data science for Autism Speaks. “We need to hear from people with autism and their families about their challenges, how to create research questions around those issues, and public policy solutions that can provide meaningful support during transition as well as adulthood.”

Over 50,000 teens transition to adulthood each year, and that number is expected to grow as prevalence rates continue to rise.

Summaries of the summit discussions will be shared periodically on social media and on the Autism Speaks website. To follow the online conversation, search for #ASTransitionSummit on Twitter and Facebook.

Following the conference, a working group from the summit will share findings and recommendations for new areas of research, mechanisms to improve access to adult supports and services, and what meaningful outcomes look like for people facing transition and challenges accessing services as adults.

Watch the first panel featuring self-advocates discussing their experiences with transition and researchers presenting their work on meaningful outcomes.

Watch the second panel featuring parents and researchers discussing issues navigating complex systems of care.

Watch the keynote address from Dr. Stephen Shore on his journey transitioning to adulthood with autism.

Watch the final presentation on self-determination.