1. How does Early Intervention impact adult outcomes?
By Zack Siddeek, MSW-C
Organizer of the Square Pegs

2. MY STAKE Experiences of exclusion Power of Square Pegs
Understanding that lived experience is not reflected in discourse around Autism

3. What does exclusion look like?

4. 80% Unemployment Rate
(This study defined employment as more than 10 hours a week.)
Bishop-Fitzpatrick, L., Hong, J., Smith, L. E., Makuch, R. A., Greenberg, J. S., & Mailick, M. R. (2016). Characterizing Objective Quality of Life and Normative Outcomes in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Latent Class Analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(8), 2707–

5. 16 Life expectancy is 16 years less than the gen pop.
2 main causes are epilepsy, and suicide
Hirvikoski, T., Mittendorfer-Rutz, E., Boman, M., Larsson, H., Lichtenstein, P., & Bo lte, S. (2016). Premature mortality in autism spectrum disorder. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 208(3), 232–238.

6. Suicide is 9x Higher

7. 35% of Autistics have been the victim of a crime
13% reported being the victim of sexual abuse
8% of sexual assault,
7.5% of domestic violence
These numbers are hella low. Reality is much higher than this.
Autism Society, 2006

8. We are all in this together!
No us versus them

9. Brining up the Elephant in the room
Medical vs Rehabilitative vs Social Model of Disability
Where should the burden of change be?

10. What Leads to the best outcomes?
“There is some evidence that EIBI is an effective treatment for some children with ASD.”
(Fernell, Eriksson, & Gillberg, 2013)

11. “There is emerging consensus that early diagnosis and information are needed in order that an autism friendly environment be “created” around affected individuals.”
(Fernell, Eriksson, & Gillberg, 2013)
What would a autism friendly environment look like?

12. “Recognition of the struggles parents face in raising a
child with ASD and disruptive behavior, the high costs of
intensive behavior therapy, and the limitations of medication have increased interest in the application of parent
training (PT) in this population.”
(Postorino et al., 2017)

13. What can those in this room do?
“Conversations about autism without Autistics are not conversations.” – Amy Sequenzia Involve the adult versions of the children you are providing services to. – An idea from John Elder Robisson
How many people in this room employ Autistics?

14. Questions?