Supported Employment and Autism Ranking:

Additional Information

Lawer et al (2009) reported on the experiences of 1,707 autistic people in the USA Vocational Rehabilitation System. They stated that, while autistic adults received the most expensive set of support services compared to people with other disabilities, they were more likely to be competitively employed compared to people with other disabilities, particularly if they received supported employment programmes.

Wehman et al (2014) reported on data from the Rehabilitation Services Administration Case Service Report (RSA-911) database for fiscal year 2009. The sample included 23,298 youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities aged between 16 and 25 years old at the time of application. They reported that “The effect of supported employment was especially strong for youth who were Social Security beneficiaries, special education students, and individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism who were high school graduates.” 

Mavranezouli et al. (2014) assessed the cost-effectiveness of supported employment for autistic adults in the United Kingdom versus standard day care. They reported that supported employment resulted in better outcomes than standard day care, at an extra cost of £18 per additional week in employment or £5600 per quality-adjusted life year. In secondary analyses that incorporated potential cost-savings, supported employment dominated standard care (that is, it produced better outcomes at a lower total cost). The analysis suggests that supported employment schemes for autistic adults in the United Kingdom are cost-effective compared with standard care. 

Related Additional Information

• Supported Employment

Updated

17 Jun 2022

Last Review

01 Aug 2017

Next Review

01 Oct 2023