NSU Horizons Fall 2018

19 NSU HORIZONS Training and job opportunities for young adults with autism can be hard to find . One in 59 children in America has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a 2018 CDC report. Zachary Hopkins is one. But with the support of parents, therapists, and specialized programs, Hopkins and thousands of other children on the spectrum are able to graduate high school each year. Then they fall off the cliff. In the autism community, “falling off the cliff” describes the sudden loss of support services for young adults with autism. “They get a lot of help when they’re young—physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy—then, they grow up and there’s nothing,” said Hopkins’ mother, Ania Krumenacker. In fact, only 26 percent of people in their early 20s with ASD receive any kind of support, according to the 2015 National Autism Indicators Report.* This resource shortage causes some parents to give up in frustration, while driving others to become persistent and creative. Ania Krumenacker and Valerie Herskowitz are in the second group. Both were lucky to find the University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (UM-NSU CARD). The center does not diagnose or provide therapies for people with ASD. “Once people with autism leave the school system, the landscape of supports and services can be very confusing. Or maybe they speak Creole or Spanish and don’t know how to access the services they need. We can help them understand their options and make a plan for the future,” said Carole Zangari, Ph.D., executive director of the center’s NSU satellite office. Key among the center’s services are support with job hunting. U Z BY MERLY MESA continued on page 21