The Arizona State University (ASU) Morrison Institute for Public Policy published a report in January that is expected to be a pivotal resource on housing solutions for adults with Autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The Morrison Institute for Public Policy is a research center within ASU’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.
The report, titled “A Place in the World: Fueling Housing and Community Options for Adults with Autism and Other Neurodiversities,” provides common terminology and principles that can serve as standard guidelines for the housing industry, parents, researchers, and policymakers when it comes to this particular aspect of housing access.
According to the report, housing shortages for adults with Autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities are a nationwide problem. As a result, these individuals are often forced to be institutionalized in mental health hospitals. Many live with family members — often older parents who may not be adequate caretakers — which robs them of their independence as well as prevents them from getting more adequate daily assistance. The report notes that this is a significant public policy challenge that must be addressed if the U.S. is to support this vulnerable population, especially as an estimated 50,000 young people with Autism graduate high school — effectively entering adulthood — each year.
The university partnered with Autism advocate and marketing experts Denise Resnik, an ASU alum, to create the study. Resnik is CEO of First Place AZ, a nonprofit that supports housing and development for Autistic adults. She is also is co-founder and board member emeritus of the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center, a nonprofit dedicated to autism research, education, and community outreach.●
This article was published in our March 2021 issue.
