Employment

Employment Opportunities and Support for Autistic People

Autistic individuals can have meaningful and enjoyable employment opportunities. There are many types of employment for people with disabilities and your choice of a vocational path should be based on your abilities, functionality, interests and needs.

Vocational Planning should begin by the time you enter high school and should be addressed in the Future Planning Statement and related goals in your IEP (Individualized Education Program). Click here to see how vocational goals can be included in IEPs.

Identifying and working towards appropriate employment goals can occur at any stage of adulthood. If employment goals were not addressed or achieved during your transition to adulthood, you and your family should continue to seek assistance from local and state agencies that help people with disabilities obtain meaningful and valuable work options.

There are two primary agencies that serve people with disabilities relating to employment services.

1. Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD)

OOD helps people with disabilities seek and maintain competitive employment if you are eligible. This type of federally mandated agency exists in every state, sometimes by different names. OOD can help you plan for long-term competitive or customized employment goals.

2. Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD)

DODD is the statewide agency responsible for overseeing supports and services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Services provided by the DODD are given within your county of residence. DODD offers long-term, wrap-around services for individuals with developmental disabilities that include assistance with competitive, supported or sheltered employment. Then you need to seek out the vendor to provide the service.

In other states, services for people with developmental disabilities might be housed in other state departments. For more information about the Department of Developmental Disabilities in your state, go online and search “Department of Developmental Disabilities” and your state of residence.

There are also agencies that help individuals without disabilities seek employment that autistic youth and adults can seek out for assistance. You can learn more about a Cleveland employment agency that assists Clevelanders to find employment by visiting ohiomeansjobs.monster.com.

The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center offers a comprehensive website. Their “transition planning” section has many free resources about effective transition planning from high school to adulthood and some suggestions on employment and post-secondary options.