Many youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face challenges accessing needed services as they transition to adulthood. The present study describes the development, feasibility and acceptability of a new intervention designed to teach parents of transition-aged youth with ASD about the adult service system and the most effective ways to access…

Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face challenges accessing needed services as they transition to adulthood. Correlates of service access identified in the literature--such as family resources, race/ethnicity, or youth functioning--can be difficult to change and may not be feasible targets for intervention. This study focused on a…

Services are critical for youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially during the transition to adulthood. Under the best of circumstances, though, it can be difficult to access needed adult services. With COVID-19, services were more difficult to obtain and retain. In this study, we explored parent perceptions of accessing new services…

This study presents findings from a pilot randomized controlled trial, testing a 12-week intervention to train parents of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to advocate for adult disability services--the Volunteer Advocacy Program-Transition (VAP-T). Participants included 41 parents of youth with ASD within 2 years of high school exit,…

People aging with severe disabilities face many age- and disability-related challenges that are shared with a range of family members and other caregivers. Although these challenges are often exacerbated by substantial physical, cognitive, communication, health, and other impairments associated with severe disabilities, thematically, they are…