This article examines the cost of services and employment outcomes obtained by adults with autism within the United States vocational rehabilitation (VR) system. It found that the number of such individuals has increased by more than 121 percent from 2002 to 2006. Moreover, though adults with autism were employed at higher rates than most disability groups investigated, they tended to work far fewer hours and earn less in wages per week. The study also found that adults with autism were among the most costly individuals to serve.

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the employment outcomes of transition-aged adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) served by vocational rehabilitation services (VR) over the last 10 years by state. A secondary purpose was to compare employment outcomes of individuals with ASD to those of the overall transition-aged population served by VR for the same time period. Although there was variability both within and among states, the results of this study indicate that, over time, the number of young adults with ASD seeking VR services has increased; however, employment outcomes including the percent of adults with ASD achieving employment, the number of hours worked, and wages earned have not improved for this group. The cost to provide VR services to transition-aged adults with ASD was relatively stable over time. Transition-aged adults with ASD were more likely to become successfully employed as a result of receiving VR services than the overall population of transition-aged adults served by VR. However, the employed transition-aged adults consistently worked fewer hours and earned lower wages than those in the overall population. Factors that may influence variability within and among states, and between groups, and implications for research and practice are discussed.

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This study investigated whether receiving transition services early (i.e., by age 14) promoted better vocational outcomes than receiving transition services later (i.e., by age 16) for young adults with ASD. To do this, the outcomes achieved by two matched groups were examined—453 young adults from states requiring transition services be addressed by age 14 and 453 young adults with ASD from states requiring transition services be addressed by age 16. In each of the four years examined (i.e., 2006–2009), individuals from the early transition states were significantly more likely to be employed than individuals from the later transition group. Further, early transition individuals who became employed appeared to earn more wages and cost less to serve.

The relations between cost-efficiency (from the perspective of worker, taxpayer, and society) and personal characteristics of supported employees (i.e., IQ, level of mental retardation, multiple disabilities, gender, ethnicity, and age) were examined. Results suggest that when sheltered workshops were used as alternative placements, supported employees with high IQs benefited more from employment within the community than did supported employees with lower IQs. From society's perspective, African American and male supported employees were more cost-efficient than were European American and female supported employees. Further, regardless of the severity or number of disabilities, all individuals were cost-efficient from each perspective (i.e., worker, taxpayer, and society) and time period (i.e., 1990, 1994, and projected lifelong).

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This study investigated whether sheltered workshops help prepare individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for competitive employment within the community. Two groups of individuals were compared: (a) 215 supported employees who were in sheltered workshops prior to entering supported employment and (b) 215 supported employees who were not in sheltered workshops. Individuals from both groups were matched based on their primary diagnosis, secondary diagnosis (if present), and gender. Results showed that there were no differences in rates of employment between these two groups. However, individuals who participated in sheltered workshops earned significantly less (US$129.36 versus US$191.42 per week), and cost significantly more to serve (US$6,065.08 versus US$2,440.60), than their non-sheltered workshop peers. Results presented here suggest that individuals with ASD achieve better vocational outcomes if they do not participate in sheltered workshops prior to enrolling in supported employment.