As parents or caregivers for a child or young adult who is “differently-able”, many families spend their entire lifetimes trying to discover a way for your child to achieve his or her highest potential. The challenges are daunting!

• Current surveys report that every year, 50,000 Americans with ASD turn 18. These individuals stand before what many call “The Cliff,” that time between 18 and 21 when access to funding and services dramatically decrease.

• Less than half of individuals diagnosed with ASD graduate from high school in the United States. Globally, the UN says almost 80% do not enter the workforce.

• A study by the A.J. Dexel Autism Institute in Philadelphia found that only 19% of Americans with autism in their early 20s live independently, apart from their parents. Of those that do, only 1 in 4 report that positive social interactions or invitations from peers had occurred during the previous year.

• Recent estimates of the total cost of supporting a loved one with autism (cost of care, output lost when jobless or under/unemployed, families cutting hours to provide care, etc.) put the total at $162 billion-367 billion annually. This figure is predicted to exceed $1 trillion by 2025.

We offer help. NECA provides an integrated approach to supporting individuals and families as they strive to achieve their full potential and maximal independence. Services available include in-home behavior support, consultation, and our full suite of keyconnection© assessments.