Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Working and Autism

I picked up this story about a blind musician with autism thanks to Twitter.

Besides the story of talent and autism, there was another statistic in this story.  I quote:

"According to Autism NOW: The National Autism Resource and Information Center, an estimated 24 percent of people with cognitive disabilities aged 16 to 64 work — and many of those workers keep part-time hours, Brusatori said."

Well....Bil has been working, for a sheltered workshop, over 25 years.  He only works part time.  The last I knew, he was making less than minimum wage.  And yet, his income gets counted in (for example) my mother in law's eligibility (or not) for HEAP.  It seems so unfair.

It doesn't surprise me that a minority of people with cognitive disabilities (I realize not everyone in this statistic has autism) work.  There just aren't many opportunites.

Unless you have a major talent like the man in that story, it is hard for anyone with autism to get any kind of meaningful work.

Bil will never be able to support himself, and it sometimes seems that the entire Medicaid system is geared to keeping people with disabilities in their place - poverty.

It could be worse though-as I blog about tomorrow.

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