This project is designed to determine the efficacy of a nine-month hospital-based internship intervention for transitioning young adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This internship program, based on the Project SEARCH model, is currently being tested and evaluated in a randomized clinical trial at two Bon Secours Hospitals in Richmond, Virginia. This project replicates this intervention in two new Virginia hospitals: one in Northern Virginia and one in the Norfolk area. The intervention consists of two components: (1) 900 hours of onsite training over 9 consecutive months at the host hospital site, and (2) training and support provided by employment specialists with expertise in autism, applied behavior analysis, supported employment, and business networking. Data collection focuses on a number of key measures when comparing the outcomes of the youth participating in the randomized clinical trials. First, did the young adults with ASD obtain and retain competitive employment? Second, did they earn a commensurate wage (at least minimum wages) and benefits? Third, how many hours per week were they employed? This project is a collaboration of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)
Autism Research Database (AFD)
