Public Television for Western New England

Autism: Coming of Age

A longer version of this video is available on Youtube.

When people think of autism, they instinctively think of children.

However, in the next 10 to 15 years, an estimated 800,000 children with autism will age out of the school system and transition into adulthood. Then, they will look to ill-prepared state and federal governments for the support services and resources to meet their many needs: a situation autism experts refer to as the "coming tsunami."

The one-hour documentary Autism: Coming of Age provides an inside look at the lives of three adults with autism and includes interviews with their families and support teams. Autism and disability experts from Massachusetts, New York, Washington, Virginia and Pennsylvania also discuss the current system, impending challenges and possible outcomes for the future.

 

MassMutual American Public Television