Hollie Sobel, PhD
October is National Disability Awareness Month, and as director of outcomes research for the Autism Resource Center, I wanted to provide some information about available services for this population.
The number of children diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders has shown an increase over time. Current rates estimate that one in 110 children are affected. Features of autism impact functioning in several areas, including socialization (e.g.; difficulty establishing friendships), communication (e.g.; lack of give-and-take in conversation) and repetitive behaviors/interests (e.g.; flailing hands/over-focus on a particular topic).
Research studies have identified treatments that can lead to improvements in these areas. However, caregivers often require assistance in finding the right services for their children. To help meet this need, Rush has developed a referral source for both parents and health care professionals. The Autism Resource Center can be accessed online — www.rush.edu/autism — or by phone — (312) 563-2272 — at no cost. A large range of assessment and intervention resources are available throughout the city and suburbs, including social skills groups, speech/language services, psychiatrists, psychotherapists and home-based treatments.
Even once the appropriate treatment is found, many families struggle with the costs of these services. Although advocates have made efforts to improve health care benefits for children with autism, lack of insurance coverage can preclude some children from receiving useful interventions. The Autism Resource Center team is currently conducting a research project to further investigate this problem. We hope that our findings can be used to help make services more available to children with autism spectrum disorders.
Hollie Sobel, PhD, is director of outcomes research for the Autism Resource Center at Rush University Medical Center. Hollie Sobel is also an assistant professor with Rush Medical College.
