In an effort to better address the high percentage of unemployment among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities, and to highlight the important role small businesses are playing in providing employment opportunities for them, today Congressman Chris Smith (NJ) joined a House Committee on Small Business hearing entitled “Help Wanted: Small Business Providing Opportunities for All.”

Today’s hearing focused on the barriers to workforce participation and highlighted the incredible success of individuals with ASD in the workforce. The panel heard testimony on the efforts of small businesses in increasing job opportunities for adults with ASD and how dissemination of best practices can be replicated nationwide.

“We need a radical transformation of how we as a society view what individuals with disabilities are capable of,” said Smith, founder and co-chair of the Congressional Autism Caucus and author of three major laws to boost research funding, services and support for families impacted by autism. “When we have a better understanding of how autistic employees can contribute to the workplace—and how easily employers can make small accommodations—the revolution in employment for these individuals can begin.”

Every year 50,000 young adults graduate from school and face a “services cliff”—losing the supports that can help contribute to an independent adulthood. While these individuals are capable of contributing in the work force, over one-third of young adults with autism do not enter into employment after graduation. Further, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 20 percent of people with disabilities in the U.S. are participating in the labor force nationwide.

“It is simply unacceptable that we are failing to integrate so many people into the workforce. This is especially distressing because what we are hearing from our witnesses is that the most significant barriers to entry are the low expectations that are placed on individuals with ASD to succeed, and the misconception that accommodating them into the workforce is difficult,” Smith continued.             

Members of Congress heard testimony from expert witnesses–including Lisa Goring, Executive Vice President of Programs and Services for Autism Speaks; Terri Hogan and Rajesh Anandan, two small business owners whose businesses benefit from employing individuals with disabilities; and Joe Steffy, a young man with Down syndrome and ASD, who is the owner of Poppin Joe’s, a kettle corn business.

“Today’s testimony reinforced the fact that companies who hire individuals with autism don’t do so simply out of corporate responsibility. Rather, studies have shown, and the witnesses confirmed from their experience, the tremendous competitive advantage individuals with autism can have in the workplace—reliability, consistency and the ability to excel at a variety of positions. Additionally, the majority of accommodations made by employers are simple to implement and don’t have an associated cost,” Smith said. “I appreciate Chairman Chabot holding this extremely important, educational and timely hearing.”

Smith asked key questions about how more individuals with autism and developmental disabilities can successfully transition from school to the workplace. Lisa Goring, from Autism Speaks, said that it was important that students start to think about work opportunities early and get real world skills while in school, as well as engage in job sampling. Rajesh Anandan, co-founder of ULTRA Testing based out of New York, testified that by collaborating with his autistic employees to achieve the best outcomes, his employees are earning income for themselves, revenue for the company and value for their clients.

Smith’s most recent law, the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support Act of 2014—(Autism CARES Act/ Public Law 113-157), requires that the Secretary of Health and Human Services issue a report by August 2016 concerning young adults with autism spectrum disorder and the challenges related to the transition from existing school-based services to those services available during adulthood. Smith also requested a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) describing the demographics of individuals with ASD making the transition to adulthood, identifying their needs in successfully transitioning, as well as the services that currently exist to meet those needs. Smith expects that first in that series of reports will be available in July 2016.

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