At Autism Speaks, we celebrate and encourage autistic joy and happiness at every possible opportunity. But today, I have an obligation to address a sobering reality—one that has only become more urgent as shifting policies have put access to vital resources like Medicaid into question.
The reality: People with autism are significantly more likely to think about and attempt suicide than non-autistic people. The distinction only becomes more alarming when you dig into the details.
As the father of an autistic young adult, the data above chills me to my core—especially when considering that one in nine children with autism in the U.S. aren’t getting the healthcare they need, including access to mental health services.
