Autistic-Delivered Peer Support: A Feasibility Study.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Shea, Lindsay L., ; Wong, Mi-Yeet; Song, Wei; Kaplan, Katy; Uppal, Disha; Salzer, Mark S.
- Source
- Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders; Feb2024, Vol. 54 Issue 2, p409-422, 14p
- Subject
- Employment of people with disabilities
Autism
Needs assessment
Evaluation of human services programs
Psychiatric diagnosis
Affinity groups
Community services
Pilot projects
Patient satisfaction
Medical care
Medical care use
Support groups
Research funding
Medical needs assessment
- Language
- ISSN
- 01623257
Peer support has been an undeveloped pathway for filling the service gap and to generate employment opportunities for autistic individuals. Peer supports have been deployed widely in mental health and among veterans and understanding the utility of this service modality among autistic individuals illuminates opportunities for research, policy, and practice. This study examined characteristics of participants in an autistic-delivered peer support program and reports on use of and satisfaction with the program. Half of autistic participants had a co-occurring mental health diagnosis. Participants reported multiple areas of unmet needs and participant satisfaction with the program was high (90%). The findings of this study point toward autistic-delivered peer support as a promising avenue for future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]