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Teens With Autism Rely on Schools for Mental Health Services

Children and young adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) use mental health services to address behavioral problems and to treat related mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.

“Over 46% of adolescents with an ASD used a mental health service in the past year,” says Sarah Narendorf, social work doctoral candidate at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, in a new study published in Psychiatric Services.

“Of those who used mental health services, 49% received the service at their schools,” she says.

Narendorf also found that African American adolescents and youths from lower income families were more likely to receive school-based services.

“Teens with autism often have a need for support with many issues including medical, educational and mental health problems,” says Paul Shattuck, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School and study coauthor.

“They are often involved with multiple systems of service provision including schools, doctors, hospitals, specialty clinics, and others. This complexity of needs, coupled with the complexity of getting services, puts a tremendous strain on families”

Narendorf says the findings highlight the importance of providing solid transition planning for mental health services as youths with ASDs leave high school.

“Those that have accessed services at school are especially at risk for service discontinuities as they lose access to services through the school,” she says.

“This is especially important for African American and low-income students who are more likely to get their services in the school setting.”

— Source: Washington University in St. Louis