This article summarizes some of the information contained in the report entitled: “Diversity in Ontario’s Youth and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Complex Needs in Unprepared Systems”.
Mental health disorders in youth and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) pose a significant clinical problem and often have a marked effect on their quality of life. Anxiety disorders and mood disorders occur at a higher rate in individuals with ASD compared to the general population. However, the dearth of services for youth and adults on the spectrum means that mental health issues may not be adequately addressed. “The implications of not proactively addressing the co-morbid mental health issues in ASDs concern clinicians in the field of autism, as well as the individuals themselves, and their families” (Stoddart, Burke & King, 2013, p, 84). This lack of recognition is exemplified when an individual on the autism spectrum is not diagnosed or treated as having ASD in the mental health system—or alternatively, when a person receives services relating only to the features of autism, and cannot access generic mental health services due to reluctance to treat somebody