Autistics relying on self-diagnosis concern me, but not for the reasons readers might assume.<\/p>\n
The cost of a diagnostic assessment prevents too many people from getting the help they need and deserve.<\/p>\n
Distinguish between not liking that people have no choice but self-diagnose and my concerns that self-diagnoses aren’t sufficient to help people succeed.\u00a0Self-diagnoses don’t ensure legal protections. They do not lead to state and local services.<\/p>\n
A college or university won\u2019t give supports to a self-diagnosed autistic.<\/strong><\/p>\n An employer won\u2019t offer ADA accommodations to a self-diagnosed autistic.<\/strong><\/p>\n I am officially diagnosed and that\u2019s still not enough. I was dismissed as a problem during graduate school. I couldn\u2019t get the schools at which I taught to make some minimal adjustments for my needs.<\/p>\n Autistic with ADHD and other challenges, I know my rights\u2026 and those rights have not protected me.<\/p>\n I\u2019m going to be an aggressive defender of our daughters\u2019 rights. They are neurodiverse and deserve all the protections and all the supports mandated by state and federal laws.<\/p>\n To ensure educational services and supports for one of our daughters, we need a new assessment. The testing costs $2000 to $3000. Thankfully, insurance covers some for us, but not every family is so fortunate.<\/p>\n Assessments should be covered by all insurance, including those policies purchased on the ACA exchanges. Nobody in need of services and legal protections should be denied those because of the costs associated with screening.<\/p>\n If you have access to screening, especially for a child, do all you can to force school systems and insurance providers to meet the needs of that child. We need to ensure mental health is treated like all healthcare under insurance and government programs.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not against the people who self-diagnose. I\u2019m against a broken system that leaves autistics without access to testing.<\/p>\n Many autistics have co-existing (co-morbid) conditions that must be treated. Adult autistics have higher rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Our lives tend to be shorter because we don\u2019t always understand how to navigate the complex systems that deliver care. We also don\u2019t always recognize when we need help.<\/p>\n Mental health concerns require serious interventions. I\u2019ve lost friends to depression and I\u2019ve watched too many students struggle with mental health challenges.<\/p>\n Self-diagnoses worry me because they prove our system doesn\u2019t care enough about autistics.<\/p>\n It bothers me that the same insurance that won\u2019t help with assessments and diagnoses will cover applied behavior analysis (ABA) and other therapies. I notice a lot of pressure on lawmakers to support ABA. Where\u2019s the pressure for diagnostic coverage for all people?<\/p>\n We need to fight for reforms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Autistics relying on self-diagnosis concern me, but not for the reasons readers might assume. The cost of a diagnostic assessment prevents too many people from getting the help they need and deserve. Distinguish between not liking that people have no choice but self-diagnose and my concerns that self-diagnoses aren’t sufficient…<\/p>\n