New N.C. career coaching program aims to help state employees with autism spectrum disorder

RALEIGH, N.C. (WECT) - Governor Roy Cooper has announced a career coaching program which aims to help state employees with autism spectrum disorder.

The Career Advancement Resources for Employees on the Spectrum (CARES) program will give employees with ASD up to five hours of coaching to support career advancement and/or applying for promotions in state positions.

“People with ASD deserve an equal chance to experience the dignity of work in an environment that supports them,” said Kathie Trotter, Director of the DHHS Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services in a release.

The career counselors will focus on helping people with ASD succeed in the work place. This means building management and interpersonal skills and advocating for resources to support people with ASD.

State employees will be able to learn more about the CARES pilot program when it launches this July.

Per a Governor Cooper release:

“About 1 in 44 children have been identified with autism spectrum disorder according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. Compared to other areas in the U.S. that were monitored for ASD prevalence, North Carolina had the highest proportion of children with ASD who had received a comprehensive evaluation performed by age 3. However, only 23% of autistic adults with average or above-average intellectual abilities have a paid job in the community.”

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