There is a dire need for adult services as the autism population ages out of the public school system. Below are some resources to consider. Check back often for additional resources that may get added. 

Adult Resources & Services: 
Adults with Autism Resource Guide: http://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/resource-library/adults-autism

Autism and Employment: This is a guide for Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists. This guide discusses aspects of autism spectrum disorders that can affect an individual's job performance and how the job and work environment can be adjusted to accommodate. http://www.dps.missouri.edu/Autism/Adult%20Autism%20&%20Employment.pdf

Brookwood Community
1752 FM 1489
Brookshire, TX 77423
281-375-2100
http://www.brookwoodcommunity.org/about/about-brookwood/
The Brookwood community campus consists of: Eight group homes, two single-family staff homes, a residential Inn, health and dental clinic, Worship Center, enterprise building, activities and administration building, 47 greenhouses, Gift and Garden Center and the Café at Brookwood, and several other support buildings.  Our programs serve: 110 resident adults (known as Brookwood “citizens”) who are functionally disabled and live at Brookwood 24/7. Another 80 plus adults participate in our day program. The range of diverse needs we help include people with autism spectrum disorders; intellectual disabilities; developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injury; dual diagnosis; and/or aging care needs. We also serve as a resource for families. Brookwood’s outreach program actively shares our innovative concepts and techniques with other professional caregivers across our nation and around the world. Volunteers teach craft projects, help sell plants, work in the retail store or assist in the café.  Our purpose is: To provide opportunity through education so that Brookwood citizens will:

• Acquire meaningful job skills and hold real jobs in the Community’s own business enterprises
• Experience the pride that accompanies the ability to contribute to one’s own support
• Grow socially, emotionally, and spiritually

Home Place of Texas
B. June Jones, M.Ed., Executive Director
5701 Louetta Road, Suite 400
Spring, TX 77379
http://homeplaceoftexas.org/index.htm
jjones@homeplaceoftexas.org
281-257-1004
They are a non-denominational Christian community for adults with disabilities. This Christ-centered community allows individuals to build relationships with God and others through worship, work, education, and recreation.  Their programs include: Bible studies, residential living, day program, life skills training, social skills training, jobs training, employment, volunteering.

Independent Living Experience
855-664-9333
http://independentlivingexperience.com/
ILE is dedicated to enriching the lives of adults with disabilities in their quest for independence. Each ILE client receives personalized supports from our team to assist in the process of creating meaningful and valuable circles of support. A circle of support provides assistance, guidance, relationships, safety, and community. It is a group of people who care about change happening for the client and who choose to give their time and resources toward working for improvement. The support group is action-oriented and is committed to working alongside the client to ensure a dependable and interesting community life. The more connections the circle of support has, the better able they are to support the client in significant ways. A well-functioning circle of support is a network made up of family, friends, and professionals. These networks may include the ILE staff, neighbors, family friends, friends from your religious fellowship, doctors, lawyers, counselors, association members, employers, teachers, coaches, bankers, and religious leaders.

Institute for Community Inclusion-Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Quality Employment Practices
It has been known for decades that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), including those with significant impairment or who have behaviors that others find challenging, can work when they are given appropriate supports.
http://www.communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=266

Marbridge
Will Hoermann, Director
2310 Bliss Spillar Road
Manchaca, Texas 78652
512-282-1144
http://www.marbridge.org
Marbridge provides a unique spectrum of residential care, education, and training for adults with various cognitive challenges. Our unique Abilities Centered Training program was designed and developed by Marbridge to serve our residents. The program helps residents set their own goals, make their own choices, and achieve their full potential. Offers summer camps for ages 16-30.  Resident diagnoses include (but are not limited to) mental retardation, Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Autism, Asperger's, Traumatic Brain Injury, dementia, Alzheimer's, Cerebral Palsy, seizure disorders, cardiovascular accident, stroke, etc.

New Danville (Texas New Community dba New Danville)
Kathy Sanders, founder and president
Physical Address: Shepard Hill Road, Willis, TX 77318
936-344-6200
Email: info@newdanville.org
http://newdanville.org/
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7181, The Woodlands, TX 77387

Texas New Community Alliance is developing and maintaining New Danville, a self sustaining, master-planned, integrated community where adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can live, learn, work and grow emotionally, socially, and spiritually with their non-disabled peers. Known as “wranglers” and “mavericks”, the men and women in our program participate in a variety of activities in a pastoral setting at New Danville’s Life Learning Center, an adult education and training center. Located in beautiful and historic Montgomery County, Texas, this unique community offers a variety of social, physical and educational activities and services including:

• Product-based and job skills-training to promote independence and self-reliance such as woodshop, sewing, assembly, and gardening;
• Life Enriching activities to increase self-esteem, emotional well-being, and physical stamina such as miniature horse therapy, beekeeping, cooking, art classes, golf-cart driving, YMCA and bowling;
• Social and money-skills training reinforced with community-based instructional outings; and
• Affordable housing for qualified applicants.

nonPareil Institute—Non-profit Technology Company, a Leader of Autism Solutions
Dan Selec - Founder / Chair / CEO
5240 Tennyson Parkway, Suite 105, Plano, TX 75024
Mailing address: P.O. Box 260652, Plano, TX 75026-0652
website: http://www.npitx.org/city/Houston.htm
email: Houston@npitx.org
Expanding to the Houston area in 2015. Location will be in the Westchase area of Houston, near Beltway 8 and Richmond Avenue. nonPareil Institute is dedicated to providing technical training, employment and housing to individuals who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. We hope to one day be partially self-sustaining from the products our Crew build and market.  Dan Selec had been thinking about his son's future for a long time. Having a child on the autism spectrum, he asked the same question so many parents ask; "What happens when my son grows up? What is out there that can help him today, in a practical and predictable way?" Dan recognized the interest, ability and passion many like his son seemed to display, especially in regard to PC’s and game consoles. If this passion could be harnessed in the form of technical ability, an entirely new method of communication, expression and productivity would be possible.  Read Dan's foundational nonPareil whitepaper, Technical Training for the Autistic Mind written in July 2008.

Organization for Autism Research (OAR)
Peter F. Gerhardt, Ed.D.

President and Chair, OAR Scientific Council
2000 North 14th Street, Suite 240
Arlington, VA 22201
703-243-9710
http://www.researchautism.org/
A Guide for Transition to Adulthood is downloadable and provides solid information on preparing individuals with autism for life in the community. http://www.researchautism.org/resources/reading/documents/TransitionGuide.pdf

 
Plan To Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
PASS is an SSI provision to help individuals with disabilities return to work.
How does a PASS help someone return to work?
SSI eligibility and payment amount are based on income and resources (things of value that individual owns).
PASS lets disabled individual set aside money and/or things he or she owns to pay for items or services needed to
achieve a specific work goal.
How does PASS work?

• Applicant finds out what training, items or services needed to reach work goal.
• Can include supplies to start business, school expenses, equipment and tools, transportation and uniform requests.
• Applicant finds out how much these items and services will cost.
• PASS can help person save to pay these costs. PASS lets person set aside money for installment payments as well as a down payment for things like a vehicle, wheelchair or computer if needed to reach work goal.

How do you set up a PASS?

• Decide on work goal and determining items and services necessary to achieve.
• Can get help in setting up plan from a vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselor; an organization that helps people with disabilities; Benefits Specialists or Protection and Advocacy organizations who have contracts with SSA; Employment Networks involved in the Ticket to Work program; the local Social Security office or anyone else willing to help him or her.
• Contact local SSA office; SSA work site to get a PASS form (SSA-545-BK) to complete.
• Bring or mail it to the Social Security office.
• SSA usually approves plans prepared by VR
• If goal is self-employment, there must also be a business plan

Reach Unlimited, Inc
12777 Jones Road, Suite 103
Houston, TX 77070
281-469-8058
http://www.reachunlimited.org/index.html
They are dedicated to providing quality support services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With the completion of Phase One of the Learning Activity Center (LAC), the agency offers the most comprehensive programs and services for people with intellectual and development disabilities in the greater Houston northwest. These programs and services include:

• Center for life-long learning
• Center for vocational development
• Supported employment
• Home and community-based services
• Community service
• Personal development
• Recreation and fitness

Rice Disability Support Services
Provides support services and accommodations for all individuals with disabilities on the Rice University campus.
Allen Center, Room 111
713-348-5841, http://dss.rice.edu
Mailing address: Disability Support Services, Rice University, MS 802
6100 Main Street
Houston, TX 77005

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a Federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes), click on link to go to the government’s website http://www.ssa.gov/ssi/: It is designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income; and it provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. This link will take you to the Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool (http://www.benefits.gov/ssa).  By taking 5 to 10 minutes to answer a few questions, you can find out if you are eligible for SSI or other benefits. (See also more detailed information on SSI Eligibility Requirements http://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-eligibility-ussi.htm). 

Spectrum of Hope, LLC
Kimberly Wallace, Founder
Laura Brown Tolliver, Center Director
14110 Cypress Creek Boulevard
Cypress, TX 77429
281-894-1423
Email: kkw625@sbcglobal.net
Main Campus
11820-B Cypress Corner Lane
Houston, TX 77065
281-894-1423
Adolescent Center
11420 Cypress Creek Blvd.
Cypress, TX 77429
http://www.spectrumofhope.com/
Adult program services are now offered at Spectrum of Hope is Houston's leading Health and Behavior Intervention & Applied Behavior Analysis treatment center. 




TEAM Abilities 
1029 Pruitt Road
Spring, TX 77380
Day Habilitation 
http://teamabilitiesinc.com/

Our day hab allows for people  with developmental  disabilities  get the most out of every day. The Day program provides a warm, enriching environment that encourages the individual to celebrate their unique talents through recreation and community involvement. Activities take place both onsite and with community partners in the Houston area including volunteers at NAM, Houston Food Bank and other local missions.

Texas Transition Employment Guide: http://www.tcdd.texas.gov/texas-transition-employment-guide/

The Center
3550 W. Dallas
Houston, TX 77019
713-525-8400
http://thecenterhouston.org/
and
Willow River Farms
4073 Farm to Market 3318, Brookshire, TX 77423
(979) 885-4121
The Center, a private not-for-profit agency, believes all adults with developmental disabilities should have opportunities to promote choice, personal growth, and independence so they may achieve their full potential. The Center upholds this belief by offering high quality residential, vocational and day services to support our clients and our community. The Center Community is a vibrant, diverse community of individuals with varying developmental disabilities and needs. Currently, over 600 individuals make up The Center Community. The LifeCare program provides supports for Independent Living and Assisted Living residents at Cullen Residence Hall, existing residential clients within The Center’s HCS program, residents at a local nursing home, and residential clients at The Center’s Willow River Farms campus. In addition to working with new Center individuals and their families, the LifeCare program has increased staff support, thus providing more opportunities for individuals to receive specialized services from those they feel comfortable and safe.

• Day Services
• Residential Services
• Vocational Services
• LifeCare Services

The Center for Higher Independence
A Program of Providence Place
Terri Gutierrez, M.S.W., Director of Admissions
6487 Whitby Road
San Antonio, Texas 78240
phone: 800.842.5433 / 210-696-2410, ext. 132
terri@provplace.org
fax: 210-699-1866
http://www.provplace.org/programs/center-for-higher-independence/
We help young adults with disabilities gain the work, life and social skills to live independently.  Our Center for Higher Independence provides a campus experience where young adults with disabilities learn to take responsibility for their lives. They manage tasks of daily living in a way they never dreamed possible – shopping and cooking for themselves, cleaning their homes, managing their money – and open up bright new futures for themselves.

The Summerhouse
Michelle Howard-Herbein, CEO/Executive Director
1424 Waseca Street
Houston, TX 77055
832-200-6158
Email: info@summerhousehouston.org
https://summerhousehouston.org/

Summerhouse Houston provides personal growth opportunities that support real-world experiences for young adults with intellectual disabilities. Through partnering with our members’ families and educating our communities, we are empowering our members to challenge “the way it’s always been done”. The Summerhouse program offers quality, individualized programming for each of our members, strategic goal setting and tracking, options and support for families, and integration initiatives for the communities around us.

The Village Learning & Achievement Center
3819 Plum Valley Drive
Kingwood, TX 77339
281-358-6172
Non-profit organization created to support the inclusion of children and adults with disabilities, and to create environments that help them reach their maximum potential for independent living.

Transition to Adult Life; Autism Speaks’ Transition Guide
Autism Speaks offers a free downloadable transition guide at Transition Tool Kit. Areas of focus include Self Determination, Employment, Adult Living, Social Skills/Recreation & Leisure, and Continuing Education/Life-long Learning. http://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/tool-kits/transition-tool-kit

VAST Academy—Houston Community College
Department Office
1301 Alabama Street, Suite 101
Houston, TX 77004
713 718-6832
http://vast.hccs.edu/
VAST Academy provides post-secondary transition programs and comprehensive support services which lead to meaningful credentials, employment and independence for differently-abled individuals. Opportunities include vocational certificates, pre-college and freshman success “bridge” courses, career readiness credentials, internships and employment assistance offered through an inclusive, relevant and affordable avenue.

VAST Academy will be:

• A post-secondary, “affordable” program of choice, for “differently abled” individuals seeking workforce certificates and academic advancement, leading to professional careers, employment and independence.
• Known for its innovative and “cutting-edge” programs, certificates and technology.
• An integral part of the economic and educational life of the community through its collaborative partnerships.
• A technical resource model, sharing best practices with community colleges and institutions seeking to develop similar model programs.

VaughnGage Adult Wellness Center 
They now serve the autism community. They provide services including job training, life skills and a vocational program for adults with ASD. They are a Texas Workforce Community Rehab provider.
17478 Northwest Freeway
Houston, TX 77040
713-624-0200
https://www.vaughngage.org/

Vocational Rehabilitation Service Models for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Their web site focusing on issues and strategies for improving employment outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). http://www.autism.sedl.org/

We Connect Now is dedicated to uniting people interested in rights and issues affecting people with disabilities, with particular emphasis on college students and access to higher education and employment issues. One of the goals of this site is to help college students with disabilities to succeed in their studies by getting the information and support they need, both through resources, links, blogs latest news. http://weconnectnow.wordpress.com/