Colliding public health priorities: A call to improve the understanding of autistic individuals utilizing housing assistance.

The objective of this study was to identify utilization of housing support provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) among autistic people in the U.S. Using 2008 and 2016 Medicaid data, we identified autistic individuals birth to 61 years and linked them to national HUD...

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Main Authors: Lindsay Shea, Anne Roux, Amy Blank Wilson, Jonas Ventimiglia, Conner Carlton, Wei-Lin Lee, Dylan Cooper, Shelby Frisbie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315008
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author Lindsay Shea
Anne Roux
Amy Blank Wilson
Jonas Ventimiglia
Conner Carlton
Wei-Lin Lee
Dylan Cooper
Shelby Frisbie
author_facet Lindsay Shea
Anne Roux
Amy Blank Wilson
Jonas Ventimiglia
Conner Carlton
Wei-Lin Lee
Dylan Cooper
Shelby Frisbie
author_sort Lindsay Shea
collection DOAJ
description The objective of this study was to identify utilization of housing support provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) among autistic people in the U.S. Using 2008 and 2016 Medicaid data, we identified autistic individuals birth to 61 years and linked them to national HUD data. We characterized demographics, co-occurring conditions, and HUD program involvement. Autistic Medicaid enrollees enrolled in HUD increased by 70% between 2008 and 2016. Among 846,350 autistic Medicaid enrollees in 2016, 10.4% (n = 88,315) were HUD-assisted. HUD-assisted autistic individuals, versus non-HUD-assisted, were more likely to be Black/African American and less likely to have private insurance. Most lived in urban areas and were enrolled in the Housing Choice Voucher program. Approximately 2,600 autistic individuals (3%) were homeless at HUD entry. Growing numbers of HUD-assisted autistic individuals point toward an urgent need for federal data to understand and address public health contexts of housing affordability and instability to complement existing clinical autism research investments. Integrated public health, housing, and disability supports must address equitable income supports and housing assistance needed to support the health needs of autistic individuals.
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spelling doaj-art-3487ec1e2d0240608dc080234c8ae5252025-08-20T02:44:43ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-011912e031500810.1371/journal.pone.0315008Colliding public health priorities: A call to improve the understanding of autistic individuals utilizing housing assistance.Lindsay SheaAnne RouxAmy Blank WilsonJonas VentimigliaConner CarltonWei-Lin LeeDylan CooperShelby FrisbieThe objective of this study was to identify utilization of housing support provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) among autistic people in the U.S. Using 2008 and 2016 Medicaid data, we identified autistic individuals birth to 61 years and linked them to national HUD data. We characterized demographics, co-occurring conditions, and HUD program involvement. Autistic Medicaid enrollees enrolled in HUD increased by 70% between 2008 and 2016. Among 846,350 autistic Medicaid enrollees in 2016, 10.4% (n = 88,315) were HUD-assisted. HUD-assisted autistic individuals, versus non-HUD-assisted, were more likely to be Black/African American and less likely to have private insurance. Most lived in urban areas and were enrolled in the Housing Choice Voucher program. Approximately 2,600 autistic individuals (3%) were homeless at HUD entry. Growing numbers of HUD-assisted autistic individuals point toward an urgent need for federal data to understand and address public health contexts of housing affordability and instability to complement existing clinical autism research investments. Integrated public health, housing, and disability supports must address equitable income supports and housing assistance needed to support the health needs of autistic individuals.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315008
spellingShingle Lindsay Shea
Anne Roux
Amy Blank Wilson
Jonas Ventimiglia
Conner Carlton
Wei-Lin Lee
Dylan Cooper
Shelby Frisbie
Colliding public health priorities: A call to improve the understanding of autistic individuals utilizing housing assistance.
PLoS ONE
title Colliding public health priorities: A call to improve the understanding of autistic individuals utilizing housing assistance.
title_full Colliding public health priorities: A call to improve the understanding of autistic individuals utilizing housing assistance.
title_fullStr Colliding public health priorities: A call to improve the understanding of autistic individuals utilizing housing assistance.
title_full_unstemmed Colliding public health priorities: A call to improve the understanding of autistic individuals utilizing housing assistance.
title_short Colliding public health priorities: A call to improve the understanding of autistic individuals utilizing housing assistance.
title_sort colliding public health priorities a call to improve the understanding of autistic individuals utilizing housing assistance
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315008
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