Study reveals that 79% of school-age people with autism attend some level of schooling in the State

On World Autism Awareness Day, celebrated this Tuesday (2/4), the results of the research Characteristics of the Population with Autism in RS. The study is from the Foundation for Articulation and Development of Public Policies for People with Disabilities and High Skills in Rio Grande do Sul (Faders), an institution linked to the Secretariat of Social Development (Headquarters).

The research presents information about the autistic community in Rio Grande do Sul. The analysis was carried out based on data obtained through the request for the Identification Card for Persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (Ciptea). In relation to 2023, there was an increase of 100 municipalities participating in the research, reaching 465.

During the period, 21,997 requests for Ciptea were registered, of which 21,207 were accepted (the main reasons for rejecting requests were the presentation of a report not issued by doctors and documents whose reported diagnosis did not correspond to the disorder).

Search results

The research revealed a varied demographic distribution, with a significant male predominance, corresponding to 75.09% of cases.

A total of 34.4% of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are employed. The updated data reveals that only 10.85% of them work on quotas.

Inclusion in the labor market through the quota policy, as stipulated by Law No. 8,213/1991, is considered a critical aspect for the inclusion of people with disabilities.

The vast majority of people with autism are attending some level of schooling, with 16,789 (79.17%) individuals of school age actually enrolled in educational institutions. On the other hand, 4,418 (20.83%) do not attend any level of schooling, with 190 (4.3%) in the expected age range to study at some level of Elementary School, and 155 (3.51%) are are in the recommended range to attend some level of high school.

Early identification of ASD was found in 22.7% of diagnoses, occurring between two and three years of age. Furthermore, the survey highlighted the coexistence of other disabilities in 18% of cases, highlighting the complexity of the needs of this group.

The majority of individuals with ASD receive specialized multidisciplinary care (73.73%), but there are still 8.49% who reported not receiving any care.

Data analysis also showed that the majority of the population with autism in Rio Grande do Sul is in the lowest income brackets. Approximately 84% live on up to 1.5 national minimum wages.

The State is divided into 28 Regional Development Councils (Coredes), according to the Sociodemographic Atlas of Rio Grande do Sul (2020). The most populous municipalities are mainly in the Metropolitan Region, which are part of the Jacuí Delta Metropolitan Core, with 29.25% overall of Cipteas approved in the State.

The second Corede with the highest rate of requests is Vale do Rio dos Sinos, with 13.63%, and the third is Corede Sul, with 9.32% of approvals. The Coredes with the lowest number of verified portfolios were Nordeste (0.67%), Celeiro (0.63%) and Rio da Várzea (0.56%)

Among the municipalities, Porto Alegre (located in the Corede Metropolitano Delta do Jacuí), led the number of requests, representing 16.37% of the total. Next, Caxias do Sul (belonging to Corede Serra), recorded 5.01%; Canoas (Corede Vale do Rio dos Sinos), accounted for 4.69%; and Rio Grande (Corede Sul), recorded 4%.

According to the president of Faders, Marquinho Lang, the “Cyptometer”, a tool available on the institution website, allows municipal managers to monitor in real time the number of Cipteas issued per municipality. Therefore, it is an essential tool for evaluating the impact of interventions and guiding publicity campaigns on the portfolio.

Regionalized analysis is considered fundamental for evaluating public policy and verifying the resources available in each region, meeting the needs of municipalities.

Balance

To mark World Autism Awareness Day, the State government, through the Department of Health (SES), held a review of the results of the TEAcolhe Programaimed at people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families.

In three years of operation, the work carried out jointly by the health, education and social assistance networks has already provided 11,253 services, 1,871 receptions for families and 2,107 continuing education activities, with 83,624 people trained in Rio Grande do Sul.

TEAcolhe has 28 regional centers, five macro-regional centers and 23 health care centers (CAS) operating throughout the State. In February this year, the increase in the number of CAS was announced.

There will be 20 new service locations. Six of them are already qualified (the last step before actually starting operations) and 14 are in the hiring process.

There are also three other macro-regional and two regional centers that are in the agreement phase, which will expand coverage in the State.

_{Text: Bethânia Haas Loblein/Ascom Faders
Editing: Felipe Borges/Secom}