PEOPLE WITH AUTISM, AND THEIR CAREGIVERS, MAY BE ELGIBLE FOR CT PAID LEAVE BENEFITS
April is Autism Acceptance Month
Hartford CT — In honor of Autism Acceptance Month, the Connecticut Paid Leave Authority reminded Connecticut residents that people living with autism and their caregivers may be eligible for paid leave benefits when they seek care for their serious health condition. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others, causing problems in social interaction and communication. The disorder also includes limited and repetitive patterns of behavior. The term “spectrum” in autism spectrum disorder refers to the wide range of symptoms and severity. While there is no cure for autism spectrum disorder, intensive, early treatment can make a big difference, particularly in the lives of many children.
“According to the Federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in every 36 children in the United States is affected by autism,” said CT Paid Leave CEO Erin Choquette. “Because autism spectrum disorder can cover a wide range of conditions, each individual living with autism has specific needs and challenges. Connecticut Paid Leave is a great program because it provides options in how benefits can be used — in a block of time or intermittently. In that way it can provide peace of mind with income replacement while away from work while also providing flexibility for each person’s individual situation.”
Autism is nearly 4 times more common in boys than in girls but it occurs in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. The CDC reports that the prevalence of ASD has been higher in recent years although how much of this is due to changes to the clinical definition of ASD (which may include more people than previous definitions) and better efforts to diagnose ASD (which would identify people with ASD who were not previously identified) is unclear. Connecticut Paid Leave provides income replacement for time away from work to receive treatment for one’s own serious health condition or to provide care for a loved one with a serious health condition. For parents of children with ASD, caregiver leave allows a parent or guardian to take their child to doctor appointments, treatments, and therapies whether that’s physical, or speech, or occupational or mental health without losing income.
“Connecticut is ranked 9th in the top states with the highest rates of autism,” said Dr. Kristine Schlichting, Director and Founder of Hopewell Health Solutions. “Parental involvement in their child’s care is essential and paid leave makes it possible for moms and dads to attend doctor or therapy appointments without having to worry about making ends meet.”
“When my son turned about 9 months old, I started noticing differences and when Lawson was finally tested, we received a diagnosis of level 2 autism,” said Alanna Tuttle, a parent of a child with autism. “While my current employer is very supportive of my situation, there is comfort knowing that CT Paid Leave is there if I need it.”
To apply for CT Paid Leave benefits online, workers will first need to create an account with CT.gov. This will provide the applicant with a single identity and will take approximately 10 minutes. The applicant can then submit their claim online. Claims may also be filed by phone by calling (877) 499–8606. Hours of operation for a live representative are 8 AM to 8 PM ET, Monday through Friday.
For more information about CT Paid Leave and how to apply, please visit www.ctpaidleave.org. To hear more from Dr. Kristine Schlichting and Alanna about autism, please listen to the CT Paid Leave Podcast here.
