Identifying Services and 
Supports

Abstract This chapter addresses the critical supports and services young autistic adults (YAAs) need to manage challenges and build independence. It presents common co-occurring issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, poor social skills, disruptive behavior, and loneliness and emphasizes the need to adopt balanced and healthy stress management strategies. It explains how YAAs develop self-regulation skills through strategies that address thoughts, feelings, sensations, and actions while building supportive networks and accessing professional help. The chapter details crisis planning by outlining how YAAs identify triggers, reduce stressors, ensure safety, and seek assistance; and it clarifies the personal choice and legal confidentiality involved in disclosing an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis to secure accommodations. Finally, the chapter distinguishes helpers from friends, underscores the importance of safety in adult settings, and incorporates practical exercises to strengthen stress management, self-advocacy, and personal safety skills.