'An invaluable resource' - Minister launches phone line for autistic community

The Minister of State for Disabilities has announced the creation of a telephone information line for the autistic community. 

The AsIAm (Autism Spectrum Information, Advice and Meeting Point) phone line initiative was launched today (Thursday February 17) will be operational for four hours per day five days a week. 

Minister Rabbitte called it "an invaluable resource" for people with autism, their families and their friends. 

She said, "It will be beneficial in enabling the wider population to understand the needs of autistic people in today’s world." 

Part-funded by the HSE, the aim of AsIAm is to develop a range of information resources, seminars and programmatic actiity so that callers will receive community-based support without - where possible - the need for external referral. 

According to the minister, 70% of autistic adults surveyed by AsIAm reported the Covid-19 pandemic had "severely impacted" their mental health and wellbeing. 

She said, "The development of this channel will, I hope, alleviate some of these issues by providing evidence-based information and a ‘port of call’ for individuals and families working through specific issues or challenges." 

Calls will reportedly be responded to by either a clinician or an appropriately qualified autistic advisor. 

Minister Rabbitte said, "This will assist in matters as diverse as how to go about obtaining a diagnosis, to socialising, to employment related issues. The service should help to alleviate the need for autistic people and their families to go through a myriad of websites or phone calls to get an answer to a simple query." 

CEO of AsIAm, Adam Harris, stated, "We are so proud to have developed this new Information Line Service to support our community at a critical time. Autistic people simply want the same chance to go to school, access healthcare services, gain employment and to be accepted in the community for who we are.

"Too often autistic people and their families do not have timely access to information and support or face structural barriers to inclusion which leave families unsure of where to turn to.