These Are the Best and Worst States for Raising a Child With Autism

According to the CDC, around 1 in 54 kids in America have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). When it comes to raising a child that’s been diagnosed with ASD, there are a lot of factors parents need to take into consideration, including schools and sensory gyms, monetary and legal aid parents may be provided, grants available to families, whether state laws require insurance coverage, whether the state is part of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network and more. Many, if not all of these resources are dependent on the state one lives in.

To help parents, Autism Parenting Magazine put together a guide based on their research of the best states to raise a child with autism, as well as the states that offered the least support. Of the states, seven were located on the west coast. Colorado was found to be the best state, while Virginia was found to offer the least support. Below, each list, based on their research.

Best States for Raising a Child with Autism:

1. Colorado
2. Massachusetts
3. New Jersey
4. Connecticut
5. Maryland
6. New York
7. Pennsylvania
8. Wisconsin
9. Rhode Island
10. Montana

Least Supportive States for Raising a Child with Autism:

1. West Virginia
2. New Mexico
3. Tennessee
4. Nevada
5. Kentucky
6. Oklahoma
7. South Carolina
8. Nebraska
9. Mississippi
10. Maine

Colorado, Massachusetts and New Jersey were found to be the top three states, but Massachusetts, Connecticut and Colorado were found to offer the most resources based on their population. California, which is not on the list due to a lack of resources in ratio to its population, was also found to have support in terms of grants, state laws and ADDM inclusion.

“Making informed decisions for your children is extremely important for every parent. However, when you have a child with ASD it can complicate decision-making further. It might not be well-known to all families that different states can offer so much more, or so much less, in terms of resources and insurance support. That’s why we wanted to create a comprehensive list of the most supportive states to assist families who are making these decisions,” Mark Blakely, founder of Autism Parenting Magazine, said in a statement. “Raising an autistic child can be scary at the best of times, and our goal is to offer families easily-accessible information to make their decision-making as informed as possible. Of course, some families may need resources more than they need insurance support, or visa versa, so this list may not be the perfect option for every family. However, we hope that it provides some insight and gives parents the basis of information from which they can build on when deciding the future of their child.”

To view the full report, visit AutismParentingMagazine.com.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.