Mental Health
Posted on January 13, 2026
Autistic youth experience anxiety, depression, ADHD, and other mental health conditions at rates four to six times higher than their non-autistic peers. Addressing mental health needs early and proactively is helpful, but it is never too late to provide support that can improve well-being and quality of life. Families, school staff, and community providers can work together to address the unique social-emotional needs of youth with autism.
START’s featured family resource this month is Addressing Mental Health Needs in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Toolkit for Educators shared by the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. We encourage families to review this toolkit for practical strategies that may be helpful at home and to share the resource with their child’s school team to support emotional and mental health needs. If you have concerns about your child’s mental health, reaching out to others, including therapists, community providers or school staff, can provide support, guidance, and reassurance.
Additional resources about mental health and autism:
- START Info Sheets: Mental Health in Autistic Youth
- Mental Health Therapies and Treatment from Autism Speaks
- Uniquely Human podcast (Episode 55 Where Autism meets Mental Health: A Discussion with Sean Inderbitzen, Autistic Behavioral Health Therapist)
- Find Support for a Mental Health Concern from the Organization for Autism Research
- Mental Health Hub of the National Autistic Society