In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the day-to-day challenges facing autistic people and their families. One is a shortage of caregivers and direct support professionals, which is likely to get worse.
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board reported that U.S. job postings seeking Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or Board Certified Behavior Analyst–Doctoral (BCBA-D) certification increased 28 percent from 2024 to 2025.
A 2025 ANCOR survey also found that many community-based disability service providers continued to experience staffing shortages.
Those numbers matter because when professional support is unavailable, families often absorb the responsibility.
In my experience, that can mean a parent reducing working hours, leaving a job, or reorganizing nearly every part of family life around caregiving. A 2024 study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders similarly identified challenges in balancing paid employment with ongoing caregiving responsibilities.
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The autism workforce crisis is not only about how many professionals are available. It is also about what happens to families when the support they need is not there. If we want to build a more supportive system, we need to consider both.
