Recipient name meristem, INC.project title california employment program for autistic adultsfunding request 1,000,000.00CONGRESSIONAL sponsor congressman AMI bera (california 7TH district), california…

Recipient name meristem, INC.project title california employment program for autistic adultsfunding request 1,000,000.00CONGRESSIONAL sponsor congressman AMI bera (california 7TH district), california senator dianne feinstein, california senator alex padillarequested period of performance 24 months (february 2023 february 2025)project purpose and goals the project objective is to build on the work that meristem has been doing around employing young adults with autism and incorporate those best practices in a collaborative and innovative way that increases employment opportunities for a tremendously underserved population. IT also will provide funding to expand our ambassador program in which young autistic adults mentor high school age students on the autism spectrum.activities to be performed meristem has developed and implemented a training for employers to achieve more successful hiring and retention of adults with autism and piloted this training in sacramento and LOS angeles. This proposed project would lay the foundation for expanding the successful pilot beyond the original geographic scope into the 9 counties in the BAY area, stockton, merced, fresno, ventura, SAN bernardino, riverside, orange county and SAN diego. Further, IT will link the employer training to paid internships, direct placement, and retention of participants, and incorporate a plan that integrates diversity, equity, and inclusive principles into workplace culture. IT will bring 3 major changes in the workforce system for adults with autism combine direct placements of adults with autism with a proven model of employer training and workplace culture change so as to build a more complete employment system that is grounded in equitable principles. Utilization of a paid internship program that recognizes the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in order to build a more complete employment placement and retention system for individuals with autism and incorporate an autism ambassador program that would provide peer mentorship of autistic youth transitioning from a supported high school environment to independent living. Evidence supports the value of educating students with autism and other underserved populations in inclusive settings and involving peers in educational programming across the educational lifespan. This ambassador program would ensure that the voice of autism continues to be a guiding element of this expanded project.intended beneficiaries neurodiverse young adults with autism that are served by the meristem programsubrecipient activities n a