Anthony Solomonik turned 21 last March, the age at which people with disabilities are no longer entitled to a free public education. Since then, his mother, Marie, has struggled to find a program where he can spend his days. (MARIE LAFAUCI / GETTY / ARSH RAZIUDDIN / THE ATLANTIC)

Due to a spike in autism diagnoses in the early 1990s, a large cohort of individuals with autism will soon be turning 21 and losing eligibility for programs that fund services for young people on the spectrum. This has raised concerns that government programs for supporting adults with autism will be overwhelmed and run short of money.