Autism Services

Individual residential alternatives provide room, board, protective oversight, and care to residents in small, community residences. 53 people with Autism received Services in this program during 2023. All residents attend education or adult Services programs or work in paid employment opportunities during the week. Each resident works with staff on specific goals identified in their approved individualized service plan (isp) to learn skills that will enable them to become more independent. During free time, residents choose from a variety of activities that include hobbies, shopping, sports & recreational outings and family visits.

Day Services include day habilitation, blended day Services, supplemental day habilitation, acces-vr and supported employment programs. The variety of Services offered in these programs includes training in activities of daily living, prevocational skills, horticulture therapy, participation in art/music/creative movement/dance activities and recreational activities. Some people work at paid jobs in the community with the support of job coaches. Art and music programs are offered two evenings per month in the supplemental day habilitation program. Through self-advocacy, people are encouraged to participate in activities of interest to them. Participants in the drumming group no words spoken performed for school groups and at several community events throughout the year. Many of our talented artists exhibited artwork at local galleries and businesses. Approximately one hundred and 50 children and adults received Services in these programs in 2023.

Nys state education department certified education program for children with Autism from ages five through twenty-one. A total of102 students received Services at two locations in this program in 2023. Training in functional activities of daily living skills supplement academic coursework. Support to students includes speech language pathology Services, occupational therapy,music/art/creative movement/dance activities and adaptive individualized education plan (iep). A transition liaison works with students to help prepare them for post-graduation adult Services or employment.

Opwdd contract Services - in-home clinical support Services were provided to 19 children/families and a social skills support group was provided to seventeen children in 2023.

Respite Services 28 people received respite Services in their homes, and/or participated in therapeutic recreation/respite programs on weekends, during school vacation breaks, and after school in 2023. Respite service provided in the family home ensures the safety of the person with Autism while giving caregivers a break from the daily demands of caring for their family member with Autism.

Miscellaneous programs and grants provide support to people with Autism and their families through a variety of smaller programs. Two programs of special note are a sibling support group that helps provide understanding of their sibling with Autism to "normal" children and a monthly meeting group of people diagnosed with asperger's. The agency also operated a lending resource library open to the public to loan information and therapeutic materials to parents, students, and professionals.