Adolescents and Adults with Autism: Supporting a Life in the Community Gloria Satriale, Esq....
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Transcript of Adolescents and Adults with Autism: Supporting a Life in the Community Gloria Satriale, Esq....
Adolescents and Adults with Autism: Adolescents and Adults with Autism: Supporting a Life in the CommunitySupporting a Life in the Community
Gloria Satriale, Esq. Community Coordinator/Transition Specialist Preparing Adolescents for Adult Life (PAAL); Chair, Chester County
Department MH/MR Advisory Board; Parent
Peter F. Gerhardt, President Organization for Autism Research
“I continue to be amazed that you function as an independent adult.”
Jim Sack
Preparing Adolescents for Adult Life:
The PAAL Program
“If you meet one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.”
Stephen Shore
“PAAL is not one program but multiple programs, one for each student. The community is their classroom”
Gloria Satriale
Why PAAL Exists… Why PAAL Exists… Dearth of functionally relevant transition services
nationwide Continued reports of poor social and employment
outcomes for adults on the spectrum Limited professional interest in older learners With a growing cohort of adolescents with autism there is
a DIRE need to develop more, and more effective, transition programs
Parents of these individuals are committed to expanding effective options for their children
Subsequently, there is a need for highly trained staff to work with older learners
To involve the community shareholders in the lives of PAAL’s students
Life in the Community
Autism World
Neurotypical World
Or in other words…
AUTISMNT
There is a perception that the only acceptable outcome is for the person with ASD to be indistinguishable from the
NT “Standard of Behavior”
“NT” “ASD”
That is, at best, an inefficient use of everyone’s time. Instead:
In this area of overlap lies interdependence and this is where the greatest potential for the development of employment services and supports for
both worlds can be accomplished
Skill Sets Have Three PartsSkill Sets Have Three Parts
Social
NavigationProduction
“If you NTs have all the skills, why don’t you adapt for awhile?”
Donna Vickers
Real community inclusion, it seems, will require the remediation of some significant skill deficits in the neurotypical world along with evidence-based instruction in the ASD world.
The Individual
Employer
Physical Match
Social Match
Navigation Match
The Family Program
Resources
Co-Workers
Society-at-Large
A few of the relevant factors…
Society-at-LargeSociety-at-Large
Accept the individual as a contributing member of the community
Avoid “feeling sorry” for the individual. Empower the individual Accept the “gifts” the person has to offer Respect the person as any employed adult in a job
that is job socially significant, of value to the community, and personally fulfilling/significant for the individual?
A (final) true story…
Student A Aggression Totals
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Freq
uenc
y
LowHigh1SibHigh2
Today…Today… His is supported as an adult at less than 1/3 the cost of
his educational program He volunteers at the food bank He regularly goes out to restaurants for a sit down
lunch Regularly exercises in the community (walking) 2-3
times per week He works with a wide number of staff with whom he
feels comfortable In 2006 he was selected as Elk of the Year. He is well
liked by all the Elks members!!!!
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world”
Mahatma Gandhi