The Anderson Center for Autism Provides a Vital Resource for the Autism Community in the Hudson Valley
The Anderson Center for Autism provides a vital resource for people with autism living in the Hudson Valley. Michael Kaye, the Communications Manager at Autism Speaks, champions the work that the Anderson Center, and places similar to it, do for individuals with autism. He believes that they are instrumental for families in the autism community. He said, “autism is an invisible disability, which unfortunately leads to people misunderstanding how living with autism affects people.”
“Autism is a spectrum disorder,” said Caroline Fiske, a student at Marist College. Her brother, Harry, is on the autism spectrum. “Everybody is different, it manifests in different ways for each person.” For example, Harry is very outgoing. “He’ll literally approach anyone and everyone and just talk to them. He has such a big heart,” Fiske said. However, someone else with autism might be very reserved.
Since everyone on the autism spectrum is unique, the Anderson Center prides themselves on their individualized treatment plans. Christine Wolcott, the Program Development Manager at the center, said, “too often, people with autism are put into programs with no thought for their individual needs. And then when they become an adult, they’re put out into the world with no means of a successful life.”
“There are many challenges families face after receiving an autism diagnosis,” said Kaye. “Parents have to balance caring for children on the spectrum who need full-time attention while maintaining full-time careers that are necessary for them to manager the healthcare bills that accompany said diagnosis.”
The Anderson Center strives to provide lifelong support for their students. They offer day programs, after school programs, and even a full residential program. Children enrolled in the residential program live on the Anderson Center’s campus in homes suited to their age, abilities, and learning needs. A testimonial on their website speaks to how hard it is to let your child with autism live away from home, but a parent of a student in the Children’s Program said, “we knew it was the best thing we could do for him. We saw the very positive changes him over the previous few months he had spent in Anderson’s day program and we truly understood that they could provide the level of structure and continuity that is so crucial for children with autism, something that we could not achieve at home.”
The Anderson Center offers services beyond childhood years. According to Dylan O’Brien, a current student of special education at Marist College, “the current health care system kicks people with autism out at the age of 21. There are no widely established programs to help these people once they age out of the system. Many end up homeless, it’s a tragedy.” The Anderson Center has a residential program in place for those over the age of 21. They are put in homes called Individual Residential Alternatives in neighboring counties, and they are offered recreational and community involvement opportunities on a regular basis.
When addressing and speaking about the individuals in the autism community, Wolcott brought up the importance of “person first language.” This type of speaking emphasizes the person instead of their disability. It’s the difference between saying “the child with autism” instead of “the autistic child.” Wolcott said “it’s a simple fix that can avoid dehumanizing people with autism. It tells others what a person has instead of what they are.”
