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